Eating with the family, food for the soul
Family Eating
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In many cultures around the world, sitting at the table with others is not just a routine meal: it's a deeply social, almost ceremonial act. However, in industrialized societies, this practice is rapidly fading, and with it, social cohesion and mental health.
A recent report from the World Happiness Report 2025 indicates that eating with others is one of the strongest indicators of well-being, comparable to factors such as employment or income.
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Throughout the 19th century, the family meal became a cultural staple in the United States, particularly among the middle classes. This model became even more popular during the first half of the 20th century through television and advertising, which spread the image of the nuclear family gathered around dinnertime.
But urbanization, labor changes, and progressive digitalization have disrupted this pattern. The rise of rotating shifts in factories, suburban expansion, and, more recently, virtual meetings have turned the act of eating into a fragmented and solitary endeavor.According to Megan Elias, director of food studies programs at Boston University, humans historically ate together for reasons of energy efficiency and social organization. But beyond its functional logic, this ancient practice represents what she calls "the glue of daily life." Its disappearance comes at a high cost: the loss of everyday emotional bonds.
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Recent studies scientifically support the benefits of eating in groups. Research published in Adaptive Human Behavior and Physiology reveals that social eating activates the brain's endorphin system, which is linked to oxytocin and dopamine, substances linked to affection, trust, and pleasure.
Other studies, such as those in Frontiers in Public Health and Clinical Nutrition, conclude that older adults who participate in community meals experience a significant reduction in sadness and loneliness, while adolescents who regularly share the family table show fewer symptoms of anxiety, stress, and depression.
Recent research shows that sharing meals activates brain regions linked to pleasure, trust, and social connection, thanks to the release of endorphins, oxytocin, and dopamine.
In Southern Europe and other regions, eating together still retains its ritual character. In Turkey, rakı sofrası brings friends and family together around small plates and long conversations. Anthropologists define this phenomenon as commensality, the act of sharing food to strengthen social ties. Fabio Parasecoli, a professor at New York University, argues that this practice not only nourishes the body but also “builds individual and collective identities.” Its absence, he adds, has profound emotional consequences.
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