Since the month of October is a time of sweets given door-to-door, you might find it ironic that it’s also National Eat Better, Eat Together Month. Many of us wish that this month were every month; after all, we want to be good parents and we want to keep our kids happy and healthy.

Sometimes it’s just really hard to do that. Between crazy schedules, mealtimes and meal planning often get kicked to the side, replaced with fast food, takeout and separate meal times. If your family members work different shifts, there’s not much that can help the time periods; but oftentimes families can find the time to share at least one meal together.

For example, in my home, my husband works second shift, which means he isn’t home even remotely near a good dinner time. So we make sure to share lunch with our daughter together—as well as breakfast as often as we can.

We all know the benefit of eating unprocessed, home-cooked meals with plenty of water and veggies versus eating fast food garbage and soda every day. Many behavioral issues, health problems and other conditions can often be aided—if not solved—by adjusting simple nutrition.

Eating meals together as a family can provide a number of benefits. Sure, it’s more quality time to spend together—but did you know that kids who eat with their families typically exhibit a better performance at school? During a survey of 2000 high school students, Louis Harris and Associates discovered that kids who regularly at with their families four times a week or more scored better on tests than those who ate less—or no—family meals together.  The University of Illinois also found out that children ages 7 to 11 performed better at school when they ate meals or snacks with their families. Even preschoolers portray an academic advantage when they eat with their families!

Here are just a few more benefits of eating together as a family:

• Family meals encourage communication. They strengthen families by allowing them to openly share their thoughts and experiences together.
• Kids who eat family meals are often better adjusted. Family meals have been shown to help foster healthy development more than special events, play time, and even story time, according to a Harvard University study.
• Not surprisingly, kids who eat at family meals usually have better nutrition—which leads to better health overall.

Let’s make October a time where we reverse the statistics of the decline of the family meal and start a new trend with our families and our food. Have some fun eating one meal a day with your family this week, if you can.

Light some candles, or put a large sheet of butcher paper on the table and allow everyone to draw while they talk and eat. Shop as a family and allow each member to choose a vegetable or side dish. Come up with a bunch of fun questions to ask together, or play a family dinner game. Get creative, enjoy yourselves and soon the family meal might just become a new tradition in your house!