I am not going to lie to you.

I hardly cook. I live off pre-made meals, snacks, and
quesadillas. 

I am one of 53 % Americans who eat breakfast alone and a part of
the 45% of Americans who eat lunch alone. Dinner is the only meal I tend to
share with friends – at least during the week. (Source: Washington
Post)


I mainly eat alone because I’m usually on the go. So my bagel comes
with me into the vanpool in the morning and my lunch time salad sits next to my
keyboard, mouse, and of course my phone.

As fun as eating alone is (it’s not really all that fun), I
truly do enjoy sharing my meals with my friends and family. I love the
conversations that happen over the food. And I love catching up with friends I
haven’t seen in a while. 


I know many of us tend to eat alone. So when Dietz & Watson invited me to join in their #ChooseTheTable Campaign, I was really excited. Four other food bloggers and I were lucky enough to experience a private dinner cooked by Giselle Wellman. I had such great time and was inspired to write a post from my
experience.

So today I wanted to share 

4 Reasons to Share Your Next Meal with Family & Friends 


1. Quality Time

This is probably the most important reason why you should
sit down to share a meal with family and friends. Life continues to become
busier and busier for everyone. It’s important to take the time to invest and
nurture our relationships. 

For me personally, my family and friends are an incredible
support system. I know I would not be the person I am today if I didn’t have
their love and support. One of my favorite ways to spend quality time with my loved
ones is over a meal. 

2. Try New Foods Together

Whether you’re making a meal at home or at a restaurant,
trying new foods together is always a fun experience to share. I have friends
who love trying new foods and other friends who steer clear of any different
textures or spices.

Regardless of your comfort level of trying new foods, when
you do decide to try something new to eat with a friend or partner, you choose
to share a new experience. 

I’ve found that I often fall into my rhythm and my routine.
Though I try to rotate my breakfast and lunch items, my choices of food can get
pretty repetitive. I love breaking up my familiar routine by simply trying a
new dish with a friend. I love that practice of getting out of comfort zone.
And I love it when I find something new and delicious to eat.

3. Experience Traditions

Some of my favorite memories growing up are the ones
celebrating birthdays and holidays with my family. And like any big Filipino family,
our celebrations are centered on food.

To this day, I still sit around the dining room table with
my mom and sister to wrap lumpia. To this day, I have to carefully peel the
rice wrappers and attempt to roll the lumpia as neatly as my mom. It still
takes a few hours to roll a couple hundred pieces for a family celebration. But
the time around the dining room table is the quality time I spend with my
family. 

4. Beyond the Tweet, Facebook Post, and Status Update

Our social media updates are just pieces of our lives we
choose to publish in our documented world. More likely than not, these updates
tend to be positive, polished pieces of our lives. For instance, I posted about
getting into a Master’s program, getting a new puppy, and traveling to Europe
all in one year. 

But when I sit down and I catch up with friends, I share the
journey, the heart aches and headaches of all of those things. It’s only when I
share meals with loved ones that truly get to speak about the adversity of the
endeavors. And in return, I hear about their highs and lows of the last few
months since I’ve seen them last. 

No status update can replace reconnecting with friends. 

Now for my Washington state family & friends, 

you have a chance to
win a private dinner with a guest with Dietz
& Watson! Chef
Giselle Wellman (she was on Top Chef!) will be cooking for you on September
9th at Gig Harbor, WA. All you have to do is enter your information
here. 


#ChooseTheTableSEA Entries Close: August 26th!
Good luck and hope you have a wonderful time at the next meal you share with
family and friends!

Thank you for reading!

Love,
Emma