This mini-episode is a special edition! We're answering a tough question submitted to us by a Family Dinner Project follower on Instagram:

Key Takeaways:

• Go to 2:43 for the beginning of a discussion on how to untangle family dinner dynamics from nutritional intake
• Go to 6:58 for a conversation about handling sensory processing challenges at dinnertime
• Go to 10:28 for strategies to help with time management without adding pressure to the table
• Go to 12:30 for a discussion of the relationship dynamics involved in this question, and how to handle the difference of opinion between the two parenting partners

Related Episodes and Links:

• Episode 6: Table Trauma
• Episode 4: Picky or Problematic?
• Episode 9: Just the Two of Us
• The Welcoming Table Resources

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A groundbreaking global study has just shown what we suspected all along: Eating together does make us happier! On this episode of The Family Dinner Project Podcast, Annie and Bri sit down with one of the study's co-authors, Micah Kaats, to dive deep into what he and his team learned about happiness and shared meals.

Key Takeaways:

• Go to 1:50 for Micah's overview of the key findings
• Go to 9:54 for a discussion about the clear upward trend in young people eating alone
• Go to 16:41 for a TFDP subscriber question about eating alone
• Go to 22:13 for a breakdown of cultural differences
• Go to 25:04 for a breakdown of gender differences
• Go to 32:06 for food, fun, and conversation ideas related to this episode

Related Episodes and Links:

• Episode 2 (“Is it the Family, or the Dinner?”)
• World Happiness Report 2025: Chapter 3
• Micah's salad recipe
• Cat and Cow Game
• Try Not to Laugh Challenge

About Micah: Micah Kaats is a PhD candidate in Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School where he researches the drivers and downstream effects of happiness and social connectedness. He also serves as a Research Associate for the Wellbeing Research Centre at Oxford University and Senior Analyst for the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen. He has designed, implemented, and supervised studies of more than 20,000 participants in over 24 countries. His work has been featured in the New York Times, the Economist, Vox, and Forbes. He holds Master’s degrees in Applied Ethics and Economic Policy from Utrecht University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy from UPenn.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We tend to think of family dinners as being about the kids. But all families start with two people, and some families stay that way. What does the research tell us about the benefits of shared meals for adults? And how can couples use their dinners together as a way to strengthen their bond and connect with one another, no matter how many children are at the table, or what phase of life they're in?

In this episode, Bri and Annie draw on Annie's decades of experience in family therapy, as well as their work together on The Family Dinner Project and their own personal experiences, to share strategies for couples. They talk about how to negotiate getting started with a shared meal routine early in a relationship, why it matters, and how eating together regularly can strengthen a sense of teamwork and boost mental health. Moving through the years, Bri and Annie point out that keeping family meals on the calendar can promote marital satisfaction if kids are part of the equation. And as relationships progress, they share tips and ideas for keeping the spark alive no matter how mealtimes change in the face of life's demands.

Key Takeaways:

• Go to 3:39 for Dr. Anne Fishel's thoughts on "What makes family meals so important for couples, given that there are all these other ways they have to connect?"
• Go to 7:00 for a quick overview of the most relevant research into the benefits of family meals for adults, including better conflict resolution and improved mental health
• Go to 13:47 for a discussion of how new couples starting out together can navigate setting up shared meals in a way that benefits them both
• Go to 18:04 for thoughts on how adding babies and toddlers to the mix might change a couple's mealtimes -- and how to preserve your connection
• Go to 24:03 to hear about the "messy middle" of life and how to get out of a dinner rut, keep shared meals on the calendar despite competing priorities, and keep the "spark" alive
• Go to 29:04 for food, fun, and conversation ideas for couples, from ways to use food as a love language to smart in-depth conversation starters and ways to bond over a shared interest during your meals

Related Episodes and Links:

• Episode 5 ("Labor of Love")
• Episode 2 ("Is it the Family, or the Dinner?")
• "Stuck at Home With Your Partner? Look to Retirees to Make it Work"
• "Benefits of Family Dinner for Adults"
• "Family Starts with Two"
• "Just the Two of Us" Newsletter

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.