NATIONAL FAMILY MEALS MONTH
Fast Facts
- WHEN
- Celebrated each year during the month of September
- FOUNDER
- Founded in 2026 by the FMI Foundation.
- WHAT
- Encouraging families of all types to sit down and enjoy at least one family mean a week to rebuild family bonds
- VIBE
- Warm, casual, memorable
NATIONAL FAMILY MEALS MONTH
Each year during the month of September, we are focus our attention towards rebuilding family bonds by returning to the table on National Family Meals Month. For an entire month, we are encouraging families of all types to sit down and enjoy at least one family mean a week.
#FamilyMealsMonth
Gathering around the dinner table is about far more than just refueling our bodies. Gathering regularly at the table yields significant physical, mental, and social benefits across every age group. Regular family meals are a strong predictor of a child’s academic achievement and emotional well-being. In a digital age dominated by text messages and social media, family meals teach children how to have real, face-to-face conversations. It teaches them how to take turns speaking, listen intently, and read body language.
Family meals also serve as pathways to healthier teen behaviors. Teens who experience regular family dinners are less likely to engage in high-risk behaviors, experience severe anxiety or depression, or struggle with substance use.
National Family Meals Month
A reminder for parents, children, friends, and colleagues to enjoy the many benefits of sharing a meal together and to celebrate the community that is forged along the way.
The benefits of family meals extend to adults, too: working parents who regularly sit down for family meals report lower job-related stress and depressive symptoms, along with a stronger sense of social and emotional well-being.
Data shows that when families cook and eat together, the meals are demonstrably healthier. Joint meals lead to a higher consumption of fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins, and a lower consumption of fried foods and soda. Eating in a relaxed, social environment also promotes mindful eating, helping children recognize fullness cues, which lowers the risk of childhood obesity, disordered eating, and poor body image.
Family Meals Movement
National Family Meals Month has been around since 2015. What started as a monthly celebration, has turned into a movement encouraging households to commit to eating just "one more" meal together per week at home. The Family Meals Movement challenges families to "raise an oven mitt" (physically or digitally) and pledge to add a single shared meal to their weekly routine because making time for a family meal is important for family unity.
5 WAYS TO CELEBRATE NATIONAL FAMILY MEALS MONTH
The goal for National Family Meals Month is to show that gathering together should feel like a special treat, rather than a chore.
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Make dinner interactive. Get kids, spouses, and guests involved with meal preparation by setting up a DIY food station. Encourage family members to be creative with a build-your-own taco bar, personal mini-pizza or parfait station. Don’t be afraid to ask about someone’s day as you assemble your meal.
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Make family mealtimes a picnic! Spread a blanket on the living room floor or outside on the grass, and put on music to break the normal meal routine and make a memorable meal experience. (This even gives families of all types an intuitive time to talk about their favorite seasonal foods!)
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Check out quick and simple recipes and meal solutions. The Family Meals Month website has many quick and easy recipes for families on-the-go or with different dietary needs in mind. The website also offers conversation-starter Table Talk placemats you can use for your next sit-down meal.
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Put away the electronics. Removing electronics at the table reminds everyone to be present during meals. It shows you are listening, engaged, and thoughtful about engaging with your fellow diners.
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Share your family mealtime tips, your favorite “oven mitt selfie”, and photos of you celebrating today on social media using the hashtag #FamilyMealsMonth or #FamilyMealsMovement. Use September as a jumping off point to instill more helpful habits or routines!
HISTORY BEHIND NATIONAL FAMILY MEALS MONTH
FMI Foundation submitted National Family Meals Month in 2026. The National Day Calendar Registrar approved this new Family Month to be celebrated annually the entire month of September.
About the Founder
FMI Foundation, a division of FMI - the Food Industry Association, delivers vital research, collaboration and education to address food safety, family meals, and workforce development within the food industry. The company was established in 1996 to ensure continued quality and efficiency in the food retailing system. The FMI Foundation aims to enrich society's experience with the food industry to amplify our impact on well-being.
FMI founded National Family Meals Month in 2015 to encourage just one more family meal per week. They know the word "family" can look very different from person to person. Family can mean blood relatives or a chosen family. They encourage individuals to share their favorite family meals recipes, conversation starters, and pictures around the table. The Family Meals Month campaign is focused on grassroots outreach and promotion.
The FMI Foundation website contains information to assist families, food retailers, suppliers, and food industry collaborators as they make time for a family meal. Toolkits are available, complete with guides and images, to make sitting together during mealtime a memorable experience for all.
