Dinners at home prove to be more beneficial for families nutritionally and emotionally. Research from the Food Marketing Institute shows that sharing a family meal is good for the spirit and emotional health of family members. Nutritionally, cooking dinner at home will often lead families to use fresh ingredients as opposed to the fast-food route.

The St. Louis Dairy Council is highlighting the importance of family meals this month in an effort to bring about the positive side of eating at home. Kelsey Bentlage, a Registered Dietitian and Nutrition Educator for the St. Louis Dairy Council says families could save nearly $50 a week per person by switching to at-home meals.

Bentlage says that eating at home will better meet the needs of the 2-3 servings of dairy daily. She added that cooking at home could inspire youngsters to start making food for themselves and have input on the nightly meal.

The St. Louis Dairy Council has many recipes on their website that are easy and nutritional for families to add to the menu. Bentlage mentions a Tuscan chicken mac and cheese recipe that only needs one pot to cook.

Prioritizing family dinners will not only benefit the health of the family unit but also bring members closer together. Bentlage and The St. Louis Dairy Council try to make it easy on families by providing easy, nutritional recipes to try at home.

For information on recipes or the St. Louis Dairy Council visit, www.stldairycoulcil.org

Kelsey Bentlage appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show.