Last year, studies stressed the importance of kids sitting down for a family meal - - that kids who had regular dinners with their families were less likely to drink or use drugs. I filed that away in my mental “mom” folder as something to worry about down the line. Now, the latest research from the Journal of the American Dietetic Association suggests that teens who sit down to meals with their families may have healthier diets as adults.

The study found that, among the more than 1,700 teenagers researchers followed for five years, those who ate the most meals with their families tended to have a more healthful diet in young adulthood. By their early 20s, these teens reported eating more fruits and vegetables, drinking less soda, and getting more fiber, potassium and magnesium than their peers who ate few meals with their families.