Tuesday, September 1, 2015

The Importance of Community Dinners

Imagine working a long day. You're tired, you're probably grumpy and you're hungry. By the time you get home, changed out of work clothes, you're checked your mail and make it to the kitchen, you find 1) frozen meat and fresh vegetables that would take you 30 minutes to an hour to make something with or 2) eggs, fruit and cereal. You opt for option number 2, the quick and easy route. However, you continue to choose option two until you realize it's not longer healthy for you--eating the same bland meal (and by now you're probably out of fruit). Not to mention the fact you have only talked with your roommates or your dog briefly before everyone scrambles to their next thing for the evening, leaving you to seclude yourself to eat dinner in  front of the TV or computer or with your phone out. This is not the ideal community dinner.

Growing up, even now when I go home, dinner was a time to turn technology off, sit down at the table with each other and chat about how our days went and what was going on in the world. It allowed us to take breaks from eating, opposed to stuffing our faces quickly so we could do whatever needed to be done that night. It was a community environment that allowed us to eat good and healthy food. (My mom even made us switch off who cooked dinners every so often).

This being said, I am so blessed and thrilled to have people in my life who see the importance of eating healthy (or just really want free food). Whether be once or twice a week, I am able to make or eat a delicious home cooked meal and have that community feel. It started with just three and now has grown to five or six people. We are all athletes who understand the importance of good food, but even though we are all busy with work, school and training, somehow make time to share dinners together.

So do you have community dinners? If you don't, I challenge you to strive to do so. Share your recipes or a funny story from dinner. Enjoy the food and the people, for every gathering is a blessing.

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