The Demise of the Dining Table
Growing up in a family of 9, we always ate together, putting the world to rights around a round pine table. Mealtimes were noisy events and everyone squeezed around the table, the more the merrier. The kitchen table was a focal point, we all had our places and food was invariably a big part of our family life.
In a recent TV expose, Kirsty Allsop hit the nail on the head: many families are waving goodbye to the traditional dining table. Whether it's due to a lack of space or a shift in priorities, one thing's for sure – not everyone's prioritises eating together.
As more people transition to working from home, the dining table has been commandeered as office space even in households where space permits a dedicated dining area. Despite people spending more time at home than ever before, only a quarter of households reported sharing the same meal in the evening, with an even lower 12% sharing breakfast.
Even among families fortunate enough to possess a dining table and make the effort to dine together, the practice of sharing the same meal is not universal. While the presence of a dining table can facilitate family meals, various factors such as time constraints, evolving lifestyles, and cultural shifts significantly influence dining habits.
According to extensive research, family rituals and traditions play a pivotal role in fostering strong family bonds and individual well-being. As Senior Lecturer in Psychological Interventions at the University of Central Lancashire, Lowri Dowthwaite-Walsh, affirms, "Everyday rituals, such as mealtimes, allow family members to connect on a regular basis. They are comforting in their predictability, offer structure, and lower stress by providing a sense of belonging and nurturing."
Research suggests that family meals tend to include a greater variety of nutrient-rich foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Additionally, meals eaten together are often more balanced and portion-controlled compared to meals eaten individually or on-the-go. The social aspect of dining together encourages slower eating, promoting better digestion and heightened awareness of hunger and satiety cues.
French culture places emphasis on dining together, with over 80% agreeing that the kitchen in central to family life. Typically the French come together for at least one meal a day and the children eat the same as the adults. This prepares the kids, from a very early age, to learn the necessary dining etiquettes.
Undoubtedly, digital distractions have exacerbated the disappearance of the dining table. Ultimately, the ritual of sitting down to eat together transcends the act of eating itself. Its a time for families to come together, share stories and connect.
Which is why it is so important to me that I sit down to eat with my own children every day and devices are categorically forbidden at the table. Mealtimes might be noisy and fraught on occasion but that is preferable to silence and disengagement.
