For some families, the daily schedule is non-stop. Sitting down for a meal together may seem unrealistic. But new research finds making this long forgotten ritual a reality could be very beneficial.

“Because everybody is so hectic with school activities, families, everything is going different ways, we all tend to fall back on what’s the simplest and that’s fast food, which is the worst kind of things,” says Dr. Mark McAllister, a family practice physician with Lee Memorial Health System. It’s easy to hit the drive-thru while you are in a rush, but those quick stops can lead to lifelong problems such as diabetes.

It’s not just the food, Dr. McAllister says eating together is good for the family’s emotional health as well. “It’s a good time for at least that once a day, time to be together and kind of figure out what’s going on,” he adds.

It doesn’t hurt to set some boundaries either. Don’t let Blackberrys, cell phones, and other devices interrupt the family’s together time. “I went through that with my daughter at home. OK. Turn it off. Put it aside or whatever during that time. Because that time should be time to interact with your family, the people you live with” explains Dr. McAllister.

If you can’t get together every night, set aside at least one night during the week. “Its kind of like everything else in life, you have to make time for things. ‘I don’t have time to exercise. I don’t have time to do this or that’, we all have to make tradeoffs, I think you have to just make the time,” says Dr. McAllister.

It’s during these meals that parents can also observe their child’s physical, even emotional well-being. Should a topic or situation become a cause for concern, alert your family physician.