How we eat and who we eat with has a powerful influence on what we eat. Eating with friends and loved ones can have benefits that lead to making healthier food choices.

Connect With Each Other and With Yourself
Mealtimes are a good time to connect, talk about your day, or take a moment to relax and reflect. Put away phones, turn off the TV and minimize other distractions to help focus on the present moment and the meal. Being in the moment can also allow you to listen to hunger and fullness cues better and can help avoid overeating.

Family Friendly Meals and Snacks
Make healthy food choices an everyday pattern for all. Offer a variety of foods or ingredients at meals and snack time, and highlight new and different foods as an exciting addition to the meal. If children are present, include them in the food preparation process. Knowing how to prepare food is a wonderful skill to have, and children can start learning by helping with simple tasks! Some easy jobs children can do include choosing recipes, helping with grocery shopping, washing fruits and vegetables, stirring pots, throwing away trash and scraps, and putting food on the table or back in the refrigerator. By being included in the cooking process, children are more likely to want to eat the food they helped make.

Mealtimes Are Better Together
Making an effort to eat most of your meals with others may be a challenge with busy schedules or if you live alone. Research shows that sharing meals with others may reduce the risk of poor nutrition and health-related illnesses, help to reduce skipped meals and increased snacking by allowing for accountability, and provide a more enjoyable meal experience. Have fun with meals together and try adding interesting twists with ideas like meal themes and “ingredient highlights”.

Connect with those around you and make healthier choices together!

Written by: Macey Uzzell, Student Technician – BLT Social Media

Content Source: Eating Family Meals Together at Home | Media and Youth | JAMA Pediatrics | JAMA Network and Be Well, Live Well BLT Curriculum

Recipe of the Month: Strawberry, Basil, and Honey Paletas

Source: Adapted from Taste of Home, https://www. tasteofhome.com/article/how-to-make-paletas-recipe/

Serves 12

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds strawberries
• 1/3 cup fresh basil, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1/4 cup honey (substitute: sweetener of choice)
• Utensils: Popsicle molds or 4-ounce cups and craft/popsicle sticks

Directions:

1. Remove the green stems and center of the strawberries.
2. In a medium bowl, mash strawberries by hand or with a mashing tool. Add basil, lime juice, and honey to the strawberries. If a smoother texture is preferred, strawberries can be blended in a blender with basil, lime juice, and honey.
3. Fill each popsicle mold or cup most of the way with fruit mixture and chill in the freezer for at least 4 hours.
4. Remove from freezer and let mold sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Pull on sticks to release paletas from mold. If the mold or cups do not release the paletas, run outside under warm water for 20 seconds, gently pulling on the sticks until the paletas are released. You can also dip the bottom in a large bowl filled with warm water.

Nutrients Per Serving: 45 calories, 0 g total fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 0 mg sodium, 12 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, 9 g total sugar, 6 g added sugar, and 1 g protein