Feast with Friends: The Joy and Benefits of Shared Meals

Posted on Friday, September 27th, 2024

While cooking and eating with others may sound intimidating when you have just moved to a new place and don’t know anyone, it can have great benefits both physically and mentally. This month is Eat Better, Eat Together month. What better time to share some of the benefits of eating with friends and ways you can create connections if eating alone is your norm?

Did you know that based on survey statistics from the American Heart Association, 91% of parents admitted that their family is less stressed when they share meals? Enjoying healthy foods with family, friends, neighbors, or coworkers is a great way to connect and add enjoyment to your life. By eating with others, you can enjoy quality time together, share food traditions across generations and cultures, and explore new healthy foods you might not normally try. In fact, studies show that you may also be inclined to eat/prepare more nutrient-dense foods and have better digestion when meals are eaten together (health queens, am I right? 😉). 84% of adults say they would like to share a meal with others more often, so chances are other people around would be excited to eat with you!

Before diving in too deep, let’s establish what eating with others SHOULD look like. I am NOT talking about sitting beside someone while you scroll through social media. To really get the benefit of eating with others it should be without distractions and provide the opportunity for socialization and communication. An example of this would be working together to assemble a meal, clean up, and chat while you enjoy the food. However, it doesn’t need to be this involved if you want to just skip to the eating part (I know some of you aren’t the greatest chefs – but I would love to share a meal with you culinary students!). The most important things are to take your time and enjoy being social together, put away distractions, and use this time as a chance to connect and share updates about your lives.

Food can often be associated with celebrations. If you think about the role food plays in different gatherings, not every food needs to be nutritious to bring value to your life. However, who you share it with can! This is why it is important to be mindful when talking about the types of meals being shared. It can be harmful to one’s mental health if a meaningful or cultural food to them is labelled as “unhealthy” or “bad for you.” Some foods are more nutritious to your body and some foods feed your soul, both are equally as important to your overall health and well-being.

However, eating together does not need to be saved for special events. There are lots of ways to create the opportunity to eat with others. This could be as simple as sharing a meal over Zoom or scheduling a potluck with your friends/coworkers. Some other fun ideas of what this could look like are below:

  • Share your favourite recipes with others.
  • Plan a breakfast or lunch date with friends or coworkers.
  • Participate in community celebrations or feasts.
  • Ask a local community center about groups you could join.
  • Have dinner with your roommates or neighbors.
  • Start a dinner party among your friends where everyone can take a turn hosting.

If eating alone is your norm there are still ways to get the benefits. If you are mindful about it there can be positive effects on your digestion and mental health. To eat mindfully you can start by removing distractions, taking a breath or sip between each bite, or just simply slowing down in general (I apologize for you TikTok scrollers or those who love to eat in front of the TV in advance – you may want to break that habit).

Overall, whether you are an introvert or an extrovert I hope you can take some key tips away from this blog. Be mindful and remember there is more to food than meets the eye!

Sources & More Information:

Eat meals with others – Canada’s Food Guide

Here’s Why Eating With Others Is Good for Your Wellbeing | Well+Good (wellandgood.com)

Why Cooking & Eating Together Are as Important for Your Health as the Foods You Eat (eatingwell.com)


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