Sometimes there is nothing better than heaping platters of food and loud conversations around the family dinner table. It brings us together and can sometimes be the only time that family members actually communicate during the busy day. Unfortunately, having readily available food at arms length makes going back for seconds (or thirds) feel less like a choice than an inevitability! Recently, scientists at Cornell University measured the amount of food consumed when eaters sat in front of or away from serving dishes. Not surprisingly, when the food was out of sight, it was also out of mind. Without the temptation of food within arm’s reach, participants ate over 20% less food! Eating less food means you can drop pounds without even going to the gym. To host family dinners that don’t result in overstuffed bellies, cut down on mindless munching by serving food away from the dinner table more like a restaurant.

In our house, we will typically leave the serving dishes in the kitchen. Each of us will put the food that we want on our plates and meet at the dining room table. This leaves the table clear of temptation and seriously cuts down on overeating. The one exception to this is the salad and vegetable plates. The kids will typically not overload their plates with the salad and veggies so we ask them to grab “seconds” at the table once they have finished what they took the first time. The added benefit of leaving most of the dishes in the kitchen of  is that it is easier to clean up after dinner!