Can Family Dinners Improve Your Finances?

We all hear it all the time: having dinner at home with our family is good for us. We all know the health benefits, but is there even more to it? Can having family dinners make a big difference on our bank account as well?

As I head down the aisles of the grocery store and pick up 10 items just to make one balanced meal I start to question this logic. It turns out that it’s true though! Many studies have been over the last decade that provided data showing that having dinner at home with your family is good for your finances in a big way.

Here's the kicker: it has more to do with habits and self-regulation than how much you drop at the grocery store. The bottom line: if you’re able to prioritize family meals (while balancing work, school, and all the other life demands), you’re probably able to prioritize making smart financial decisions. That’s it!

But if you’re not the dinner-on-the-table-at-7-every-night kind of parent (we all end up there sometimes) all hope is not lost. The study notes that self-regulation is like a muscle. And like any other muscle, you can strengthen it with exercise. Try committing to some healthy routines, like aiming for at least two family meals a week to start.
Do you gather regularly for family meals? Do you think it has helped your family—and your finances? I would love to hear!