September is National Family Meals Month, an industry-wide movement to raise awareness of the benefits of frequent family meals. The Food Marketing Institute (FMI) is working collaboratively with retailers and manufacturers to bring families—from highchair to wheel chair—back to the table to share one more meal at home per week. FMI is providing a variety of resources to retailers and manufacturers to promote family meals at www.fmi.org/family-meals/toolkits/manufacturer-toolkit.
When it comes to feeding little ones, manufacturers are aggressively developing products that keep them entertained while also providing nutrition in order that they too may engage at the family meal. While early-stage infant nutrition is firmly focused on the developmental needs of babies, it is evident that parents’ interests shift as their children grow and that adult themes become increasingly important in post-weaning categories, according to Innova Market Insights.
