Eating together: the simple habit that boosts wellbeing

What if eating together could lift your mood, strengthen your relationships, and even improve your health? This might sound too good to be true, but research consistently shows that sharing meals has all sorts of benefits for physical and mental health.¹²

But in today’s fast-paced world, meals often slip into the background. It’s not unusual to see someone sipping a liquid “meal” shake while walking to work, or eating lunch alone at their desk. Over the past few decades, eating alone has become much more common: nearly a third of Europeans report eating every meal by themselves.³

Sitting at a table together, with no screens and no rush, feels rarer than it once did. So, what do we lose when we stop eating together, and what can we gain if we bring this habit back into our lives? Let’s find out.

Cultural traditions of communal eating 

The science around eating together might be new, but most of us instinctively know that eating with loved ones is good for us. Even as our daily routines get busier, we still gather around food for life’s meaningful moments, such as birthdays, holidays like Easter, or Ramadan, or simply when friends come to visit. A birthday lunch, a festive dinner, or cooking to impress someone on a first date feels natural.

However, as modern life becomes busier, these traditions face new challenges. With fewer shared meals and more people eating alone, the social fabric around food is gradually changing.

But here’s the thing. There's growing evidence that sharing meals does more than just fill your stomach. It can boost your health, strengthen your relationships, and improve your overall well-being. Making time to eat with others could be one of the simplest ways to feel better, live healthier, and connect more deeply.

The surprising benefits of shared meals

1. Better physical health

Eating together often leads to healthier choices. Children and teens, for example, are more likely to eat fruits, vegetables, and whole foods when they share meals with their families. Sitting down together can also inspire you to pick up healthy habits from those around you — though the reverse is true as well, and unhealthy habits can rub off just as easily. On top of that, when you’re relaxed and enjoying good company, your body may actually absorb nutrients more effectively.^{6 7 8 9}

2. Emotional well-being

Shared meals can boost happiness and reduce feelings of loneliness. Research shows that keeping phones off the table makes conversations flow more easily and mealtimes feel more satisfying. People who live with others but eat alone are at particularly high risk of depressive symptoms.^{11 12 13}

3. Stronger social bonds

From classrooms to workplaces, eating together builds trust and teamwork. Students who eat with classmates often develop better social skills and healthier habits, as well as get better grades.¹⁵ So rather than quickly eating a sandwich in the library, it could be better for your studies to take a break and share a meal with friends.

4. Benefits for children and teens

Family meals have a huge impact on kids. Children who eat with their families often do better at school, develop stronger vocabularies, and build lifelong healthy eating habits. Teens who share meals at home are less likely to engage in risky behaviours like substance abuse and less likely to develop eating disorders.^{17 18 19 20}

The decline of shared meals 

We’ve just seen that sharing meals has a long list of benefits. So, why do so many of us end up eating alone? The answer isn’t only about busy schedules. Let’s take a quick tour of human history and get to the bottom of it all. 

Family recipes, Neanderthal style

Eating together has been central to human life for tens of thousands of years. Mathematical models suggest that early humans, including Australopithecus, likely shared food.²³ And different cut marks on bones suggest that different Neanderthal groups could have had special family recipes.²⁴

As human societies evolved, shared meals remained a key feature of social life across the world. In ancient civilisations in Rome, China, North America, and beyond, eating together helped people forge alliances, build community, and celebrate important festivals.^{25 26}

The rise of individual eating habits

The shift toward individual meals emerged with the Industrial Revolution. As people moved to cities and worked longer hours, structured family meals became less frequent. By the mid-20th century, convenience foods, including the iconic “TV dinner”, were taking centre stage.²⁷

Contemporary trends

Today, eating alone is becoming more common. In Europe, studies show that many adults often have meals by themselves, and a lot of these meals are eaten in front of screens or on the go.²⁸ At the same time, there is a growing effort to bring people back together. For example, the Netherlands has banned phones during the school day, including at lunchtime, to encourage discussions and social interactions.²⁹

Even though there are concerns about eating alone, some cultures show that it can be positive and meaningful. In Japan, solo dining, or hitori-gohan, is normal, and many people enjoy these quiet meals for reflection, relaxation, or to focus on the taste of their food.³⁰ And in urban China, eating alone often gives people a peaceful break during a busy day.³¹

Eating alone and eating with others both have value. It can be perfectly healthy to enjoy our own company sometimes while also spending time with our loved ones at other times.

Getting people around the same table

You don’t need to organise a big charity dinner or wait for schools to ban phones before you start eating with people more often. Whether you live alone, in a busy household, or somewhere in between, there are simple ways to share more of your meals with others, starting today.

1. Start small. As a family or group of friends, commit to sharing just one meal a week, such as Sunday lunch at 12:30 or Tuesday dinner at 19:00. If everyone agrees on a meal to come together, they’re less likely to arrange activities at the same time. 
2. Share the mental load. If you’re organising this meal with people who don’t live with you, make sure to take turns hosting. That way, one person isn’t always responsible for the mental burden of getting dinner on the table. Whoever is not hosting can bring along dessert to lighten the load.
3. Bring it into the workplace. Try a “together Tuesday” or “friendly Friday” where colleagues eat lunch at the same table. Keep it simple: everyone brings their own food, or you can all bring something to share. You could print a poster and display it at work to let everyone know about it. 
4. Welcome others. Invite an elderly neighbour, a friend of your child, or anyone who might otherwise eat alone. An extra seat at your table can mean a lot to people who don’t have a family meal habit at home. 
5. Meet virtually if you need to. If getting together in person isn’t possible, set up a regular video call to share a meal online. Even something as simple as eating breakfast at the same time as a friend on screen can bring connection and make mealtimes feel less lonely.

Eating our way to a better world

In today’s busy, fast-moving world, sitting down to share a meal is still one of the simplest ways to feel connected. Whether it’s a family dinner, a neighbourhood event, or just eating with a friend, sharing food brings people together in a way nothing else quite does.

When we make time to eat together, we’re not only keeping traditions alive. We’re also taking care of our health, looking after each other and building a kinder, more connected society.