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How often do you eat together Poll Results
In last month's issue of the HomeCook'n newsletter we asked, "How often do you eat together?" Here are the official results:
Comments: Good luck in finding your Family's "together" dinner time... I am heartened by the results of this survey! My kids both work as well as my husband. We are always together Sunday and Monday for dinner. we're retired so we're together almost all of the time for meals. When my kids were in school and racing from one activity to another, we broke most of the nutrition rules -- we ate pizzas and burgers and fried fish and we ate at nine, ten o'clock. But, by golly, we ate together!!!! We try and have at least one meal a day together as a family. Sunday is eat together day at home, We've gone to church together and we eat together - no "and's" or "but's" I come from a culture where being with family members is top priority. We lived with our grandparents and ate most of our daily meals together--that was 11 of us. I have followed the tradition in our home and at present there are five of us who eat together regularly. Nancy I make it a priority that we have a sit down dinner each evening. Even if it's take out food, we still sit together as a family. I have two boys - one plays lacrosse the other track and field. We pick a time that most or all of us would be home and eat dinner then. We eat together everyday and share our daily experiences over dinner.. And even that one time we struggle to fix it because of our busy schedule The most important for me is my family. That is! Have companies value home life Must be a priority. It is one of the most important things to do as a family. Soon enough they will be carrying on eating with their own families and you will only eat together on every other holiday. Kids need to share their days with you and have your undivided attention. This gives them at least that opportunity. It was very important to my parents that we ate as a family every night. My husband's family was the same, and so as we raise our children, we try to do the same. I think that it is a great time to get to sit and talk. It is a wonderful bonding experience for the family. :-) I think by eating together daily at least once, you have a stronger bond with your children and husband. Easier to keep up on what kids are doing? I voted for Almost Every Day but only because you didn't have an "Every Day" category. We eat dinner together every night and, usually, lunch or breakfast on weekends. I feel it's important to sit down together and talk about our day, it might be the only time we are all together, not doing anything else, but listening to what each other has to say. Breakfast is on our own as we're getting ready to "hit the road" for work. My husband and I are fortunate to work at the same office, so we eat together almost every lunch. Dinners we're together also, and sometimes our 20 yr old joins us. It does change when the kids hit college age, but the meals we do have together with them are that much more special! Our oldest daughter is 24 and no longer lives at home. Our youngest is 20 and still at home. She is working in a restaurant and does every job (almost) in the restaurant. She works many double shifts, and we (my husband and I work 45 minutes from home. So, when she happens to be home for supper, we make sure we are too if at all possible. We try to cook meals she'll enjoy and therefore want to eat with us! (At this age, it can be a choice between sup with mom and dad, or eating out with friends, so we have to make it enticing! Sometimes we'll go out as a special treat together. Planning meals ahead and diong freezwe meals helps tremendously ! That way it isn"t as much time or trouble to put the meal together when things are hectic! We "set the table" and sit down together even if some of the family member's are not present, rather than just eating at the snack bar or in front of the T,V, I have three children and they all play sports. Even in the spring and fall when they are all playing soccer, we eat together ...even if its a quick meal. I grew up eating every dinner together with my parents and three brothers, and couldn't get up from the table until everyone had finished their meal. My parents insisted on that family time.I am 40 this year and my father comes to my house for dinner once a week, and we all sit down together with him. It's a good thing to talk about the day together!! It's just my husband and myself. We fix our plate and eat while watching the news. Probably not the kind of "eating together" that you are talking about, but it works for us. My husband, 2 boys, ages 3 and almost 9, and myself eat together almost every night of the week. I know this may change as my children get older. It's just the wife and I now. I cook almost every day during the week and we usually eat out together during the weekend. Unless my wife eats out with friends on week days, she eats what I prepare. It was a prioity in both our homes growing up and has been in our home too. It's an effort. I schedule our meals so we can sit down and eat together. Our 20 yo is home from the college, She knows we will juggle our schedules so even if it's breakfast, we will all sit down at one table and eat as a family. We have always