Comfort Food: How Gathering Around a Table Creates Community
As many of us sat around our tables yesterday—sharing favorite dishes, lingering over second helpings, and enjoying the comfortable rhythm of conversation—it reminded me just how powerful a shared meal can be. At Teton Valley Ranch Camp, we get to experience that magic three times a day, every day, for four whole weeks. It’s one of the most underrated parts of camp life, and also one of the most transformative.
At first glance, it seems simple: sit down, eat, get on with the day. But anyone who has spent time at the Ranch knows that our meals together are so much more than that. Yes, the homemade almond croissants and the rest of the delicious food from our kitchen certainly help set the tone. But the real heart of it lies in the togetherness—those unhurried minutes when everyone is gathered, connected, and sharing space.
My father always called this time “sobre mesa”—the Spanish tradition of lingering at the table after the meal has ended, talking and laughing long after the plates have been cleared. At camp, sobre mesa happens naturally. Campers don’t rush off. They stay. They tell stories. They compare trail notes. They tease each other about inside jokes that were born only days before. And then, of course, we launch into announcements—the songs, skits, and surprises that turn an ordinary mealtime into a moment of pure, shared joy.
This is where community is built: at long tables, over simple routines that become sacred through repetition.
A while back, I wrote about bringing these traditions home. Family life is busy, and evenings can easily scatter everyone in different directions. But committing to even one shared meal each day—where everyone sits down together, phones tucked away, and talks about what’s going on in their world—can make a big difference. It recreates that same familiar, comforting camp rhythm of being seen, being heard, and being part of something together.
Another TVRC tradition worth bringing home is the nightly family circle. At camp, cabin groups gather at the end of each day to answer a question. Sometimes it’s silly. Sometimes it’s thoughtful. But it always draws people closer. No interruptions, no rushing—just a moment of respect and reflection as each person gets their turn.
Doing this every night at home may not be realistic, but choosing one post-dinner evening each week to have a family circle can be incredibly powerful. If you’re looking for prompts, I recommend Talking Point Cards for the Family—they’re wonderful conversation starters. In our house, once we began this practice, the kids wanted to keep doing it after every meal.
This time of year invites us to slow down, savor the moment, and appreciate the people sharing the table with us. And as we look ahead to summer, I’m grateful knowing that soon we’ll all be back in the Dining Hall—lingering, laughing, and remembering once again how good it feels to be together.
