What America Eats!

As America’s Biggest Family Dinner Approaches, Find Out What America Eats The Other 364 Days of the Year Parade Senior Editor Fran Carpentier as She Takes You Through the Curious Culinary Habits of U.S. Families and Details the Results of a New Nationwide Survey * 78% of Americans polled said that eating together as a family at least a few times a week is a regular part of their lives, and 69% of those surveyed said they enjoy their family dinners and look forward to them * Sunday is the most popular day for family dinner (76%) and Friday the least (56%); 87% of family dinners are home-cooked * Eating with the Family reduces childhood obesity — research shows that when families eat dinner together, children do better in school, consume more vegetables and fewer fried foods, and are less likely to have substance abuse issues – Columbia University, 2005 We all think that with everything on our plate these days, Americans don’t have time to sit down to family dinner, let alone shop for and prepare dinner each day. Happily, the majority of respondents of a new national poll conducted by Parade disagree saying that eating together is a regular – and essential – ingredient in their lives. As we approach Thanksgiving, the largest family meal of the year, Parade senior editor Fran Carpentier is available to talk about Parades latest “What America Eats” survey results. Do we prefer home-cooked or takeout? Rachael Ray or Martha Stewart? Pizza or Chinese? Are we dieting? (No!) For 20 years, “What America Eats” has brought to light the nation’s shopping, cooking and eating habits and preferences. – Why family dinners are important to children’s health – Trends in shopping, cooking and eating – Fun facts on celebrity chefs, the surprising TV character most of us regular folks would want in our own kitchens, and what celebs would be favorite dinner guests About Fran: Fran Carpentier oversees Parade magazine’s monthly food column, “Simply Delicious” by Sheila Lukins. For 20 years, she edited “What America Eats,” Parades annual food issue, and helped build it into an important consumer and industry examination of the nation’s shopping, cooking and eating habits and preferences. She also edited “Live Longer, Better, Wiser,” Parades annual health, fitness and lifestyle issue. A native New Yorker, Carpentier graduated from New York University with a B.S. in Journalism. She is a member of IACP, the James Beard Foundation, Women in Communications and the Newswomen’s Club. She also is a very committed volunteer and spokesperson for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, which provides an ideal forum for enlightening people with diabetes and anyone else with a chronic health condition that food-the right food-is an important part of any treatment program, always a friend and never a foe