Some foods are known to trigger positive feelings, much like recalling happy memories. However, two recent studies show that sharing meals with others can make you happier than eating alone.
Sitting down to eat with friends and family is good for your mood and health.
This is confirmed by two international studies. The first, from the University of Minnesota in collaboration with the Barilla Group, published in the journal Family, System, and Health, examines the current “state of health” of social dining, analyzing daily habits and rituals in Italy, Germany, and the United States with over a thousand participants per country. The second is an Italian report published in Nutrition Research, which reviews recent literature confirming that eating together improves health, increases happiness, and reduces stress.
Eating Together Makes Us Happier: Here’s Why
Improving Mood by Eating Together
The University of Minnesota study found that those who eat with others more frequently are less stressed. Furthermore, respondents reported a better mood after meals that lasted throughout the day.
Strengthening Relationships
Both studies found significant positive correlations between the frequency of shared meals and stronger social bonds. In Italy, 74% of respondents reported having six or more meals a week with family or friends.
Good for Health
Eating with others also benefits physical health. According to Francesco Visioli, Associate Professor of Human Nutrition at the University of Padua, “the social context has a profound influence on eating behavior: when people share a meal, they prioritize health and well-being, favoring a healthy diet and increasing the consumption of fruits and vegetables.”
Pasta and Happiness
A study from our Neuromarketing Research Center “Behavior & Brain Lab” at Iulm University showed that the emotional experience of eating one’s favorite pasta is equivalent to recalling happy memories, particularly those related to family.
Eating penne, spaghetti, and macaroni, in short, “induces a positive emotional-cognitive state with results equal to or even greater than those observed, through neuroscientific techniques, when listening to favorite music or attending a sports event,” says Vincenzo Russo, Professor of Consumer Psychology and Neuromarketing.
Beware of Social Media
However, the camera on your phone can be a party pooper. Twenty percent of Italians share their meals on Instagram, a habit that is now common but “tolerated” by dining companions as long as it’s not excessive and doesn’t involve video calls or phone calls during the meal.
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This article first appeared on Grazia.it – Author: Valentina Lupia
