---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: This is what a family is all about - one…"
description: "\"This is what a family is all about - one another, sitting around the table at night. And it's very, very important, I think, for the kid to spend time ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fd/jacques-p-pin-15599_eating_this-is-what-a-family-is-all-about-one-a_108598.jpg"
---

#  This is what a family is all about - one another, sitting…

![“This is what a family is all about - one another, sitting around the table at night. And it's very, very important, I think, for the kid to spend time not only around the table eating with their parents, but in the kitchen.” quote by Jacques Pepin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fd/jacques-p-pin-15599_eating_this-is-what-a-family-is-all-about-one-a_108598.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fd/jacques-p-pin-15599_eating_this-is-what-a-family-is-all-about-one-a_108598.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fd/jacques-p-pin-15599_eating_this-is-what-a-family-is-all-about-one-a_108598.jpg)

> “This is what a family is all about - one another, sitting around the table at night. And it's very, very important, I think, for the kid to spend time not only around the table eating with their parents, but in the kitchen.”

[Jacques Pepin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-p-pin/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Family meals create shared experiences that nurture children’s emotional bonds and practical life skills.

**In simple terms:** Eating together builds connection and learning.

Key Takeaway

Shared meals strengthen family ties.

Themes

family communication tradition parenting

Mood

warm nostalgic

Type

advice observation

When to use this quote

- dinner with siblings
- holiday cooking with parents
- weekly family brunch

Key Concepts

intergenerational bonding cultural transmission

Practical Applications

- schedule regular family meals
- involve kids in meal prep

Questions to Reflect On

- How does a shared meal affect a child's sense of belonging?
- What rituals can families create around food?

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Around The Table](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/around-the-table/) [Eating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eating/) [Eating Parents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eating-parents-777675/) [End time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end-time/) [End times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end-times/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Family Sitting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family-sitting-570307/) [Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) [Kitchen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kitchen/) [Night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/night/) [Parent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parent/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Parents Kitchen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parents-kitchen-1278208/) [Sitting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sitting/) [Spend time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spend-time/) [Table Eating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/table-eating-951197/) [Tables](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tables/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/)

## Related quotes

> [My family always ate dinner at the table, and we would chat about our day while eating. My parents like to have a few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-hanawalt/my-family-always-ate-dinner-at-the-table-and-we-would-chat-about-our/)

[Lisa Hanawalt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-hanawalt/)

> [I grew up with my parents in the kitchen discussing the audition my dad had that day or moaning about something or other in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bel-powley/i-grew-up-with-my-parents-in-the-kitchen-discussing-the-audition-my/)

[Bel Powley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bel-powley/)

> [How my parents are in the kitchen is a good indicator of their parenting style. Mum cooks for sustenance, wants to get in and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadiya-hussain/how-my-parents-are-in-the-kitchen-is-a-good-indicator-of-their/)

[Nadiya Hussain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadiya-hussain/)

> [When it came to healthy eating, my parents did their best to set me on the right path. At school, my friends ate McDonalds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-negreanu/when-it-came-to-healthy-eating-my-parents-did-their-best-to-set-me-on/)

[Daniel Negreanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-negreanu/)

> [Elbows are never put on the table while one is eating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-post/elbows-are-never-put-on-the-table-while-one-is-eating/)

[Emily Post](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-post/)

> [“Always believe in what You bring to the table, for you may be eating alone on yesterday's bone”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alonzo-sherrell/always-believe-in-what-you-bring-to-the-table-for-you-may-be-eating/)

[Alonzo Sherrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alonzo-sherrell/)

> [“I sit at the little table, eating creamed corn with a fork. I have a fork and a spoon, but never a knife. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/i-sit-at-the-little-table-eating-creamed-corn-with-a-fork-i-have-a/)

[Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/)

> [When I was growing up, we used to be like the Royle family, sitting around watching lots of TV and commenting on it. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-baxendale/when-i-was-growing-up-we-used-to-be-like-the-royle-family-sitting/)

[Helen Baxendale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-baxendale/)

> [The television set's on while the family's sitting around having dinner or talking. Nobody's watching TV; it's there; they're aware of it, but they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/the-television-set-s-on-while-the-family-s-sitting-around-having/)

[Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/)

> [It's always good to know where the family's sitting in the stands, so if you go through a hard time, when you just need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-semien/it-s-always-good-to-know-where-the-family-s-sitting-in-the-stands-so/)

[Marcus Semien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-semien/)

> [“A bright haze seemed to lie over everything, and she had a feeling of unreality, but the scene itself looked almost unbelievably wholesome, like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-j-smith/a-bright-haze-seemed-to-lie-over-everything-and-she-had-a-feeling-of/)

[L.J. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-j-smith/)

