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For many years now, Smucker’s has promoted the Power of Family Meals, an initiative that emphasizes the benefits of eating together as a family. This is something I feel strongly about and is one of the reasons I began my blog, to help encourage family meal time.
As part of that initiative, Smucker’s is launching a movement to Disconnect to Reconnect at the table. I’m sure you are no stranger to the overwhelming presence of screens in your household, whether it be phones, TV, tablets, handheld devices, etc. In our house, we just never have had the TV on during dinner. However, I have recently struggled with the presence of hand held devices and tablets at the dinner table. I have even been guilty myself. That is why I had to create a rule of no devices at the dinner table.
Studies show that kids who eat with their families often are happier than those who don’t. At mealtime, put all devices in a bowl or basket and place it out of sight. I put them in another room to prevent anyone hearing a text notification and feeling that they HAVE to look at their phone. There was a lot of whining and complaining when we first started, but now the kids know it is just part of out mealtime routine.
Dinner time is the time I find out what is going on in everyone’s life – work, school, friends, grades etc. This valuable time. We also plan anything needed for the next day during this time.
The Disconnect to Reconnect movement is asking families to unplug at the table for at least one meal, once a week, more often than not. I know Sunday can be a great day for family meals, so they are hoping to rally around Sundays. I now you can all do it for at least on meal a week!
There’s no social network more important or engaging than your family. And there’s no better place to disconnect from devices and reconnect with each other than at the dinner table. You can visit the Power of Family Meals and take the pledge to share at least one technology-free meal each week . Let’s help family mealtime go viral. Go take the pledge!
To help one lucky RMK reader with this challenge, Smucker’s has provided a great “breakfast for dinner” giveaway that includes a number of Smucker family products, cooking equipment and other fun items.
The Breakfast for Dinner giveaway includes:
- a Presto Jumbo Cool Touch electric griddle
- a 7-piece kitchen utensil set with stand
- Family Talk conversation game
- Smucker’s Strawberry Natural Squeeze jam
- JIF Creamy Peanut Putter
- JIF Chocolate Hazelnut Spread
- Folger’s Classic Roast
- Hungry Jack Breakfast Syrup
- 2 packs Hungry Jack Complete Pancake and Waffle Mix
- 2 packs Martha White Banana Nut Muffin Mix
- Crisco No-Stick Cooking Spray
- Martha White All-Purpose Flour
To enter this giveaway see the rafflecopter widget below!
82 comments
no electronics are allowed at mealtimes
Whenever I go out to dinner with someone, I make a point of asking that they not leave their phone out on the table (which seems to be a pretty common thing now) and that they not check their phone (unless it’s urgent, of course). Meals should be shared together, not with a screen.
We try to eat one meal together every day at the table. No phones allowed.
We have time limits set for using electronics and never at meal times!
The young adults are the hardest to pry away from all their gadgets. Most of the time the table is off limits, but there are times the phones sneak in. Myself, I leave all that in another room. Enough distraction during the rest of the day.
I take time when they get home from school before they even GET to the electronics and find out how their day was.
My boys are grown up now, but when they are home for a visit the television stays OFF, not just during meals but all day.
At dinner, everyone is present and no electronics allowed, even TV! It’s a time for everyone to talk and discuss the day.
We like to eat dinner at the table each night with no cell phones. I also encourage my daughter to play outside when it’s nice weather so she’s not glued to the TV or her apps so much.
It’s always been a rule that there are to be no phones, tv, ipads or whatever else during dinner or when we go out to dinner. The kids are okay with that.
I make sure we all sit down for dinner together every night without any electronics.
We don’t have any electronics at the table and like to go on walks without them as well. We also keep the TV off during meals and always eat at the table.
We always eat dinner as a family every night!
When we have dinner all together it’s in the dining room – no cell phones allowed. The TV is off, as is the computer.
We eat as many meals together as we can.
No electronics at family dinner each night….usually 🙂
We eat a homemade dinner together most every night. Each person shares 2 good and 1 not-so-good things about their day.
We eat dinner together at the table with no cell phones allowed.
I have since day one with my kids always eaten at the table as a family. Throughout the years we have had many of my children’s friends that have eaten with us. They loved the fact that we did as most of their family’s always seemed to be a fend for yourselves for dinner. My children are now 24 or 25 and they plan on continuing that with their families. My Mom did it with me and I passed it on to my kids. I hope they pass it on to their kids also.
We eat dinner at the table with the TV turned off.
we always sit down for dinner at the table, never in the living room in front of the tv, even if only 2 people are home that night.
We try to disconnect on Sundays. I tell them that their brains need a break from all of that.
My daughter and i make time to go out to dinner and spend time together with no distractions
We get outside & play together. No screens out there!
I try to go shopping/spend time with my best friend at least a couple of times a month. I don’t have a smartphone, so it’s easy when I’m out of the house.
Like many other readers, we don’t use electronics during mealtimes.
we make meals together whenever possible
We go and sit outside and jump on the trampoline! 🙂
We eat dinner together. We also plan a family outing each week.
We’ve been working hard lately to try and actually cook together.
At dinner I ask the kids what they did nice for someone today. We are working on kindness toward their siblings and friends.
It is important to our family to focus on each other and put everything else aside. We don’t even answer the phone when it rings. It can all wait.
We eat together, take family time outside, and we go on outings together. Meal n time always brings us together.
