What is your dinner time routine?
Research shows that adolescents who frequently share regular meals with their families experience more positive health outcomes. I recognize that you can’t always have dinner with your kids every night, but once or twice a week is great if you can swing it. 🌟 🌟 🌟 
My top tips for establishing a good dinnertime routine:
1) Presentation is key – Does this mean that you go all out? No. But a few simple tweaks can make all the difference. Lighting a candle is not only fun and can help a child feel independent, but it really helps set the tone. Going on an evening ten minute stroll to pick out a couple flowers and put them in a @ballcanning mason jar can offer a calming environment. If you live in an urban area, this can be walking to a corner store. 
2) Setting the table. Involving your kids gets them excited for dinner while also signaling the transition for dinner time. Having a basket or a low drawer to store the placemats can be empowering for your child to do it on their own.
3) Getting your kids to the table. I have this glockenspiel aka xylophone and I hit each bar to signify the start of dinner. The kids take turns on who can do it. 
4) Family Style. It is not always feasible but I love doing this a few times a week so kids can choose the items they want and be exposed to different types of food. Plus around age 4 or 5 I like to start to teach portion control. Do you want a post on this?
5) Clean up is a part of our dinner routine. Everyone has a responsibility; my oldest daughter is table wiper and floor sweeper and my son is dishwasher. Each person brings their dish to the sink and my youngest sits on the ground admiring them.