Three course feud

Published on February 28, 2011 by The Editor · 1 Comment

Chris Leeming on what makes an unhappy family at meal times

A survey has shown that we really can’t stand our families. Old news for some perhaps, but this survey shows that the unhappy family hatred is particularly visible at meal times, when we can’t bare the dribbles, the sound of knives scraping and the gapingly open mouths presumably.

Food brand Bisto, who conducted the research, found that less than half of us in the UK can bare to be in the same room as our family members when we eat, never mind sit at a table together. Yes, we can’t even stare at the same television set.

61 per cent of families feel that they are simply too busy to sit down together and eat a meal. Instead, we prefer to dine alone in our bedrooms, filling our time with silly blogs or the latest viral video.

And on the rare occasions we eat in the same room, 59 per cent prefer to watch TV, browse the internet or go on the phone to someone we really like.

Of course most of us have experienced the stress of big family meals, around Christmas and the like. Sitcoms have been using it as a basis for humour for decades. But it’s not like you’re eating with the in-laws and creepy uncle on a daily basis. An evening meal should normally consist of just those you (supposedly) hold dearest.

I despair of modernity. First we can’t spare an hour a week to go to church, then we can’t spare a few minutes a day to eat together. Texts instead of phone calls, emails instead of letters.

What’s next? Spending whole evenings scouring social networking sites?

Would your unhappy family miss you if you skipped the evening meal? Or did you stop doing that a long time ago, just to keep out of their way? Comments welcome

Chris Leeming is a wowdewow editor and eats with his knife and fork