Such a simple habit, such significant benefits

With all the fuss and discussion about childhood obesity, far too few commentators have focused on perhaps the most fundamental family lifestyle change that can benefit children's weight and their overall health.

I agree with many child health experts, including feeding guru Ellyn Satter, that enhancing and increasing family mealtimes is one of the most important gifts that parents can offer to their children. Enjoyable family meals benefit children's physical, mental, social, and academic well-being. They help build strong families, raise competent eaters, and create memories to last a lifetime. And, they can easily be delicious, nutritious, and fun.

While the official celebration - Family Day - A Day to Eat Dinner with Your Children - is just one day (Monday, September 27th), I going to spend the whole week on tips, tools, and resources to help make more frequent mealtimes at reality for today's over-scheduled, stressed out families. Fortunately, there is a lot to share, including some new research and tasty recipes. Stay tuned ...