Sharing Meals: A Global Happiness Hack

Did you know one of the simplest ways to boost your happiness might be sitting right at your dinner table?

In this solo episode, I dive into a fascinating chapter of the World Happiness Report 2025 that explores something near and dear to my heart: the power of sharing meals.

From the data to the dinner table, I’m connecting the dots between science, culture, and personal experience — showing how something as ordinary as a shared meal can have extraordinary effects on our well-being.

You’ll hear reflections on:
 💛 How meal sharing shapes our emotional and social health
 🧠 A curious connection between happiness and our nervous system
 🍽️ The real reason gathering for a meal matters

Whether you're dining with family, inviting a neighbor over for lunch, or just planning to break bread with a friend, this episode is your reminder that connection doesn’t require perfection — just presence.

HELPFUL LINKS
🧳 Get my free Travel Planning Tool
📘 Read the World Happiness Report 2025
🎙️ Listen to the No Fixed Address episode on Cartagena

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Transcript

Paula Mohammed: Hi, I'm Paula Mohammed and welcome to In My Kitchen with Paula. This podcast is a gathering place for culinary adventures who love to travel. Every week, we'll come together with chefs, cookbook authors, talented home cooks, and everyone in between to talk about their story and their unique dish using food as the vehicle will take a ride into the ins and outs of their culture and country.

Come on, let's get this party started.

Welcome back to In My Kitchen with Paula. Today I want to talk about something that's been happening right here at my own dinner table. The joy, the nourishment, and yes, even the science of sharing meals. 

A shout out to my friend Nimi, who lives in Israel, who sent me the latest World Happiness report, and I started reading it and got into chapter three, which really caught my eye. I thought this would also be of interest to my community, and so I am here to share a little bit more about. Chapter three about the role of meal sharing in happiness and connection. 

What is the World Happiness Report? This report is a publication on global wellbeing and how to improve it. It combines open access data from over 140 countries with analysis by world leading researchers from a wide range of academic disciplines.

Now you all know how much I believe in breaking bread together, and this showed me this report, the data that backs it up. But more than that, I am excited to see the research that is actually being done now according to the World Happiness Report 2025.

One of the most powerful things we can do for our wellbeing, sharing meals with others. 

As I read chapter three of this year's report, I found myself nodding nonstop because what I've always felt intuitively and spoken a lot about in these podcast interviews, science is also confirming eating together nourishes more than our bodies. It makes us happier.

According to the studies done for this report, sharing meals increases positive effect or positive emotions and decreases negative emotions. According to Dr. Barbara Fredrickson and her broaden and build theory, which I mentioned briefly in a few episodes ago, this contributes, these positive emotions contribute to our long-term personal resources, making us more resilient and increasing our wellbeing.

Let's take a closer look at this because I think just being mindful of the benefits of sharing a meal together could help someone out there to become happier. Or you may reach out and invite someone you know who lives alone and eats alone to join you in a meal. So here's what the report found.

People who regularly share meals with others report higher life satisfaction, more positive emotions, and less loneliness. And this holds true across ages, cultures, and continents. What's really striking is these benefits remain even after you account for education, income, or employment. In fact, meal sharing has an impact on happiness that rivals having a job or higher income.

And I'll put a link in the show notes to this report as well. But listen to this: in 2023, about one in four Americans said they ate all of their meals alone. That's one in four and that's a 53% increase since 2003. It's not just older adults either. Young people are dining solo more than ever, and according to the report, this increase in eating alone is a key contributor to declining wellbeing in the us.

Let's look at some other countries too. Latin America and the Caribbean emerge as the global leaders in meal sharing. So coincidentally, after reading this article, I listened to a podcast from a future guest that shared the value and magic of sharing meals and connecting in Cartegena, Columbia.

The show is called No Fixed Address, and I'll put a link in the show notes to this episode. And there was so much joy, love, and fun described in Cartegena, especially around the food that it really made me think about wanting to make a trip there a reality. I was surprised to read though in the report that South Asia and Japan are on the low end of meal sharing, and it makes me wonder about the interpretation of the questions for the studies that were done.

Many people eat their meals in the food markets in South Asia. Would this be considered eating alone when answering the study's questions and furthermore, eating alone, but with people around you? How does that compare to being alone at your table? I would argue that there's a differentiation between those two situations from my own experience when I used to travel alone.

