In the 1950’s people always had dinner with their families and the moms
always cooked good home meals. In 2012 why is it that the home cooked meal and
sitting down at the kitchen table with your family so rare. The reason for this
is that food costs over the past few years have risen by 6% according to CNN
(CNN, Par 1). Families are eating out more because it’s cheaper than eating a
home cooked meal. This is a negative effect because I believe home cooked meals
are better because they provide healthier options, you get to hang out with the
family, and you get to form connections.
One
reason that families are going out to eat is because of the drought season.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, whose records
date to 1895, 2012 has been the hottest year ever recorded. The worst drought in
half a century has made corn prices rise to a record high. According to the
Chicago Board of Trade, Last month global prices of corn jumped 23% (CBS NEWS,
par 4). Also, according to the agriculture department, corn and soybean
production will decrease by 13% this year (CBS News, par3). Beef production will
go down by 4% as well. The three main products that are expected to take the
biggest hit are meat, dairy, and eggs. Those three things are what most American
families buy. Animal-based products (meats) are taking the biggest hit because
corn is an essential part of the cow’s
diet.
With the drought being its worst in over
half a century, it has led to average American families seeking alternative ways
to save money. One of these options is going out to either a family style
restaurant or going to a fast food place like Burger King.
For most families this is a good way to save money but at the end it’s
harming the farmers and supermarkets. The farmer’s main buyers are the
supermarkets and if the supermarkets aren’t buying the farmers’ crops, then
farmers have no one to sell to. If the farmers have no one to sell to they start
cutting back on their supply and are forced to sell the food at a higher price
in order to make a profit.
Another reason that the home cooked meal is fading, is because the
parents work too much and don’t have time to sit down and have a nice good home
cooked meal. I interviewed 10 Wittenberg students to see if they had family
dinners during the week in high school and 4 out of 10 said that they never had
dinner with their families during the week because their parents worked late
nights. Studies have shown that kids who don’t eat with their families are more
likely to do badly in school and social life because they don’t have any one to
talk to. Another reason why it’s important to have a family meal is because
teenagers that don’t have dinner with their parents are more likely to engage in
drugs and Alcohol.
There are positive effects on sitting down and having a family dinner.
Studies by Columbia University have shown that teens who have family dinners
with their families five or more times a week are twice as likely to receive A’s
in school. Their also less likely to smoke or do other illegal drugs. Also
another positive effect that a family dinner has is that it builds stronger
relationships and achieves better communication throughout the family. It’s
also, good because you get to learn how to cook a meal.
Families need to have
dinner together because it builds relationships, it builds a special bond with
each other, and it tastes better than fast food. If we can find a way to reduce
the price of the grocery bill and somehow educate families on the importance of
a family meal then I think we will start seeing a lot more American families
eating together.