Childtrends.org explains in a 2016 article,”… watching parents eat healthily, day in and day out, can positively influence children’s own behavior and nutritional choices as they grow.” It goes on to state, “The benefits go beyond nutrition, too. Eating together can improve parent-child relationships and give kids a sense of stability and connectedness.” The Butler County Nutrition Education Program Assistant, The Butler County Family Resource Center, along with a volunteer from Butler County Community Education and the Community Education Director for Butler County Schools, helped 5 families in Butler County come together for a series of lessons, Families in the Kitchen-Cook Together Eat Together at the Butler County Cooperative Extension Service.

Seven weeks of lessons were taught with many meals prepared alongside their children, and then shared together. Over the course of the sessions families indicated that they enjoyed the time with their children in the kitchen, and learned many new skills. They were surprised at how much interest the children had in preparing their own meals. It was observed that by the end of the sessions children were trying new foods, and were excited about the class. Six adults were surveyed and 100% showed improvement in one or more diet quality indicators in areas such as eating more fruits and vegetables, drinking milk more often, and cooking dinner more often at home. 50% of the participants indicated they now make small changes to be more active.

The Butler County Nutrition Education Program Assistant partnered with the Butler County Family Resource Center to provide these sessions and teach these families the importance of eating together and cooking together. Upon completion of the program the families were presented with cooking utensils, and an informative cookbook provided by the Butler County Nutrition Education Program, and a gift card for groceries from the Family Resource Center.