Ivey proclaims September Family Meals Month

Governor Kay Ivey has proclaimed September 2026 as Family Meals Month in Alabama, urging families across the State to spend more time together around the dinner table.

The Proclamation, signed Aug. 31, calls family meals a simple way to support better health, stronger relationships and sound eating habits.

“I encourage families throughout our State to make family meals a priority and experience the lasting benefits of spending more time together around the table,” Ivey said in the proclamation.

Family Meals Month is part of a national drive launched by the FMI Foundation in 2015. The campaign began with a straightforward goal: encourage families to share at least one more meal at home each week.

What started as a one-month campaign has since grown into the year-round Family Meals Movement. Food stores, health groups and community groups take part by sharing recipes, shopping tips and quick meal ideas for busy homes.

Ivey’s proclamation points to research linking regular family meals with better physical and mental health, stronger family ties and improved emotional well-being.

Children who eat with their families more often also tend to consume more fruits and vegetables and have better diets overall. The table gives parents a chance to guide food choices, model good habits and teach children how to speak and listen with respect.

Even a small change may help.

A 2023 randomized clinical trial found that extending family meals by about 10 minutes led children to eat more fruits and vegetables. The children did not consume more of the other foods served during the meal.

The benefits may reach well beyond nutrition.

A 2015 systematic review of family-meal research found that frequent family meals were linked to lower rates of disordered eating, alcohol and drug use, violent conduct and feelings of depression among young people.

Other research suggests that the benefits may last into adulthood. A long-term study published in The Journal of Pediatrics found that teens who ate three or more family meals each week had lower odds of being overweight or obese 10 years later. The strongest link was seen among those who had five or more family meals per week.

The findings show a strong link, though most family-meal studies do not prove that eating together alone caused every reported gain. Homes that share meals may also differ in income, routine, stability and parent involvement.

Still, the family table offers parents something that phones, television and social media cannot replace: regular face-to-face time.

Ivey also recognized Alabama’s supermarkets and grocery stores for helping families put meals on the table. The proclamation notes that retailers provide nutritious food, recipes, ready-made options and meal ideas that can make family dining easier.

For families with packed school, work and sports schedules, the meal does not have to be formal or made from scratch. Breakfast before school, sandwiches after practice or takeout eaten together can still create time for conversation.

The point, according to the Family Meals Movement, is not a perfect dinner. It is making time to sit down, put distractions aside and reconnect.

Ivey’s message for September is clear: start with one more meal together each week — and stay at the table a little longer.

The Governor’s Proclamation is attached below: