Dashboard dining on the decline.

• Position: Family Life - Meals at home

Dinnertime means more to Americans than just eating a meal; it represents quality time. According to research conducted by the American Furniture Manufacturers Association, High Point, N.C., 75% of families are dining together at home at least five nights a week. Furthermore, 85% of those who currently dine together four nights a week or less wish they could eat at home more frequently.

"If nothing else, the uncertainty in today's world reminds us to enjoy the company of family and friends, not just on special occasions, but on every possible occasion," says AFMA Vice President Jackie Hirschhaut. "Over the last several decades, the home has become a quick pit stop in a frantic family schedule. But today, more and more families are opting out of that hectic lifestyle, and one of the first things they're reclaiming is the family meal.

"Dashboard dining--eating on the go or in a hurry--is on the decline because parents and children alike recognize the opportunity to spend time with the people who matter most in their lives. Plus, families are rediscovering all the benefits of dining at home."

While the vast majority (78%) named spending quality time with their family as the biggest plus to eating at home, 37% feel that spending less money is the greatest benefit, followed by healthier meals (35%), having more control over the quality of life of one's...