Communicate the Value of Ongoing Participation in National Family Meals Month within Your Company

The FMI Foundation has proclaimed September National Family Meals Month™. This nationwide industry initiative is designed to promote the role FMI members play in helping busy families eat at home together more often. As a prominent food manufacturer, National Family Meals Month™ provides you with a new, creative opportunity to collaborate with grocers to bolster your promotion of meal-focused products and stimulate sales.

Numerous studies show that preparing and sharing meals at home make families and kids stronger and healthier. We believe that no one is better equipped to help families get wholesome meals on the table than the food industry! National Family Meals Month™ provides a platform for brands to collaborate with grocers to rally families to commit to sharing one more meal per week, and remind them that simple, healthy mealtime solutions can be found in every supermarket aisle.   

Through campaign messaging and engagement tools, FMI Members will encourage shoppers to commit to sharing one more family meal at home per week. In September, as kids head back to school and parents adjust their routines to accommodate fall activities, we want families to commit to making mealtime a priority. Trusted brands like yours, together with grocers, can show them how. 

This event positions manufacturers and grocers as problem-solvers, and offers an additional opportunity to highlight how the food industry is investing in mealtime solutions to meet consumer demand in a changing food environment. Once a daily tradition, family meals are at a critical intersection in our nation today. The desire to return to the table exists, but families need a friendly, familiar voice to show them the way. That voice is food manufacturer, in collaboration with their grocer. More than 76% of people report that conflicting schedules are a primary barrier to cooking and eating together on a regular basis.ⁱ People are hungry for help in the kitchen. ⁱⁱ 

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i 2014 FGI Research commissioned by The Monday Campaign

ii The Hartman Group  

Leverage National Family Meals Month™ to remind shoppers and the larger community that your company advocates for families every day by offering mealtime solutions that help them get wholesome meals on the table so they can reap the benefits of family mealtime. Positioning your company within the community as an extension of the family unit and part of the solution generates consumer trust and customer loyalty, both of which are great for business. 

FMI offers a National Family Meals Month™ toolkit featuring downloadable materials to make this a “plug-and-play” marketing concept that complements what you’re already doing to promote mealtime solutions. The overarching messages and visuals are customizable to fit brands’ needs and can be tailored to a brand’s distinct voice. We provide graphics, social media content, and inspiration for in-store activation, POS and advertising to all FMI members at no cost. The theme is flexible and perfect for end caps and in-store product displays. Incorporate family meal messaging and deals into FSIs, promote it through your social media channels and share with your community through PR. Visit www.fmifamilymeals.com for a preview of the digital files currently available. 

We ask that you share and discuss this initiative with both your colleagues and grocery partners. Meals at home are good for families and great for our industry. Through National Family Meals Month™ in September, we want to bring FMI members from coast to coast together to share the industry’s message about the importance of eating family meals together at home.