I often would take a good book and eat out in a local restaurant. I loved being alone, but not alone. I loved reading my books, having a glass of wine, enjoying the local fare, not unlike people who work on their own, who will go to a cafe and then do their work there. In those moments, we are collecting micro-moments of connections that I spoke about in a previous episode 

Where we don't have the opportunity for those connections is when we are eating alone at home. I was surprised by Japan being on the low end, as I have always admired their school lunch program where the students are not only eating a nutritious meal together, but they are prepping, cooking, serving it together as well. According to the study, the decline in eating together in these regions is due to a rise in single home households and of course, demographic aging.

I think it's also important to point out that the study states that it recognizes that there is a need and opportunity for more studies around this area. For example, causation was not clear. Are happier people sharing more meals or is the act of sharing meals causing people to be happier? 

Regardless though, I was happy to see this be an area of study and there are practical applications that can take place based on these studies, especially around, in my opinion, adolescents and university age, youth and our elders. So let's take a deeper look in what's happening here actually with the sharing of meals.

You know, I think back to the meals we had growing up. The kitchen is where the day unfolded. Usually it was my parents discussing their business, but it was also a place where we shared to a certain degree what was happening in our lives that day. The report puts this beautifully. Quote, countries where people share more meals tend to report higher social support, more positive change, and lower levels of loneliness. End of quote.

As mentioned earlier, what is happening are a series of micro-moments of connections, and that brings me to the work of Dr. Barbara F. Fredrickson. When I mentioned her work, the broaden and build theory, in a previous episode, I just touched on it and it's been on my mind that I wanted to share more about this theory with you. And you can then look into it further as well, but I find it quite fascinating.

Dr. Barbara F. Fredrickson is a prominent psychologist known for her broaden and build theory of positive emotions, which explores how positive emotions contribute to individual wellbeing, resilience, and health. She is a Kenan Distinguished Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and directs the Positive Emotions in Psychophysiology Laboratory.

Okay, so Fredrickson's broaden and build theory says that when we experience positive emotions like joy, love, contentment, and gratitude, they expand our awareness, right? So they expand our awareness. We see more of what's happening around us versus negative feelings that narrow our awareness. So with the positive emotions, we notice more, we become more open, and we begin to build lasting resources is how she refers to it.

So that's deeper relationships, resilience, even better health. The physiological explanation she offers for this is the vagus nerve, basically. So the vagus nerve is a major pathway for our parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for regulating rest and digest functions and promoting social engagement.

Okay, so you with me here. So positive emotions, particularly those associated with social connection, can stimulate the vagus nerve leading to increased vagal tone. And the vagal tone is a measure of vagus nerve activity. So more vagus nerve activity, the better. Increased vagal tone so that increased measure of vagus nerve activity is linked to feelings of connection, social support, and resilience, which are all resources that the broaden and build theory emphasizes. The relationship between the vagus nerve, positive emotions and resource building is often described as an upward spiral. Where positive emotions lead to increased social connection, which in turn further boosts positive emotions and vagal tone, creating this positive feedback loop. 

So here's an example. Studies have shown that experiences of positive emotions, such as feeling connected to others or experiencing gratitude can lead to increase in vagal tone and feelings of wellbeing. Conversely, chronic stress and social isolation can lead to decreased vagal tone and a reduced ability to cope with challenges. In essence, the vagus nerve plays a crucial role in the broaden and build process by facilitating social connection, promoting relaxation, and helping us build resources that can contribute to our overall wellbeing.

So actually, I wanna read an, an excerpt. I think it's super interesting from f Fredrickson's published article called The Broaden and Build Theory of Positive Emotions. Here it goes. Our data revealed evidence for at least a fragment of an upward spiral. Individuals who experience more positive emotions than others over time became more resilient to adversity.

As indexed by increases in broad minded coping, these enhanced coping skills in turn predicted increased positive emotions over time. These findings suggest that positive emotions and broad-minded coping mutually build on one another. Positive emotions not only make people feel good in the present, but also by broadening, thinking and building resources. Positive emotions increase the likelihood that people will feel good in the future.

What are the long-term consequences of such upward spirals? A recent longitudinal study that spanned seven decades suggests the payoff may be longer lives. The data from a study of 180 Catholic nuns who pledge their lives not only to God, but also to science as part of a larger study of aging in Alzheimer's disease. These nuns agreed to give scientists access to their archived work and medical records and to donate their brains at death. The work archives included autobiographies, handwritten when the nuns were in their early twenties. Researchers scored these essays for emotional content, recording instances of positive emotions like happiness, interest, love, and hope. And negative emotions like sadness, fear, and disinterest. No association was found between negative emotional content and mortality. Perhaps because it was rather rare in these essays. 

