Family Dinners Matter

Five Reasons Family Dinners Matter: Michael Symon

1. "Every lesson I learned as a kid was at the dinner table. Being Greek, Sicilian and Ruthenian - we are an emotional bunch. It is where we laughed, cried and yelled - but most importantly, where we bonded and connected."

2. "It is a great time to teach children the importance of food, not only how it is made, but the family history that goes into it."

3. "It’s just better for you with all the fast food, processed junk out there nowadays. It is so much healthier to make a meal from scratch using whole, natural ingredients."

4. "Sitting down for dinner not only helps you learn, but also teaches you how to listen - which I feel is the most important skill to have. I remember as a kid going around the table listening to everyone’s day. It was hard to have the manners not to interrupt back then, but it taught me the importance of patience and respect and that you learn more listening than you do talking."

5. "It’s not always possible to sit down and eat at home in this day and age of fast-paced living, but if you are going to eat out, do so as a family and support all the great local places in your areas. I’ll still eat at the same diner I did as a kid with my parents. It stirs up great memories of my past and how it formed me."

http://eatocracy.cnn.com/2010/10/14/55-chef-michael-symon/?hpt=C2