<p>By: Anna Kanaley, Assistant, Food & Product Safety, Health & Well-being and FMI Foundation</p><div class="mg-image–circular" style="float:right;margin:10px;"><img src="https://www.fmi.org/images/default-source/blog-images/holiday-family-meal.tmb-large-350-.jpg?Culture=en&sfvrsn=411b6b_1" alt="Family Meal" sf-size="100" /></div><p>As the leaves begin to change and the air starts to feel cooler, I’m reminded that the holidays are just around the corner, bringing me closer to family time, specifically time gathered around the dinner table. Being with my parents and sisters, and their laughter and love provides feelings of warmth and joy, as well as new memories to cherish.</p><p>This isn’t unlike the experiences of the food industry’s organizations—many of them gathered with their families, relational and chosen, to share a family meal and to give back to their communities through food drives, hunger relief programs and special promotions to encourage family engagement.</p><p>This past September<span style="text-decoration:underline;">,</span> the <a href="https://www.fmi.org/foundation">FMI Foundation</a> celebrated its ninth year of <a href="https://www.fmi.org/family-meals">Family Meals Month</a>. Organizations from across the country came together to promote the Movement and encouraged consumers to "<a href="https://www.fmi.org/family-meals-movement/stay-strong-tips">Stay Strong with Family Meals</a>" and "Raise Your Mitt to Commit" to one or more family meal per week. Our supporting research shows that eating together boosts mental and physical health, among other tremendous benefits.</p><p>How did your company celebrate the Family Meals Movement this year? We’d love to hear about it, whether through sharing our <a href="https://www.fmi.org/family-meals/toolkits/infographics">collection of infographics</a> with your wider community, promoting special family meals coupons or programs, or communicating your own experiences around the dinner table. We invite you to apply to <a href="https://www.fmi.org/family-meals/award/gold-plate-awards-application">2023’s Gold Plate Awards</a> to showcase the Family Meals programs and initiatives you shared with your community in September. </p><p>For the first time ever, FMI will be hosting the Gold Plate Awards ceremony in front of a live audience! The winners will be announced on November 28th during an in-person Health & Well-being Council meeting at the FMI office in Arlington, VA. We hope you’re excited to honor your September 2023 Family Meals programs. Please submit by October 13th!</p><p><a href="https://www.fmi.org/family-meals/award/gold-plate-awards-application" class="button">Gold Plate Awards Application</a></p>
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