discovered some creative ways to squeeze family time into busy schedules. For one thing, they know spending time as a family during dinner has a host of benefits. According to a Time magazine report, kids who dine with their folks tend to be healthier, happier and better students. Eating as a family can also provide: Achance to bond A way to help kids build selfesteem because they're spending time with people who love them A way to encourage healthful eating An opportunity to teach kids about the origin of the food and other cultures A time to teach kids social skills But what do you serve your family when you are pressed for time and don’t want unhealthy, drive-through window food? Noodles & Company, a family-friendly restaurant chain that serves some of the world’s most-loved pasta dishes, has a solution you can feel good about—Square Bowls. Each Square Bowl feeds four to six people andis great for families on the go. Dishes includeclassic Wisconsin Mac & Cheese with Meatballs, Pesto Cavatappi with Parmesan-Crusted Chicken, and Japanese Pan Noodles with Sauted Beef, to namea few. Cleanup is a breeze because everything is disposable and leftovers are easy to store, saving you more time. The family that dines together, research suggests, is more likely to do just fine together. Next, try these games to get the family chatting: Scoop Around—Whentaking a scoop of a dinner item, each person must say something abouthis or her day. Passer—When passing a dinner item to someone at the table, the passer must ask the receiver a question and the receiver must answer. Elbowsoff the Table—Whena family member is caught with elbows on the table, he or she must walk around the table three times. Question Sphere—Everyone asks a question one at a time and everyone else has to answerit. Pit/Peak—Everyone must say what the best and worst part of the week was. You can find more facts and tips about food and fun at the Noodles & Company website, www.noodles.com.