> [I look at my family and what they had to go through sitting in those stands and listen to their child be booed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-gatlin/i-look-at-my-family-and-what-they-had-to-go-through-sitting-in-those/)

[Justin Gatlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-gatlin/)

> [If the auto plants in Detroit would just sit around the table and say, 'What do we gotta do to make this thing work?'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-devos/if-the-auto-plants-in-detroit-would-just-sit-around-the-table-and-say/)

[Richard M. DeVos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-devos/)

> [My family, they're story tellers. My mom is Irish, and my dad is Italian. In my family, we weren't allowed to watch TV while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/my-family-they-re-story-tellers-my-mom-is-irish-and-my-dad-is-italian/)

[Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/)

> [“I remember this country back when I was growing up. We went to church, we ate family suppers around the table, and it would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tana-french/i-remember-this-country-back-when-i-was-growing-up-we-went-to-church/)

[Tana French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tana-french/)

## More by Jacques Pepin

> [“Fortunately, I knew the cardinal rule of getting on with one’s fellow cooks. It applies in any kitchen and can be summed up in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-p-pin/fortunately-i-knew-the-cardinal-rule-of-getting-on-with-one-s-fellow/)

[Jacques Pépin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-p-pin/)

> [When I was a child, we always had wine on the table, no matter how simple the meal. The wine had no special identity;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-p-pin/when-i-was-a-child-we-always-had-wine-on-the-table-no-matter-how/)

[Jacques Pepin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-p-pin/)

> [When I wrote 'Fast Food My Way' in 2004, I hoped that my friends would prepare my recipes. Now, more people cook from that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-p-pin/when-i-wrote-fast-food-my-way-in-2004-i-hoped-that-my-friends-would/)

[Jacques Pepin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-p-pin/)

> [I say: If you don't know how to cook, I'm sure you have at least one friend who knows how to cook. Well, call…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-p-pin/i-say-if-you-don-t-know-how-to-cook-i-m-sure-you-have-at-least-one/)

[Jacques Pepin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-p-pin/)

> [Just because I am a chef doesn't mean I don't rely on fast recipes. Indeed, we all have moments when, pressed for time, we'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-p-pin/just-because-i-am-a-chef-doesn-t-mean-i-don-t-rely-on-fast-recipes/)

[Jacques Pepin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-p-pin/)

> [When you are at home, even if the chicken is a little burnt, what's the big deal? Relax.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-p-pin/when-you-are-at-home-even-if-the-chicken-is-a-little-burnt-what-s-the/)

[Jacques Pepin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-p-pin/)

> [Fortunately, I knew the cardinal rule of getting on with one's fellow cooks. It applies in any kitchen and can be summed up in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-p-pin/fortunately-i-knew-the-cardinal-rule-of-getting-on-with-one-s-fellow-2/)

[Jacques Pepin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-p-pin/)

> [Children never lie...I remember my daughter standing in her crib the first time I gave her caviar. I put it on bread. She ate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-p-pin/children-never-lie-i-remember-my-daughter-standing-in-her-crib-the/)

[Jacques Pepin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-p-pin/)

> [The idea of old was to conform yourself to a style of cooking, it was not to create a style of cooking. Now the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-p-pin/the-idea-of-old-was-to-conform-yourself-to-a-style-of-cooking-it-was/)

[Jacques Pepin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-p-pin/)

> [The menus that remain, for me, are really the menus that you have with your good friends, with your wife, with your mother, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-p-pin/the-menus-that-remain-for-me-are-really-the-menus-that-you-have-with/)

[Jacques Pepin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-p-pin/)

> [You know, my parents had a restaurant. And I left home, actually, in 1949, when I was 13 years old, to go into apprenticeship.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-p-pin/you-know-my-parents-had-a-restaurant-and-i-left-home-actually-in-1949/)

[Jacques Pepin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-p-pin/)

> [This June, I'll travel once again to the Food and Wine Magazine Classic in Aspen, Colorado. For many years, my dear friend Julia Child…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-p-pin/this-june-i-ll-travel-once-again-to-the-food-and-wine-magazine/)

[Jacques Pepin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-p-pin/)

> [After 45 years of marriage, when I have an argument with my wife, if we don't agree, we do what she wants. But, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-p-pin/after-45-years-of-marriage-when-i-have-an-argument-with-my-wife-if-we/)

[Jacques Pepin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-p-pin/)

> [When I left to go into apprenticeship in 1949, it was only four years after the war, and people don't realize, we still had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-p-pin/when-i-left-to-go-into-apprenticeship-in-1949-it-was-only-four-years/)

[Jacques Pepin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-p-pin/)

> [You can't escape the taste of the food you had as a child. In times of stress, what do you dream about? Your mother's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-p-pin/you-can-t-escape-the-taste-of-the-food-you-had-as-a-child-in-times-of/)

