The stories I write revolve around home and family. The books almost always have a scene or three involving meals. It’s a challenge to keep these scenes fresh, but there are ways, whether through changing up the menu, varying the time of day, coming up with different settings, or limiting food scenes in a book.

Even if the action takes place off-page, a meal is often mentioned. Because there’s no getting around the fact—people have to eat. This is a vital part of life, and most folks manage to accomplish it at least twice a day.

Once upon a time people regularly ate meals around their kitchen (or dining room) tables. They sat down as a family unit, faced one another, talked to each other, and even made eye contact once in a while. For so many families, that situation’s a thing of the past or, at least, an event reserved for holidays and other special occasions.

Sometimes, with our busy lives, it’s just impossible to synchronize schedules so that families—no matter the size—sit down and break bread on a daily basis. But regular contact and a steady flow of communication make such a big difference, it’s worth it to try to work in as many family meals as possible, don’t you think?

How do you get your family to gather around the table?