Family Dinner Day is September 24
Research by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University consistently finds that the more often children eat dinner with their families, the less likely they are to smoke, drink or use drugs.
Does that sound hard to believe? The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University points to closer family bonds, more intimate conversations, and a shared sense of family as ways to keep families connected and communicating.
As CASA points out, it's much more than just the food; it's the togetherness that matters.
Think about it: what does dinner involve? It's about togetherness, sharing, and role modeling. Those really are significant ways to keep kids on a good path. So, sharing dinner together isn't so much a magic cure as it's a part of a positive lifestyle.
Regular family dinners are just one tool to help keep your kids substance free. Here are some other important things you can do:
- Set a good example.
- Know your child’s whereabouts, activities and friends.
- Set fair rules and hold your child to them.
- Maintain open lines of communication.
- Surround your child with positive role models.
- Learn the signs and symptoms of teen substance abuse and conditions that increase risk.
The 4th Monday of September (Sept. 24) is set aside as National Family Dinner Day—a time to focus on eating more meals as a family.
So join with Super 1 Foods in promoting the ties that bind—and that includes dinners. We've got some quick and easy meal ideas to get you started!
Three Quick-To-Fix Family Foods
- Hearty soup: Add canned or frozen vegetables to tomato or chicken soup
- Pasta dish: Mix chopped lean ham or deli meat, and cooked vegetables into macaroni and cheese
- Hearty stuffed potato: Serve homemade or canned, chili over a baked potato or rice
Crispy Chicken Pizza
Ingredients:
4 flour tortillas
2 cups shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese
1 cup pizza sauce (or spaghetti sauce)
1 cup cooked, shredded chicken
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350° F. Bake the tortillas on a large baking sheet for 3 minutes.
Sprinkle 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese on two of the tortillas. Top with other two tortillas (making two sets of mozzarella sandwiches). Spread the top tortillas with tomato sauce and toppings (chicken and mushrooms, or your favorites) and the rest of the cheese.
Return the pizzas to the oven and bake 7 to 9 minutes, or until cheese melts.
Cut each pizza into 4 wedges.
Serves 4
Nutritional Information:
Calories Per Serving: 324, Fat: 12 g (8 g Saturated Fat), Cholesterol: 63 mg, Sodium: 573 mg, Carbohydrates: 34 g, Fiber: 3 g
Can't-Believe-They're-Healthy Chocolate Parfaits
Ingredients:
1 (4 serving size) pkg fat-free, sugar-free instant chocolate pudding
2 cups skim milk
8 oz fat-free nondairy topping, thawed
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs (4 sheets of crackers)
Directions:
Whisk together the pudding mix and skim milk. In 4 dessert bowls, layer 1/2 of the pudding, 1/2 of the whipped topping, and 1/2 of the cracker crumbs. Repeat the layers.
Chill at least 15 minutes.
Serves 4
Nutritional Information:
Calories Per Serving: 216, Fat: 3 g (2 g Saturated Fat), Cholesterol: 11 mg, Sodium: 469 mg, Carbohydrates: 39 g, Fiber: 1 g
For more information, visit The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at CasaFamilyDay.org.
