Almost half of adults in the UK now have their meals on trays as the celebrity chef warns of the ‘impending death’ of communal dining
Ruby Cline
“Couch potato” has taken on a new – and literal – meaning.
Brits are increasingly eating supper on the sofa rather than at the dining table, Jamie Oliver has claimed.
Forty-five per cent of adults are leaving the table behind, research conducted by YouGov for Oliver’s TV series Jamie’s 20-Minute Meals has found.
People aged 35 and older were more likely to eat their meals on the sofa than at the dining table, the figures indicated.
The “impending death” of the dinner table comes as people give up on home cooking, the celebrity chef said.
The best recipes from Australia’s leading chefs straight to your inbox.
More than a quarter of adults said they cook fewer than three meals a week – including a tenth who don’t cook a single meal.
“We have known for a while that we are cooking less than ever, but never knew the full picture”, said Oliver.
“With well over half of us not cooking most nights and the impending death of the dinner table a reality, I want to show how much joy, connection and value cooking can give.”
One in 12 Gen Z adults aged 18 to 24 report having dinner in bed most nights.
Overall, 44 per cent of the 2,124 people surveyed said they sat at the dining table to eat their evening meal.
Other respondents said they ate dinner in bed, at their desk or on the go.
Oliver added “I am hugely passionate about the power of cooking and getting everyone together over a delicious meal.
“What’s great about this, is the science backs it up too. Being surrounded by people, chatting to people, eating together.”
“With well over half of us not cooking most nights and the impending death of the dinner table a reality, I want to show how much joy, connection and value cooking can give.”
Jamie Oliver
He added: “It doesn’t have to be a big dinner – even sharing a sandwich at lunchtime with colleagues gives you that wonderful sense of connection and belonging.”
As dining tables become increasingly scarce, they provide an important space for “social connection”, said Bridget Benelam, a scientist at the British Nutrition Foundation.
“The research suggests that what matters most is not necessarily whether you’re sitting at a dining table or on a sofa. The greatest benefits appear to come from sharing a balanced meal, engaging in conversation and minimising distractions such as television and other screens,” says Benelam.
“Dining tables often provide the best environment for this, but the social connection around a meal is probably more important than the location itself.”
Ms Benelam added: “There is evidence that people who regularly eat together tend to have healthier diets, and that shared mealtimes may support mental wellbeing, social connection and the development of healthy eating habits in children.”
The process of eating upright is important for digestion, said Sally Pinnegar, nutritional therapist and founder of Nuush, an online lifestyle business.
“Eating at the table means eating in a more upright position than if you were on a sofa or armchair, and that leads to better digestion because of pure mechanics,” she said.
“When food travels from the mouth through the food pipe, into the stomach, and from the stomach to the small intestine it’s partly assisted by gravity.
“Sitting in a less than upright position gets in the way of gravity and can mean worsening things like reflux, wind, bloating and indigestion.”
The Telegraph (London)
From our partners
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: www.smh.com.au
