Eating together regularly as a family has long been promoted as a simple solution for improving health and well-being. To obtain these benefits we must follow an old formula: all family members at the table, happily sharing a home-cooked meal and chatting without distractions. However, modern life can make it hard to have family meals due to time constraints, stress about cooking, and cost.

In Australia, family meals often happen in the evening because it is one of the few times of day families are at home at the same time. Around three quarters of young children engage in family dinners with their caregivers more than five nights per week. Many parents consider family mealtimes important, but they can also be stressful to achieve. Family meals are more than what happens at the table. They require intent, effort and planning.

Having pleasant mealtimes and meaningful conversations may not happen naturally. Again, it is often mothers who manage the relationships and emotions around the table. Moreover, mealtimes can become more complicated when there are multiple kids in the mix. Some parents let their kids use TV or other screens to encourage them to eat and to avoid arguments. This strategy has been linked with less-than-optimal dietary intakes, but can make mealtimes possible, and more manageable.

So, how can we rethink what a successful and meaningful family meal looks like? Here are five ideas for starters. First, opportunities to eat together come at different times of the day, and not all family members have to be present. A meaningful eating occasion can be as simple as sharing a snack with the kids after school. Second, it doesn't need to be perfect. There is no shame in reheating a frozen meal, serving your veggies raw, eating on a picnic rug in the living room, or occasionally watching a family TV show. Third, meals are a great time to communicate, but this does not always come easily after busy days at work and school. Simple word games, listening to music and quiet time can be just as enjoyable. Fourth, try to be creative in the way you share family meal tasks with kids and partners. You could design the family menu together, have a shopping list everyone can contribute to, or divide the washing up. Fifth, there is no number of meals that is right for every family. It's all about opting in how and when you can. When it comes to family meals, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. We need better promotion of realistic and achievable family meals to reduce the pressure placed on already overburdened families.

(Adapted from www.theconversation.com)

READING

What does the word 'They' in paragraph 2 refer to?