[Jacques Pepin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-p-pin/)

[Explore all 42 Jacques Pepin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-p-pin/)

## More Eating quotes

> [By eating many fruits and vegetables in place of fast food and junk food, people could avoid obesity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-h-murdock/by-eating-many-fruits-and-vegetables-in-place-of-fast-food-and-junk/)

[David H. Murdock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-h-murdock/)

> [I don't wear a watch because I want my arms to weigh the same. So if somebody asks me what time it is, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/i-don-t-wear-a-watch-because-i-want-my-arms-to-weigh-the-same-so-if/)

[Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/)

> [Most people are sensitized to animals through their cats and dogs, but for me it was a flounder. I used to go fishing with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-mathews/most-people-are-sensitized-to-animals-through-their-cats-and-dogs-but/)

[Dan Mathews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-mathews/)

> [I have my meals delivered... you know what I like? Chicken and rice... But the problem with being a defensive lineman is, if we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-douglas/i-have-my-meals-delivered-you-know-what-i-like-chicken-and-rice-but/)

[Hugh Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-douglas/)

> [I do not believe in eating fish hot. People always insist on hot fish, but that leaves it dried out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-zakarian/i-do-not-believe-in-eating-fish-hot-people-always-insist-on-hot-fish/)

[Geoffrey Zakarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-zakarian/)

> [One things guys have to remember is consistency... You can't make up for three years of eating poorly in just one workout.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/apolo-ohno/one-things-guys-have-to-remember-is-consistency-you-can-t-make-up-for/)

[Apolo Ohno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/apolo-ohno/)

> [My mom cares that I tweeted a picture of my breakfast. She's knows I'm eating and I'm safe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-dorsey/my-mom-cares-that-i-tweeted-a-picture-of-my-breakfast-she-s-knows-i-m/)

[Jack Dorsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-dorsey/)

> [There is an idea that you can take the spiritual teachings of a religion outside of a religion and practice them; these ideas are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seyyed-hossein-nasr/there-is-an-idea-that-you-can-take-the-spiritual-teachings-of-a/)

[Seyyed Hossein Nasr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seyyed-hossein-nasr/)

> [I have an intense dislike of doctrines, because you will always end up eating your words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yotam-ottolenghi/i-have-an-intense-dislike-of-doctrines-because-you-will-always-end-up/)

[Yotam Ottolenghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yotam-ottolenghi/)

> [The worst thing for me is to not taste what I'm eating, to not know what I'm eating. It upsets me to no avail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-robuchon/the-worst-thing-for-me-is-to-not-taste-what-i-m-eating-to-not-know/)

[Joel Robuchon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-robuchon/)

> [The heaviest I've ever been is 65 kilos. That was during my Leaving Cert when I was just studying and eating chocolate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-taylor/the-heaviest-i-ve-ever-been-is-65-kilos-that-was-during-my-leaving/)

[Katie Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-taylor/)

> [For fear of causing terror to living beings, Mahamati, let the Bodhisattva who is disciplining himself to attain compassion, refrain from eating flesh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/for-fear-of-causing-terror-to-living-beings-mahamati-let-the/)

[Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/)

> [The good Bishop of Assisi expressed a sort of horror at the hard life which the Little Brothers lived at the Portiuncula, without comforts,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-good-bishop-of-assisi-expressed-a-sort-of-horror-at-the-hard-life/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I think the best Thanksgiving we ever had was one where we didn't even have a turkey. Mom and Dad sat us kids down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/i-think-the-best-thanksgiving-we-ever-had-was-one-where-we-didn-t/)

[Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/)

> [I have a great time cooking and eating Thai green chicken curry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-have-a-great-time-cooking-and-eating-thai-green-chicken-curry/)

[Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/)

[Browse all 4,153 Eating quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eating/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "This is what a family is all about - one another, sitting around the table at night. And it's very, very important, I think, for the kid to spend time not only around the table eating with their parents, but in the kitchen.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Jacques Pepin"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-p-pin/this-is-what-a-family-is-all-about-one-another-sitting-around-the/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Eating"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-p-pin/this-is-what-a-family-is-all-about-one-another-sitting-around-the/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fd/jacques-p-pin-15599_eating_this-is-what-a-family-is-all-about-one-a_108598.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fd/jacques-p-pin-15599_eating_this-is-what-a-family-is-all-about-one-a_108598.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fd/jacques-p-pin-15599_eating_this-is-what-a-family-is-all-about-one-a_108598.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“This is what a family is all about - one another, sitting around the table at night. And it's very, very…” — Jacques Pepin",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Jacques Pepin",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-p-pin/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "This is what a family is...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-p-pin/this-is-what-a-family-is-all-about-one-another-sitting-around-the/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-p-pin/this-is-what-a-family-is-all-about-one-another-sitting-around-the/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
