Family meals matter: Experts say dinner is brain food
Forget superfoods – the biggest boost for your brain and body could be sitting right at the dinner table.
CQUniversity educational neuroscience experts Dr Ragnar Purje and Professor Ken Purnell say family meals are one of the most powerful and overlooked rituals for boosting wellbeing.
“Family meals aren’t just about eating – they’re about wiring the brain,” Dr Purje said.
“When families share food and conversation, empathy grows, language develops, and children become more resilient. It’s neuroscience on a plate."
Professor Purnell said the benefits go far beyond the brain.
“Families who eat together tend to eat better. They consume more fruit and vegetables, and children learn healthy attitudes towards food and body image simply by watching their parents,” he said.
“Family meals really do matter.”
The experts believe the science says it all:
- Shared meals strengthen memory, learning and social skills.
- Children build trust, resilience and emotional intelligence.
- Families eat healthier and reduce risks of obesity.
- Mealtimes trigger oxytocin – the bonding hormone.
- Young people show lower rates of depression, substance use and risky behaviour.
Dr Purje said the dinner table also acts as a powerful antidote to screen time.
“When families gather for meals, this is when they need to put phones and tablets down and pick each other up,” he said.
“If this is not taking place neither are the profound family cultural connections.”
Professor Purnell said the tradition of eating together was an undervalued classroom.
“The family table is where trust, resilience and identity are built – bite by bite,” he said.
The takeaway? Every family meal is more than food – it’s a daily investment in stronger brains, healthier bodies, and deeper connections.
