"Bless the food before us, the family beside us, and…

“Bless the food before us, the family beside us, and the love between us” is a popular kitchen decal. Authorship of the saying is unknown.

The following “grace” from a Montessori school was cited in print in 2003:

“we are thankful for the food before us
the friends beside us,
and the love between us
Amen”

The blessing often has slight changes, with “thank you for the food before us” replacing “bless the food before us” and “friends” replacing “family.”

A to Z Teacher Stuff Forums
mommaruthie
11-16-2003, 03:05 PM
Dont know which you use, but here is our ‘grace’ from montessori school:
we are thankful for the food before us
the friends beside us,
and the love between us
Amen
Bon apetite, now we may eat.

The Citizen (Fayetteville, GA)
Thanksgiving prayers
Submitted by Sallie Satterthwaite
November 21, 2006
Today let those wiser than I lend us their expressions of thanksgiving.
(...)
Heavenly Father,
We thank you for
the food before us,
the friends beside us,
the love between us and
your presence among us.
Amen. (1)
(1) Hugh/Marquita Foster

Google Books
The Better World Handbook:
Small Changes That Make A Big Difference
By Ellis Jones and Brett Johnson
Gabriola Island, BC: New Society Publishers
2007
Pg. ?:
Something as simple as “thank you for the food before us, the family beside us, and the love between us” can be very powerful.

parentdish
Do you know any great meal time prayers for kids?
by Jen Creer
Jan 10th 2007 7:01AM
(...)
COMMENTS
1-10-2007 @ 7:52AM
Judy said…
Bless the food before us, the family (and/or friends) beside us, and the love between us. amen.

The Citizen (Fayetteville, GA)
Thanksgiving prayers
Tuesday, November 23, 2010 - 3:41pm
Submitted by Sallie Satterthwaite
So many have expressed a desire to have a new copy of some Thanksgiving prayers The Citizen first published in 2006. Here are most of them, plus a few new ones. May they remind us of our need to say “Thanks.”
(...)
Heavenly Father,
We thank you for
the food before us,
the friends beside us,
the love between us and
your presence among us.
Amen

My “PINK” Life
Monday, May 23, 2011
Sign Projects
(...)
COMMENTS
Anonymous February 1, 2013 at 3:55 AM
Love your signs! Do you know what fonts you used on the “bless the food before us, the family beside us, and the love between us” sign? Thanks!

5 little pieces
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
God Bless the food before us, the friends among us, and the love between us
Thanks Giving 2011 is now in the books. What a great day!

Google Books
Morning by Morning:
Pathway to Health
By Norma DeVaul
Bloomington, IN: CrossBooks
2012
Pg. 79:
“Lord, we thank you for the food before us, the friends beside us, and the love between us. Amen.”

Kid Songs
Storm | June 2, 2012 at 7:54 am
My nephew learned this at his daycare they would sing it a little different.
(...)
They also sang
Thank you for the food before us, the friends beside us, and the love between us.

Google Groups: TeamDMIL
NEW YEAR TREASURES & GEMS
Manik Das
12/31/12
(...)
BLESS THE FOOD before US , THE FAMILY beside US AND THE LOVE between US.

Twitter
Madir Mustaffa
‏@madirmustaffa
Bless the food before us, bless the people beside us and bless the love between us. (@ The Pomelo w/ @farhanhash) https://foursquare.com/madirmustaffa/checkin/52627bb111d23ef7f078de15?s=sGB1VDqjgl7ZbN1_1s3ZuxTAIAg&ref=tw …
7:31 AM - 19 Oct 2013

Twitter
Carly Deranja
‏@carlydeee
“Thank you for the food before us, the family beside us, and the love between us”
10:25 AM - 28 Nov 2013

Twitter
Marta Tryshak
‏@MartaTryshak
“Bless the food before us, the family beside us, and the love between us.” #blessedandthankful
3:50 PM - 20 Apr 2014