"One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well." - Virginia Woolf
Taking the time to set the table and sitting down to eat forces us to slow down and be more intentional about our eating.
Farmers work hard to produce food so it only makes sense that when people, including — or perhaps especially — farmers, sit down to eat, they should take the time to really enjoy that food.
Taking the time to savour a meal benefits mind and body. Farming is stressful and slowing down at mealtime reduces stress and has a positive impact on mental and physical health. Research has shown that stress takes its toll on our bodies resulting in increased blood pressure, increased risk of heart attack and stroke and premature death. Slowing down encourages our “rest and digest” system to take over instead of our “fight or flight” mode which kicks in when we are overloaded.
If you have children at home, the whole family will reap the rewards of sitting down to eat as a family. The research clearly shows the benefits for children when families dine together on a regular basis, says Dr. Anne Fishel, a Boston Clinical Psychologist and author of Home for Dinner: Mixing Food, Fun and Conversation for a Happier Family and Healthier Kids. Children who regularly dined with their families had bigger vocabularies and better reading skills, and teenagers were less likely to participate in risky behaviours, or to suffer from depression and anxiety.
Fishel says that coming together for meals gives family members the opportunity to share stories, seek advice, talk about world issues and promotes a sense of belonging.
And if you’re one of the 30 per cent of Canadians who lives alone, don’t give in to the temptation to plunk yourself down on the couch in front of the TV when you eat. Taking the time to set the table and sitting down to eat forces us to slow down and be more intentional about our eating, says Fishel. “Setting the table is part of making dinner a ritual that has a beginning, middle and end and it helps establish the meal will take place at a certain place and time.”
Setting the table is also an easy way to engage young children in becoming participants or stakeholders in a meal. Young children can set out napkins and cutlery and even decorate a place mat, suggests Fishel.
And as any chef will tell you, before we eat with our mouths, we eat with our eyes, so presentation is important. Taking a few minutes to set the table properly and present the food in an appealing way sends a signal that meal time is a time to be relished. For special occasions, adding a small vase of flowers picked from the garden and cloth napkins will create a distinctive dining experience.
Farmers work hard to produce healthy, nutritious, and good quality food. Be sure you’re making the most of it by setting the table and sitting down the eat.
The elements of setting a good table
While the norms around table settings can vary by culture, here in North America the general rules are to place the fork to the left of the dinner plate, and the knife (cutting edge facing inwards) and spoon on the right. The bread plate is located above the fork to the left of the main plate and the water glass on the right above the knife and spoon. The napkin goes to the left of the fork (or under the fork) or on top of the dinner plate.
Sometimes at a crowded table it’s difficult to know which glass or bread plate is yours and which belongs to your neighbour. Jay Remer, “Canada’s Etiquette Guy,” shares a tip to help you remember. Think of the acronym BMW, he says, which stands for “Bread, Meal, Water.”
More than one fork? Remer says: “Always use the fork farthest from the plate first, and work your way in with each subsequent course.” The same goes for multiples of other utensils.
- Helen Lammers-Helps