We eat dinner as a family almost every night. We have never had the television on during dinner. We used to have the rule of “no toys at the table”. Now that our children are older, the rule has changed to no screens at the table.
We eat dinner at the table and spend a lot of time playing outside with each other.
We sit down together for dinner every night. No phones or tv allowed.
Eat dinner together, scripture reading at night, computers shut off at a certain time, and iPods checked in at a certain time. Fun activities on Saturdays.
Eating meals together and doing activities outside!
We eat together every night for dinner and limit screen time–it only happens when everyone has done their chores!
We always have dinner together as a family. And we have a NO electronics or t.v. Sundays. We usually use Sundays for being in nature together.
We like to go on family walks & leave the devices at home!
We cook dinner together and walk the dog.
No phones are allowed at the dinner table and Sunday dinners always include grandma!
We connect by having dinner together and share our days.
When it is time for dinner we gather at the table and talk about our day and enjoy a home cooked meal together!
We do the NYT crossword puzzle every night after dinner. It’s a great way to get everyone connected and on the same page, and it lets everyone show off their special areas of expertise every now and again.
Go out for Ice Cream!
As the children come back dinner is a no screen time affair.
We like to turn off the tv and put away all the phones and sit down at the table together to eat. It’s nice to be able to enjoy my family!!
When I grew up the saying was “a family that eats together stays together” nothing is more true still today. So taking the time to come together for a meal is just as important then if not more so now, with all the technology that tends to distract from what coming together means.
We always have at least dinner with no distractions. It’s a great time to catch up on the days events.
We make it a point to eat dinner at the table each evening, to reconnect and see how each of our days were.
I love this idea! My kids are a little young but what a great way to go. We always have meal together. I love every minute!!!
We have family dinner nights and talk about what the best and worst parts of our days were
I always make my husband plant and keep up a nice lawn so my kids will want to play on it. Something we’ve been doing a lot lately is laying out blankets and hanging out, wrestling, playing games, whatever. My husband and I will also do the same later after the kids are asleep. Nice bonding time.
I grew up eating dinner together every night at 6. We didn’t answer the phone and the tv was not on. The 7 of us are all still close 30 years later. I’ve continues the tradition with my family in hopes that in 30 years my daughter will still call me every day like I call my mom!
What a great idea! We don’t have devices at the table but we do have the TV on once in awhile. We need to stop that.
My sons are grown now but we always ate dinner together and no screens were ever allowed! My husband and I have more screens now but we continue this great routine of turning everything off and being together.
I am glad to see manufacturers encouraging family time!
Whenever I’m eating at the table with my daughter, I make sure to not get on my phone, but instead talk with her!
Love this idea! We always had dinner together growing up and I make sure it happens now that we have started our own family,
Growing up my mom always made an effort for family dinner each night. My husband and I hold that same desire now but only have 1 child so far. We don’t have to convince her yet to put down her phone but want to start setting that example for her now! So no electronic devices at our dinner table!
You need the contact with the members of your family and you need it everyday in a positive situation. Meal time can provide that. A time to find out what is going on in the lives of your family. A time to watch for problems that are not being voiced. And one last thing it is NOT a time for complaints and finding fault. It should be positive and friendly. The food can be simple maybe cooked and put on the table as a group effort. I know it is simplistic but with a little planning it can happen.
I don’t let any of them have a cell phone at dinner, turned on. That way you have their attention! Plus, no games till we are through with our other activities. It is fun to actually talk to someone in person for a change!!
We always eat dinner together. It makes my whole family connect and we all can talk about our days. Thanks for the chance to enter.
We have no video games and the kids don’t watch much tv, given the opportunity they would pick to play outside any day
We also have a jar of family dinner questions, they kids love to “play” that game, really it just gets them talking about their day!
We do not have cell phones at the table.
We eat together as a family as much as possible. Great conversations happen at the dinner table!
I agree. Conversation around a table is the most importation social networking we are going to do. I don’t even have a TV near dining areas.
We have the same rule at our house. Best rule ever!
We try to make the time to always eat together.
my family has sit down meals together everyday & everyone gets to talk about their day. we have a 1-2 hour family t.v time window in the evening but weekends are always game time, either inside or out, sometimes both. what a great giveaway! thanks for the chance to win.
I love when I leave my cell phone phone at home….and I would LOVE to win this!!!!
We go for a walk or play outside.
We have a strict no TV/electronic devices at the dinner table. We also have a game night once a week and try to take a walk a few times a week after dinner.
Life has become to technical…I don’t allow them in the kitchen during mealtime…or when my teenager has schoolwork to be done, it is a major distraction!!
I don’t allow any in the kitchen at meal time….it’s the perfect time to catch up on everyone’s day
I love to get out and go for a walk sans electronics.
Agreed
As Grandparents, we are still making dinner time all about what is going on in the world of our children and grandchildren by starting off with getting the table ready for a meal. Start the disconnect with screens before sitting down at the table. Start the talk and listening while the children set the table and even let them them put the food on the table instead of just calling them to the table to eat. By the time you sit down at the table it is a little less awkward for the children to talk.
I agree that it’s very important to eat together as a family without being interrupted by a TV or other electronic devices.
My children are all grown up now but as they were doing so, we ate dinner as a family. The only distractions @ that time were TV & video games. Computers & smartphones had not yet come into play. We talked about current events, their time in school that day as well as fun topics & experiences. We are very close knit even today!