Most experts seem to agree that eating together as a family is a good thing. There is some debate about how often it happens (though statistics seem to indicate that it's more common than not), but the general sense is that gathering most evenings to eat as a family is beneficial.

So, if it's a good thing, how can you make it easier? Here are some ideas:

• Make a meal plan. I like to do a week at a time and to make my plan before I go to the grocery store. If you make your weekly plan while looking at the store circular, you can plan your menu around the foods that are on sale and what you already have — helping to reduce your food bill. Planning ahead lets you plan to use leftovers as lunches and to do the cook once use twice rule. (It doesn't take appreciably longer to cook 6 chicken breasts instead of 3. Then you can use the extras for another dish — pulled chicken barbecue, tacos, stir-fry, etc.
• It might help to have a standing pattern: Monday is stir-fry, Tuesday is Italian, Wednesday is vegetarian, etc. That way, you don't have to start with a blank slate each week.
• Don't be a short-order cook, preparing something different for each family member. that way lies madness. If a kid absolutely won't eat something being served, even after trying it, cold cereal is your friend. In the winter, instant oatmeal works too. Making chicken nuggets or pizza for every meal is a bad plan.
• Everyone can be part of helping to prepare and clean up after dinner. Even kindergartners can tear lettuce for salad. Other youngsters can scrub potatoes and veggies and set the table. Middle schoolers should be starting to prepare simple dishes. A high schooler should have responsibility for one meal a week. Many hands make light work.
• All electronics are off during dinner. Really, the television will wait and, unless an emergency is brewing (e.g., an ill relative), you can step away from the texting. It's a radical concept, but you can talk to each other.

What do you do to make your family meals easier?