September is National Family Meals Month, a national event designed to encourage families to plan more meals together. Numerous studies show the long-term health, academic, and social benefits of consistently eating together as a family. Unfortunately, only about 30 percent of American families share dinner every night.

Research also proves that people who frequently cook at home eat fewer and healthier calories. Food City is committed to helping make shared meals at home fun, affordable, and healthier. Make meal planning and grocery shopping easier by visiting foodcity.com. Search for recipes in our Meal and Recipe center and add coupons to your Food City ValuCard for added savings.

As you juggle new school routines and fall activities, Food City offers a variety of convenient, time saving options to take a slice out of meal prep time. Check out our selection of pre-marinated chicken, beef, pork, fish and seafood options to create a delicious entrée with little prep. For a meal in no time, try our Shortcuts: Meals in Minutes. These meal packets include a seasoned entrée and tasty vegetables sealed in disposable container for easy clean-up. Pop it in the microwave or oven for a meal that’s ready in minutes.

Visit the Food City Produce Department “shortcuts” section as well. Choose from a wide assortment of pre-cut vegetables paired with complimenting herbs and spices. These vegetables are freshly cut by our trained staff and are never sprayed with chemicals or preservatives.

Enjoy raw or cook at home, either way you’ll get dinner on the table in no time by taking the “shortcut”! Or if you’re looking for meal solutions, look no further than the Food City Deli Department. We have multiple hot-and-ready entrees and sides prepared daily, as well as grab-and-go options such as hot and ready pizzas, rotisserie chickens, and barbeque. When it comes to making more shared mealtimes happen for your busy family, let Food City be your ally.

Food City’s GoCart curbside pick-up is now available in numerous locations and makes shopping easier than ever. Simply select your purchases on-line at foodcity.com and your order will be filled by a professional shopper and loaded into your vehicle when you arrive at the store.

Payment can be made on-line or by credit or debit card at the time of pick-up. Or take advantage of Food City Home Delivery Powered by Instacart. Simply visit foodcitydelivers.com or download the Instacart App to fill your virtual cart with your favorite items, including fresh produce, top quality meats and everyday essentials. Enter your Food City ValuCard number to take advantage of added savings and ValuPoints and choose a delivery window ranging from within one or two hours up to seven days. Your personal Instacart shopper will do the rest.

The National Family Meals Month movement works! Research from the 2016 campaign shows that 85 percent of shoppers said they took action after seeing the campaign. Ninety-five percent of those who saw the campaign on social media and/or email said that their consumption and/or shopping behavior changed. Plan one more meal at home per week and enjoy some quality time with your family. Make it official and sharable by posting a selfie wearing your favorite oven mitt with the hashtag #familymealsmonth.