Is it OK to eat in front of the television?

We want to know if you sit down at a table for dinner, or migrate to the sitting room and watch the box while you eat.

When I was growing up, eating in front of the TV was very much a rare treat. It occasionally happened during the holidays when there was a good film on, or sport we didn't want to miss.

Most of the time, my family would sit around the table together while we ate, and my parents generally encouraged conversation, albeit less successfully during mine and my brother's teenage years, but they meant well.

But is eating at the table still all that common?

What the office think

Around a third of those asked in our office said that there was nothing wrong with eating in front of the telly, and one person pointed out that if you don’t have a dinner table, it’s either that or standing in a corner. And in big cities where living space is often limited, not having a dinner table is becoming more common.

Some people said that if you’re alone it’s fine, but it’s antisocial if you’re with other people as it “kills conversation”. Others highlighted the importance of making time for your family, particularly at weekends, though there are times when it’s acceptable.

Lovefood Editor Charlotte said: "We used to love going over to one set of grandparents, because they’d let us eat on squishy lap trays in front of the telly whenever we wanted.

"I’ve carried the tradition on and now do it at least twice a week in our household. Not at weekends, mind. And I wouldn't if there were kids in the house." 

So it seems that there are some qualifying factors here – especially for those with children.

Also mentioned was the importance of actually paying attention to the food, and therefore enjoying the meal, rather than sitting like "zombies" in front of the TV and shovelling food into their mouths.

Let us know your views in the poll below.

Has the age of the regular sitdown meal come to an end? Has eating in front of the telly become the norm? Does having kids make a difference? Vote in the poll above and let us know what you think in the Comments below.

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