Should family meals be mandated?

A special issue of The Society for Research in Child Development's Social Policy Report asks the question. In the face of significant evidence that family mealtimes are good for kids, authors Barbara Fiese and Marlene Schwartz have some recommendations for policy makers. No, they don't actually advocate laws requiring family meals, but they do suggest that:

• communities use zoning laws, low-interest loans, and food labeling programs to encourage healthy food choices
• communities and schools set aside one night a week for family meals
• health care providers discuss mealtime guidelines (such as turning off electronics and age-appropriate behavior) with patients
• advertisers make healthier foods available and appealing to kids and teens, and to create public service announcements to promote family mealtimes
• state and local governments make sure families have access to healthy foods, and to promote family meals in low-income neighborhoods
• the federal government to include promotion of family mealtimes as part of the upcoming reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act.

How often does your family share meals? Do you think any of the above strategies would help you eat more meals together? And by the way: the annual Family Day - A Day to Eat Dinner With Your Children observation is Monday, September 28. Find tips for successful family dinners at the Family Day site.