It seems that for some families, the celebrations around dates like Easter Sunday bring opportunities that go beyond exchanging colorful chocolate eggs.
For many, it is time to be together and prepare and eat more elaborate meals, a family tradition that has fed the body and the good memories for generations.
" Mom, let's make grandma's special salad? With the colorful fruits? " says the youngest of the house, running with tomatoes in her hand, all harvested in the garden of the family farm during the weekend. The grandmother who passed away last year is still alive in her granddaughter's routine, with her love, colors, and flavors, all served at lunch on this last Easter Sunday.
Gathering the family around the preparation of what we eat is a challenge when the day-to-day rush and the traffic of big cities seem to prevent the frequency of good meetings around the dinner table! And this challenge doesn't just appear in the last meal of the day: have you thought about how many times you have had lunch at home, calmly, lately?
" Near the end of last year, we didn't even have breakfast together, laments the father, an executive at a large family business in São Paulo. " I miss knowing what my children did during the previous day; I want to hear what made them smile and what upset them… " The reality of this father is repeated in many other homes where the lack of time and coexistence between generations within the same house are increasingly common.
Research by the AHA (American Heart Association) revealed that regularly eating with the family can help reduce stress; 91% of the adults interviewed say they notice their family is less agitated when they share meals. What would be behind these numbers? Experts claim that the main reason for this benefit is strengthening family ties: "... when we eat with my mother, it makes us laugh more, you know? " says the youngest with the cherry tomatoes already cut into tiny slices.
Those with small children at home realize that preparing and making meals improves everyone's eating habits: " Nobody here ate arugula, only me! After we started preparing the salads together, my daughter always asked for the spicy leaf, and even my husband cut out the soda to set an excellent example for our kids! ". A study conducted at the University of Illinois confirms this scenario in which younger people who sit at the table with their parents eat more fruits and vegetables and considerably reduce their intake of sugary drinks. Nutritionist Priscila Primi from the Faculty of Public Health at the University of São Paulo validates this scenario of adults being role models for children regarding good eating habits.
More than the food itself, eating in the company of those important to us helps create memories that will accompany everyone for the rest of their lives, whether preparing the family recipe or facing life's challenges. The bonds we build in these moments strengthen us to overcome what sometimes seems impossible.
I leave everyone with the question posed by the girl with the tomatoes in her hands: guess who made dinner?
Vanessa Meirelles
Psychopedagogue Human Identity Researcher
Master in Social Psychology from PUC São Paulo
Member of the Brazilian Association of Psychopedagogy - ABPp 722