But a strong association was found between positive emotional content and mortality. I'm gonna say that again. Strong association was found between positive emotional content and mortality. Those nuns who expressed the most positive emotions lived on average 10 years longer than those who expressed the least positive emotions. This is not an isolated finding. Several other researchers have found the same solid link between feeling good and living longer, even when accounting for age, gender, health status, social class, and other possible confounds.

Okay, so that's the end of the piece from the article I wanted to read. I think that was a, a really interesting study and if there was ever, uh, reason to start journaling about gratitude and feeling good and the positive things in life, I think I'm gonna start, first thing tomorrow morning.

Okay, but let's get back to this report and think about what's happening during a shared meal. So during a shared meal, there can be a series of these positive micro-moments, right? A smile when passing the bread, a shared laugh, the feeling of positive vibes from the meal you cooked for others and seeing their enjoyment from it. According to Fredrickson, each of those moments of joy, laughter, the brief smile while passing the bread is a micro moment of positivity.

And Frederickson says those moments, tiny as they may seem, build up over time, like emotional scaffolding. So in a previous episode, I referred to this as well as accumulating pennies in a jar. One on its own may not be much but over time the value increases. That's what meal sharing does. It creates these moments of connection that broaden our emotional landscape and help us build a richer life and according to Frederickson, contribute to our positive emotions that in the long term can help us live longer. And let's not forget it works in both directions. The World Happiness Report found that sharing meals also helps reduce negative effect. Feelings like sadness, stress, and anxiety. 

Now, as I mentioned earlier, globally there are huge differences in how people share meals. In some countries, it's a cultural norm. Meals are big, loud family affairs. In others, especially where life's, uh, pace is fast and individualism is high, meals are often solitary, squeezed in between work and errands. But, and this is key, these differences aren't just about money or time. They reflect deeper values and choices.

The report makes this point that meal sharing is a cultural decision just as much as a logistical one. And I have seen this over and over in my podcast interviews. For example, in my chat with Chef GJ, Chef Gurjyote from, uh, Northern India and Leila from Rasht, Iran. They both talk about the importance of hospitality, how highly it's valued, and how friends, family, and neighbors come visiting, especially in the evenings. And you always have food on the ready, but it doesn't, and this is key, it doesn't need to be the prettiest, the tastiest, or the best of the best. It is about being together, and they both talk about this. It's not about what we're presenting; it's about being together. 

So maybe we need to bring back the potluck. Invite friends over for lunch midweek if you work from home. Or reimagine lunch breaks at work, you know, maybe it's time for everybody to stop, and it's a little oasis of connection. 

Maybe we slow down just enough to sit with someone even virtually over a meal and ask, how was your day? Because when we do, we're not just eating. Think of it this way, we're investing in joy in ours and in the other persons. 

So In My Kitchen started an afterschool cooking club last year, and a big part of why I wanted to do it was to provide not only an opportunity for students to learn about other cultures through food in a fun and relaxed way. So it was key for me that it be a club, not a class. But I also wanted students to connect to each other and it was a resounding success. The feedback, especially from the students. So we had two different age groups that ranged in age from grade four to grade seven, so about age nine to 13.

So the students, when I asked them at the end of the term, what they were most grateful for from cooking club. I was really surprised to hear them talk about and mention the connecting with others, collaborating with others, cooking with others, the connecting over food piece really had an impact on them. So I knew it was gonna happen naturally. I didn't realize that they were gonna recognize and appreciate the benefits of it. In my opinion, I think it's important to mention, that I don't think meal sharing is the necessarily the only way to have this level of connection. Growing up, in addition to our large family get togethers, uh, sports played a huge role in my life as a shy young girl to feel joy and connection, and it still does to this day.

I would love to see more studies done on meal sharing and connecting over food. In comparison to sports. Sometimes we may not be able to eat with others, but we may be playing golf three times a week or pickleball, or going for walks with others. However, I do still believe one of the best ways to learn about a culture and other people is through food and or sharing a meal together or cooking together.

So here's my invitation to you. Invite someone to eat with you, not for the presentation, but for the presence. Remember, what matters is the togetherness. The kitchen table is a sacred place, not because it's fancy or curated, but because it's human. It's where we laugh, cry, spill things, pass things, and say, tell me more.

The World Happiness Report reminded me of this, and Barbara Fredrickson gave it a name. These little moments, these tiny sparks of shared joy, broaden us, and over time they build something joyful and resilient. Once again, thanks for sitting at my table today, and until next time, keep stirring love into everything you do.