CHICAGO---- For working parents and heavily scheduled school kids, family mealtime is out of fashion.
CHICAGO
--
--
For
working
parents
and
heavily
scheduled
school
kids
,
family
mealtime
is
out
of
fashion
.
But supermarkets are trying to attract families back to the dinner table.
But
supermarkets
are
trying
to
attract
families
back
to
the
dinner
table
.
There is a cost if family members have meals apart: research shows that teenagers who don't eat with their parents face a greater risk of drug and alcohol problems.
There
is
a
cost
if
family
members
have
meals
apart
:
research
shows
that
teenagers
who
do
n't
eat
with
their
parents
face
a
greater
risk
of
drug
and
alcohol
problems
.
"The more often kids have dinner with their parents, the less likely they are to smoke, drink or use drugs," said Joseph Califano Jr., head of the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, which did the research.
``
The
more
often
kids
have
dinner
with
their
parents
,
the
less
likely
they
are
to
smoke
,
drink
or
use
drugs
,
''
said
Joseph
Califano
Jr.
,
head
of
the
National
Center
on
Addiction
and
Substance
Abuse
,
which
did
the
research
.
Stores are familiar with the idea and will start telling shoppers about the findings and encouraging them to share meals together at home, instead of separately or at restaurants.
Stores
are
familiar
with
the
idea
and
will
start
telling
shoppers
about
the
findings
and
encouraging
them
to
share
meals
together
at
home
,
instead
of
separately
or
at
restaurants
.
The food marketing Institute will give $25,000 to the center and help stores promote the center's Family Day in September.
The
food
marketing
Institute
will
give
$
25,000
to
the
center
and
help
stores
promote
the
center
's
Family
Day
in
September
.
Many stores have grab-and-go dinners and recipe cards.
Many
stores
have
grab-and-go
dinners
and
recipe
cards
.
Some have kiosks where people can taste a main dish, then pick out side dishes.
Some
have
kiosks
where
people
can
taste
a
main
dish
,
then
pick
out
side
dishes
.
"Our members have worked hard to try to have easily prepared food either ready to eat or ready to take home," said Tim Hammonds, the institute's president and chief executive.
``
Our
members
have
worked
hard
to
try
to
have
easily
prepared
food
either
ready
to
eat
or
ready
to
take
home
,
''
said
Tim
Hammonds
,
the
institute
's
president
and
chief
executive
.
Los Angeles-based Contessa Premium Foods makes frozen delicious meals, which a family can heat in 10 minutes to 12 minutes.
Los
Angeles-based
Contessa
Premium
Foods
makes
frozen
delicious
meals
,
which
a
family
can
heat
in
10
minutes
to
12
minutes
.
"That's nearly as fast as a TV dinner," said president and chief executive John Z. Blazevich, "but is healthier and makes people feel like they actually cooked."
``
That
's
nearly
as
fast
as
a
TV
dinner
,
''
said
president
and
chief
executive
John
Z.
Blazevich
,
``
but
is
healthier
and
makes
people
feel
like
they
actually
cooked
.
''
"The preparation is the hardest part, so we try to combine a variety of tastes and flavours from around the world and make it fast and easy," he said.
``
The
preparation
is
the
hardest
part
,
so
we
try
to
combine
a
variety
of
tastes
and
flavours
from
around
the
world
and
make
it
fast
and
easy
,
''
he
said
.
"Eating at home helps keep meals healthy and teaches kids how to eat right.
``
Eating
at
home
helps
keep
meals
healthy
and
teaches
kids
how
to
eat
right
.
If we can get people back to having family dinners, parents back to being engaged with their kids, it will have a surprising impact," he said.
If
we
can
get
people
back
to
having
family
dinners
,
parents
back
to
being
engaged
with
their
kids
,
it
will
have
a
surprising
impact
,
''
he
said
.
CHICAGO---- For working parents and heavily scheduled school kids, family mealtime is out of fashion. But supermarkets are trying to attract families back to the dinner table.  There is a cost if family members have meals apart: research shows that teenagers who don't eat with their parents face a greater risk of drug and alcohol problems.  "The more often kids have dinner with their parents, the less likely they are to smoke, drink or use drugs," said Joseph Califano Jr., head of the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, which did the research.  Stores are familiar with the idea and will start telling shoppers about the findings and encouraging them to share meals together at home, instead of separately or at restaurants.  The food marketing Institute will give $25,000 to the center and help stores promote the center's Family Day in September.  Many stores have grab-and-go dinners and recipe cards. Some have kiosks where people can taste a main dish, then pick out side dishes.  "Our members have worked hard to try to have easily prepared food either ready to eat or ready to take home," said Tim Hammonds, the institute's president and chief executive.  Los Angeles-based Contessa Premium Foods makes frozen delicious meals, which a family can heat in 10 minutes to 12 minutes. "That's nearly as fast as a TV dinner," said president and chief executive John Z. Blazevich, "but is healthier and makes people feel like they actually cooked."  "The preparation is the hardest part, so we try to combine a variety of tastes and flavours from around the world and make it fast and easy," he said.  "Eating at home helps keep meals healthy and teaches kids how to eat right. If we can get people back to having family dinners, parents back to being engaged with their kids, it will have a surprising impact," he said.