<p><strong><em>Bonus Episode for your September Reset:</em></strong></p><br><p>Eating together as a family (at least a few nights a week) builds stability, safety and connection and healthy food habits - and according to my guest <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thepractical.psychologist/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Psychologist Allison Keating</a>, the connection starts long before the first bite.</p><br><p>Yes we had a summer of eating on the go but autumn, school and routine is here and its time to settle back in to the kitchen table - and here Bestselling Author Psychologist Allison Keating explains <strong><em>why</em></strong>.</p><br><p>New research from <strong>HelloFresh </strong>reveals that family dinners in Ireland are in decline.</p><p>The desire to reverse that trend is strong, with 85% wishing they could enjoy more family meals together. The biggest barriers are a lack of</p><p>time (58%), children’s busy schedules (30%) and the sheer overwhelm of weeknight chores (23%).</p><br><p>As the pressure to “do it all” mounts with the return to school, parents admit that dinnertime has</p><p>become less a cherished ritual and more a daily chore they struggle to keep up with. More than 80% of</p><p>those aged 25 to 34 say they spend less time at family dinners than they did in the past, highlighting</p><p>how quickly the tradition is fading in households with young children.</p><br><p>Here we talk about practical solutions to reduce the overwhelm of mealtimes, why children benefit from being involved in the prep and the psychological benefits (along with nutritive) for sharing a balanced meal as many evenings as you can manage together.</p><br><p><br></p><p><em>Supported by Hello Fresh, Ireland's No1 Recipe Box</em></p><p><a href="https://www.hellofresh.ie" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Get 50% off your First box HERE</strong></a></p><br><p><br></p><p><em>"The 40's Stretch" is a Stretch Marks Production,</em></p><p>Hosted by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/sinead.omoore/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Sinéad O'Moore</a>, produced by <a href="https://www.thebrandstory.ie/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Brand Story</a> and sound edited by Alan Breslin.</p><p>Contact: [email protected]</p><br><p><br></p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>