By Emlen Healthy Roar reporters | Sharing a meal with people can encourage healthy eating habits and build social connections.
Experts at Duke Health and Well-Being say that sharing food is a way to connect and build bonds. Fourth-grade Healthy Roar reporters in Mr. Conallen’s class recently researched the importance of making and eating food together and found that there are health and social benefits.
When you sit to have a meal with your family and nobody is looking at a screen, you can connect with each other, and it can reduce stress.
Scientist Dr. Robin Dunbar, professor of evolutionary anthropology at the University of Oxford, says on the Oxford website that while you’re sitting and eating, you can look at each other and listen and build trust.
After researching how eating can build connections, the reporters reflected and wrote about a meal that was important to them. You can read their reflections below:
“I look forward to cooking Thanksgiving dinner with my mom. My favorite Thanksgiving foods are turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, rice, meatloaf, and pie.”
“My favorite meal is from McDonald’s. I got a cheeseburger with a large Sprite and a large French fry and 10- piece chicken nuggets and an apple pie. It was so tasty and just writing about it makes me hungry.”
“It’s important to me to sit and have pizza with my family. My mom, dad, brother, sister, and I sit down to eat. It’s always a great time because we can talk about our days and get closer.”
Illustration by Mikayla, 4th grade, Lowell, 2025-26.
