The Habit That Keeps Their Family Close: Michelle Obama reveals the daily rule she and Barack never gave up—even in the White House

A family that eats together, stays together. Meals are one time when the family can share food in peace and also interact with one another and ask about their day and activities. In an interview with ET's Kevin Frazier and his son, Reece, America’s former first lady Michelle Obama revealed one habit which has kept their family of four – husband, former president Barack Obama and daughters Malia and Sasha – close together: having dinner together. "We have our health, and we are together as a family. And we're not getting on each other's nerves, so we count our blessings," Michelle says. "We try to eat dinner together as a family every night. That's a pretty important ritual, so we usually have dinner at about 6:30, which is pretty regular, and we have different kinds of foods,” she explained.

A Diverse Meal

The lawyer-turned-author said she personally avoids carb-heavy meals, but she often ensures carb-rich dishes are prepared, as her husband loves them. “Pizza is on the list; it's one of the favorites, but it's pretty balanced," she continues. "We usually try to have a delicious protein and a vegetable. And then depending upon what I'm trying to accomplish -- for me, personally, I may not have a carb -- but then there's my husband, who needs lots of food, eats tons of carbs. So we try to make sure it's balanced…” she said.

The Most Important Thing

The most important thing about dinner was not what was on the menu, but the family eating together. She revealed that even during quarantine, when the family were staying in various separate rooms, they used to often check on each other to find out how their day had been. “We've had that ritual for our entire lives. Even in the White House, I read about how the president, no matter how busy he was, would stop his day and make sure we could have dinner together as a family,” she said.

Family Meals Can Keep You Healthy

According to a Johns Hopkins Medicine article, eating together can not just help keep families together but also make you healthier. Here’s why:

Family meals usually include more fruits and vegetables compared to meals from fast food places or casual restaurants. A lot of studies show that when families eat together regularly, they tend to eat more calcium-rich foods, fruits, vegetables, fibre, folate, and important vitamins like A, C, E, and B6.

Healthier behaviours. Family meals do more than just feed the body; they also help build stronger families. Studies show that when kids and teens eat with their families regularly, they are less likely to try things like smoking, drinking alcohol, or using marijuana.

Smarter eating for life. Making food at home and eating it with family can teach children about healthy nutrients, how to cook properly, and ways to care for the environment. These lessons can influence the food choices they make as they get older.

Staying safer with food allergies. Because so many kids today have food sensitivities or allergies, it's really helpful to know how to cook meals at home. If your child has a food allergy or sensitivity, teaching them how to cook using safe alternatives is a valuable skill.

They can feel more confident knowing which ingredients are safe and how to use them in the foods they like.