The family table is where your children will form habits around food that they will take with them into adulthood. Good habits are worth being intentional over, especially with little ones looking on.

I continually remind myself of this list of little habits because I know they will have a long-lasting positive influence on my family. These aren’t resolutions, or even goals, but merely small steps to introduce positive change. I’m confident you are doing an excellent job around your family table, but perhaps in reading this list, you will find there are one or two practices you could adopt and thereby help shape your family food culture for the better.

This one is first for a reason: wasted food makes me squirm. Cook less, if needed, and reduce portion sizes. Freeze or repurpose leftovers and store foods correctly to avoid waste. Talk with your children about global hunger and teach them to truly care about food waste.

You will definitely waste less food if you make a menu plan and buy only what you need. I follow a loose Monday-to-Friday plan that I pencil out on Sunday afternoons, but you’ll find what works for you along the way.

Is eating locally and in season important to you How can you take steps to improve your food sustainability as a family It’s important to us to support local growers as well as be conscientious of food miles—the distance food travels to your table.

Delegating kitchen tasks to children gets easier the more you learn to let go. Give them an opportunity to shine, because they will undoubtedly surpass your expectations and the benefits are many. Also, trust yourself more in the kitchen. Try new recipes, new methods and new ingredients. Failure is a sign of action; you’ll never grow as a cook without stepping up.

Are your children only eating bread Refusing meat Gobbling down breakfast but just picking at dinner These are normal patterns from what I have experienced. If they don’t get three square meals every day, don’t worry— they’ll be fine.

It’s almost too obvious to point out, but if you stock nourishing foods in your kitchen, you’ll eat better.

Let your children see you open your home and welcome others around your table. Through your actions, they will learn how to be gracious hosts.

Moderation is a foreign concept to children, yet never has it been more important that they learn it, with junk foods now so widely promoted. Don’t deprive them of treats entirely, but lead by example in demonstrating that a little goes a long way.

Connecting with one another around the table is one of the main reasons why we gather as a family. Listen. Ask questions. Talk about stuff that matters and show the children you are truly interested. Spark conversation in your more reluctant talkers by playing “Tall Tales” for fun: each person around the table takes a turn sharing three things about their day but with one of them being a tall tale, then the others around the table must guess which one isn’t true.

Slow down long enough to acknowledge the food in front of you before you eat. Perhaps say a prayer or a few words of gratitude. When so many in the world go hungry, it’s important to reflect on our abundance.

家庭餐桌是你的孩子们在食物上形成习惯的地方，他们将带着这些习惯进入成年期。良好的习惯是值得你刻意去做的，尤其是那些小的。

我不断地提醒自己这些小习惯，因为我知道它们会对我的家庭产生持久的积极影响。这些不是决心，甚至不是目标，只是引入积极变化的小步骤。我相信你在你的家庭餐桌上做得很好，但也许在阅读这份清单时，你会发现有一两个你可以采用的方法，从而帮助你更好地塑造你的家庭饮食文化。

这是第一个原因:浪费的食物让我局促不安。如果需要，可以少煮，减少份量。冷冻或重新包装剩菜，正确储存食物以避免浪费。和你的孩子谈论全球饥饿问题，教他们真正关心食物浪费。

如果你制定一个菜单计划，只买你需要的东西，你肯定会浪费更少的食物。我遵循的是一个宽松的周一周五下午的计划，但你会发现在这个过程中什么对你有效。

在当地吃应季东西对你来说很重要吗 作为一个家庭，你怎么能采取措施改善你的食物的可持续性 我们必须支持当地种植者以及有责任心的食品生产，距离食品可以运送到您的桌子。

把厨房的任务交给孩子们会让你更容易学会放手。给他们一个机会，让他们闪耀，因为他们无疑会超越你的期望，而且好处多多。另外，在厨房里要多相信自己。尝试新的食谱，新的方法和新的配料。失败是行动的标志;你永远不会像一个厨师一样成长。

你的孩子只吃面包吗 拒绝肉吗 狼吞虎咽地吃早餐，但只吃晚餐 这些都是我所经历过的正常模式。如果他们每天不吃三顿饭，别担心——他们会没事的。

这几乎是显而易见的，但如果你在厨房里储存有营养的食物，你会吃得更好。

让你的孩子看到你打开你的家，欢迎你周围的其他人。通过你的行动，他们将学会如何成为优雅的主人。

对孩子来说，适度是一个陌生的概念，然而，他们从来没有比现在更重要的是，他们学会了这种方法，而垃圾食品现在得到了广泛的推广。不要完全剥夺他们的待遇，但要以身作则，证明有一点是大有裨益的。

在餐桌上相互联系是我们作为一个家庭聚会的主要原因之一。听。问问题。谈论一些重要的事情，向孩子们展示你真正感兴趣的东西。在你比较不情愿的人的谈话中，用"荒诞的故事"来表达有趣的话题，每个人在桌子周围的每个人轮流分享他们的一天，但其中一个是一个很高的故事，然后周围的人都必须猜出哪个是假的。

慢下来，在你吃之前先认真对待你面前的食物，也许是祈祷或说几句感恩的话。当世界上有那么多的人挨饿时，重要的是要反思我们的富足。