Family meals not worth it?!?!

I can't believe the latest article in the Globe and Mail's Life section that panned family sit down meals. Despite the plethora of research that links family meal times with a protective shell against obesity in children, depression and risky behaviours in teens, this article focussed on the stress of making meals to suggest the benefits are not worth the effort? Really? The article's author interviewed some lame, pansy "urban daddy" who whined about his kids' picky palates as the source of stress. Since one kid was a vegetarian and one only ate carbs, meal times meant being short order cooks. First of all, why are they catering to their kids in this fashion? And secondly, their "catering" was a monster they created. It's not like their children had serious food allergies that are indeed a source of legitimate stress to real parents who have to figure out creative and nutritious meals that all family members can eat.
Urban Daddy also whined that at least one child was unhappy with the meal that was served and this caused distress to his wife, a career woman who spent hours coming up with meals. WHATEVER! Tough Sh--!! When you read this kind of drivel, it's no wonder there is a generation of young people who have a sense of entitlement to EVERYTHING, and don't understand how minor disappointments in life build character.
In my household, we try to sit down for a family meal several times a week. It doesn't always happen because of extra-curricular activities and our long commutes. Yes, I stress over meal plans to come up with 15 minutes meals that are not pre-packaged and contain all four food groups. On weekends, I will cook that traditional dinner that takes hours to prepare, and fills the kitchen with heavenly scents, only to have one or two kids turn their noses up at it. It is a shot to the cook's ego to have roasted lemon chicken refused, but Kraft dinner eagerly accepted. But that's kids, and I love mac and cheese, so I get it. I also know that eventually, their taste buds will learn to accept green peppers and celery and condiments on their burgers.
We try to make family sit down meals as a time to chat about the day. But some meals are rushed as we've got hockey or gymnastics or Tae Kwon Do. Sometimes the kids want to watch a tv show and we relent, since they're only allowed screen time on the weekends. This gives Mommy and Daddy a chance to linger over a glass of wine and catch out breaths from the hectic week.
I've re-read that silly article from the Sop and Pail, and I'm still trying to figure out the message. Are family meals not worth the effort because kids are picky? Well, then that's the parents' own fault. There was nothing in the article about the dangers of leaving the kids to fend for themselves when it comes to ditching family meals. And if it's about the stress of cooking meals, then perhaps there could have been more said about ideas for quick meals or ordering in nutritious meals. Or some suggestions on how to create a meal to deal with picky eaters. Or behavioural techniques to deal with such pickiness.
For example, earlier in the week, I drove home at 130km/h in rush hour GTA traffic, to cook a nutritious hot meal before the kids headed off to their activities. In less than 15 minutes, there was teriyaki salmon, udon noodles tossed in sesame oil, steamed beans and a tossed salad on the dinner table. (ok, I cheated. The salad was from a bad.) One kid raved about the meal, another only ate the salmon and some salad, one cried and stated she would puke if she had to eat and the fourth licked the salmon. Instead of giving in to the whining and providing them with an alternate meal, we just send them to bed without, because eventually, they'll learn to eat what is put before them, and that we don't live in a restaurant. And one night of going without won't kill them.
And that's my rant for the week, as my kids are chirping in the background about the injustice of not getting pancakes on the weekend. Tough! Eat your toast and bacon. There are children who aren't lucky enough to even get cold cereal.