Make the New Year a Happy One

The Power of Connection: Sharing Meals to Boost Health and Well-Being

As we emerge from the holiday season filled with social commitments, it can be tempting to withdraw and enjoy some quiet alone time. While solitude certainly has its benefits, maintaining social connections is equally vital to our overall well-being. In fact, the U.S. Surgeon General has highlighted the importance of social connection, “the structure, function, and quality of our relationships with others—as a critical and often underappreciated contributor to individual and community health, resilience, and prosperity”.  Alarmingly, an “epidemic of loneliness and isolation” has been declared, underscoring the health risks associated with social disconnection.

The good news? There are tangible steps we can take to reverse this trend, and one of the simplest and most impactful involves something we all do every day: eating.

Why Sharing Meals Matters

Eating is often viewed as a purely functional activity, a means of fueling our bodies. But it’s so much more than that. A recent review highlighted the often-overlooked benefits of sharing meal preparation as a component of overall well-being. Eating together doesn’t just nourish the body—it fosters psychological well-being, strengthens relationships, and can even improve physical health. By making mealtimes a shared experience, we can enhance our sense of connection and community.

Ideas to Get You Started

If you’re unsure where to begin, here are some simple ways to use shared meals as a catalyst for connection:

1. Family First
Reconnect with family members you don’t see often or make family meals a priority with those you live with. A shared dinner table can be a space for meaningful conversations and bonding.

2. Friends Reconnect
Catch up with friends over a meal. Whether it’s a casual brunch or a dinner party, food has a way of bringing people together.

3. Team Lunch
Invite coworkers to lunch. Shared meals can strengthen workplace relationships, improve collaboration, and make the workday more enjoyable.

4. Neighborly Nosh
Invite a neighbor over for a meal or accept their invitation. Building connections in your local community can lead to lasting friendships.

5. New Faces
Meet someone new over a shared meal. Invite a colleague, a friend of a friend, or someone from a community group to break bread together – all while expanding your social circle.

Tips for Successful Shared Meals

Don’t Overcomplicate It
Hosting can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. Start small by inviting a few friends for breakfast or a cup of coffee. The simplicity of the gathering doesn’t diminish its impact. Whether you cook, carry-in, or share a snack, remember the focus is about getting together.

Learn Together
Take a cooking class to connect with others while learning new skills. Many schools and workplaces offer Teaching Kitchen programs—a fun way to prepare and enjoy meals as a group.

Disconnect from Technology
Put away your phones and focus on live conversation. Save the group selfie for the end of your gathering when your smiles are fueled by genuine laughter and connection.

Join Us in January!

This month, we’re encouraging everyone to foster meaningful social interactions and strengthen community ties by sharing meals. It’s easy to participate! Try some of these ideas and share your experiences with us using the hashtag #TogetherAtTheTable.

Let’s make January a month of connection, one shared meal at a time.

References:

1. Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation: The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory on the Healing Effects of Social Connection and Community.
2. Elisabetta Bernardi, Francesco Visioli. Fostering wellbeing and healthy lifestyles through conviviality and commensality: Underappreciated benefits of the Mediterranean Diet, Nutrition Research, Volume 126, 2024.