done it, and always will. It's become an important priority in our life. I would like to add another comment. Sometimes it is hard to all be together for dinner when you want to, but when you are young and trying to build up a future for your family in this day and age it is hard. By my children and I doing as I said before about taking turns reading a bible verse at the time it help to keep the focus on family togetherness and since I believe that Dad is head and Mom is the support that this keeps things in their proper perspective. He did always talk to us every night regardless of where he was. when the children were growing up my husband had to be gone quite a bit also. What I did since Dad always would maybe read a bible verse at the table When he was gone I would alternate among the children as to who would do thid when Dad couldn't be with us. The verse might only be 2 lines long or longer it was their choice. I had 5 boys and 2 girls and my husband had 4 girls. We also adopted and raised a granddaughter. Ironic that you make your living with recipes and your family doesnt eat together often. You probably are enjoying the other benefits of the computer age. However, you are probably chasing the almighty buck and the family dining together has been put on the back burner for some later time that will probably never get there. From your survey you are a minority. We used to run around like chickens with our heads cut off, but I finally put my foot down and eliminated some activites. We had to deciede what was more important, our family, or the activities. No one else cooks in my family so they have to wait for me to get home from work. I do think that it really helps our family to eat one meal a day together, we all have lots to tell about our day. Eating our evening meal together is one of the top ten things most important things we do as a family. With all that we discuss and work out during dinner, I can't imagine doing without it. It's a priority and always has been. I do understand, however, why some people aren't able to do this. In the area we live, there are very few stay-at-home moms anymore. I just happen to be a happy exception. I think my meals are worth coming/staying home for. But, I must tell you, we rarely just have our family. It seems there's always one or two extra at the table! Before my oldest child turned 16 and got a job after school we ate breakfast and our dinner meals everyday together. It was a great time for educational and entertaining discussions. Now with only two young adult children at home we reserve time on Sunday for a family meal. I do try to always have a homecooked meal waiting for them in the frig. what ever time they are able to come home. We live on a farm and are very active in outside organizations. I also have an eighteen year old at home for another year. We work hard to eat togeather at least once but most times twice a day. Families are great. We eat later now so as many as possible can make it. you just have to do it no excuses eating together without tv is best way to learn about each other We make it a point to have a sit down (everyone) dinner every day. There are only the two of us now, but when the children were still at home no matter what activites they had, we at least grabbed a sandwich and bowl of soup before we headed out. Or depending on time factors, we would eat together after the activity. Change the dinner hour if necessary I was raised in a family of 7 & we ate together 3 times a day 7 days a week & we never ate out [ Mother saw to that] we had a very close-nit family & I am all grown up now & continued the same tradition & I think that helps bond families today because everyone knows that when you eat together there is always great conversation & and helps keep the family united especially in todays hurry-up times. So I can think of no better thing than good conversation sitting together with your loved ones & enjoying a meal & lovin every moment. Sincerely: Anita Norton very busy life We do eat dinner together every night because we're now empty-nesters, but the key to togetherness when our kids were home was to have breakfast/scriptures together. We read while we ate, and that way I made sure my high-schoolers got something to eat before heading off. Ten years ago, scriptures were part of the bed-time ritual (and then kids went their separate ways to do homework, etc.). It is really sad you don't have a catagory for every day. It would get our vote We have always made evenings our 'family time,' so eating dinner together is part of keeping that a priority. I can't imagine a family that only eats together once a month. Breakfast maybe eaten individually but sharing dinner is a natrural part of family life. When my children were in school, the biggest obstacle to eating together was the after school schedule...practices being scheduled AT dinner time. We eliminated some of these activities because our children were unable to get through the practices without eating and we did not have time to serve more than one meal. You have to make choices. we count three times on Saturday and Sunday so that makes a total of 11 times a week Our kids are still young enough. I dread the days of "Mom, I'm going to my friend's house for dinner today."
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