The J.M. Smucker Company Launches "Mealtime Movement" To Guide Families Back Together At Mealtime

New Survey Data Reveals Roadblocks Preventing Families from Connecting

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May 25, 2016, 08:03 ET

ORRVILLE, Ohio, May 25, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The J.M. Smucker Company announces the official launch of the "Mealtime Movement," an online resource empowering families to see mealtime as an opportunity to connect in a world full of distractions. The goal of Mealtime Movement is to bring back the family meal by helping parents and kids overcome some common roadblocks standing in the way of eating together. Through this initiative, Mealtime Movement is encouraging families everywhere to take part in a family meal and share their experiences using the hashtag #ThisIsMealtime.

The table is set with a delicious meal for the “What Actually Feeds a Family?” video shoot. Credit: SoulPancake

A family bonds while watching interview footage together in “What Actually Feeds a Family?” Credit: SoulPancake

Talking and smiling with family over a meal. Credit: SoulPancake

Father and son connect while sharing a meal. Credit: SoulPancake

A family enjoys one another’s company while sharing a meal. Credit: SoulPancake

Experience the interactive Multimedia News Release here: http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7829251-smuckers-launches-mealtime-movement/

In a survey of U.S. parents conducted by Toluna¹, 82 percent said that eating meals together allows them to bond with their family; however, 44 percent admit busy schedules prevent their family from having dinner together. Perhaps unsurprisingly, more than half (57 percent) of parents also noted that even when eating meals together, some family members are distracted by technology.

Survey findings also include:

43 percent of parents say they have fewer family meals now than they did five years ago
4 in 5 (81 percent) of parents love when their family shares a meal together
76 percent of parents say they learn a lot from their kids over meals

To help support the national movement of family togetherness, MealtimeMovement.com offers family-forward ideas to bring the household together over a meal. The online destination delivers conversation starters, personal stories, and expert tips where families everywhere can find inspiration to take back the power of their mealtime.

To demonstrate this impact, The J.M. Smucker Company partnered with SoulPancake to conduct a social experiment bringing three real families to the table to ask "what really matters to you?" The video, "What Actually Feeds a Family," demonstrates the desire for deeper connections and reveals the positive effect device-free, quality time together has on family bonding.

"With the launch of Mealtime Movement, our hope is to help bring families together to share memorable meals and moments," said Maribeth Burns, Vice President, Corporate Communications, The J.M. Smucker Company. "We understand that conversations over food help form connections and this heartwarming video clearly illustrates the types of connections that can be formed by coming together over mealtime."

Families are encouraged to join in on the #ThisIsMealtime social campaign and share their own personal stories and solutions for feeding relationships—be it around the family dinner table or found in other small moments throughout the day.

For more information, visit MealtimeMovement.com and connect with us at Facebook.com/MealtimeMovement, Twitter.com/mealtimemvmnt and Pinterest.com/Mealtim_Mvmnt using #ThisIsMealtime.

¹Survey conducted by Toluna; April 2016; 1,000 participants

About The J.M. Smucker Company
For nearly 120 years, The J.M. Smucker Company has been committed to offering consumers quality products that bring families together to share memorable meals and moments. Today, Smucker is a leading marketer and manufacturer of consumer food and beverage products and pet food and pet snacks in North America. In consumer foods and beverages, its brands include Smucker's^®, Folgers^®, Jif^®, Dunkin' Donuts^®, Crisco^®, Pillsbury^®, R.W. Knudsen Family^®, Hungry Jack^®, Café Bustelo^®, Martha White^®, truRoots^®, Sahale Snacks^®, Robin Hood^®, and Bick's^®. In pet food and pet snacks, its brands include Meow Mix^®, Milk-Bone^®, Kibbles 'n Bits^®, Natural Balance^®, and 9Lives^®. The Company remains rooted in the Basic Beliefs of Quality, People, Ethics, Growth, and Independence established by its founder and namesake more than a century ago. For more information about the Company, visit jmsmucker.com.

The J.M. Smucker Company is the owner of all trademarks referenced herein, except for the following, which are used under license: Pillsbury® is a trademark of The Pillsbury Company, LLC and Dunkin' Donuts® is a registered trademark of DD IP Holder LLC.

Dunkin' Donuts® brand is licensed to The J.M. Smucker Company for packaged coffee products sold in retail channels such as grocery stores, mass merchandisers, club stores, and drug stores. This information does not pertain to Dunkin' Donuts® coffee or other products for sale in Dunkin' Donuts® restaurants.

About SoulPancake
Actor Rainn Wilson founded media company SoulPancake to create inspiring content designed to explore life's big questions. The mission-driven company reaches audiences across multiple platforms with an Emmy Award-winning television division; Webby Award-winning premium YouTube channel with nearly 1.5 million subscribers; and a creative agency production team that has worked with international brands such as Nestle, Disney and the United Nations. Named one of Fast Company's "Most Innovative Companies in Video" and ranked #114 in Inc. Magazine's list of the 5,000 fastest-growing companies in America, SoulPancake's success lies in its authentic, engaging content that receives unprecedented levels of engagement. For more information about SoulPancake visit http://www.youtube.com/soulpancake or find us on Twitter and Facebook via @soulpancake.

SOURCE The J.M. Smucker Company