MEALTIME MATTERSFamily Attitudes Towards Eating Together

Trusted Media Brands Inner Circle Community – April 2018

RESEARCHObjective

Survey

To understand family attitudes and approaches toward mealtime

A survey was launched to members of the Trusted Media Brands Inner Circle Community

Timing: April 2018

Total Responses: 251

Forum Comments: 115

KEY INSIGHTSDinnertime is Sacred Among the Trusted Media Brand audiences; dinner is often eaten together as a family and cherished as an important family tradition passed on in families.

A Time to Unplug Often, dinnertime is viewed as a time to unplug from phones, TVs and devices and simply be together.

A Home-Cooked Meal is the ideal scenario, though the most important thing is being together, even when using some prepared foods or going out to dinner.

A Celebration of Extended Family Whether a traditional nuclear family, a multi-generational household or empty-nesters, sharing meals together with the extended family on a regular basis is a common theme.

DINNERTIME IS THE MEAL WHERE FAMILY COMES TOGETHER

DINNERLUNCHBREAKFAST SNACKS NONE OF THESE

39%36%

92%

25%

3%

Q – Which meals do you tend to eat together at

least some of the time with all family members?

EAT DINNER TOGETHER AS A FAMILY 6x+

PER WEEK

Nearly 6 in 10 (57%)

Q: How many times per week do you eat dinner together as a family?

49%I am neither a caregiver nor receive care

44%I am a caregiver or coordinate others

who provide caregiving services57%

6x+ 16%1-2x

19%3-5x

8%Rarely/Never

Meals are a time to

connect.

Eating together as a family is a very high priority for us. Two of our sons are still at home, and one is nearby at college. Our college son joins us for

dinner at least 4 times each week, usually with his girlfriend. The TV is off, we don't answer the phone, and we enjoy being with each other.

Meal time is sharing time. It is very important to

engage with one another without TVs or phones on.

A TIME TO CONNECT & UNPLUGQ – Any comments you would like to share about why you usually eat dinner together as a family?

Dinner time is a time to connect.

Share your day. And enjoy

each other. To feel valued and cared for.

I love the time spent together talking, learning

about what’s going on in their lives. It’s a great

bonding time and all of our children still follow

suit in doing this with their own families.

Family meals are an excellent way to connect

with each other. The family I grew up in planned meals so everyone would be able to be at the table together

if at all possible. I did the same when I married

and had children.

DINNERTIME IS A ‘FAMILY VALUE’

TOTAL

Eating dinner together as a family rated “very important”

It is part of my value system to eat dinner together as

a family on a regular basis (strongly agree)

80%

64%

KIDS UNDER 18 IN HH

91%

80%

KITCHEN IS ‘THE FAMILY ROOM’Q – What is the most popular room in your house?

The kitchen is the most popular room in our home. Family and

visitors might start out in the family room, but usually end up in the

kitchen where the cooking/baking/eating is

going on! There is something about the

kitchen that is cozy, intimate,

comforting and leads to good conversation.

THE EXTENDED FAMILY MEAL“My Son

is married but he and his wife and daughter

come for a meal every Sunday.”

With everybody working all kinds of shifts, I gave up weeknights. I insist on one of the weekend nights so I can catch up with

my sons! The plus side to that is I get to see my grandkids!

We love to see our children and grandchildren at least

once a week so it has been a standing tradition for the past 5 years to have a family meal on Sunday evenings. It gives Mom and Dad somewhat of a

break from the routine.

Since my daughter and her three children live with us it is our distinct pleasure to have meals together whenever our schedules permit. We can usually manage

4 out of 7 dinners each week and Sunday breakfasts are a great time for all of us.

My husband travels for work and my teen is involved in four activities

year round so she’s home late or eats earlier and leaves. She’s also a vegetarian and a picky one so we

rarely eat the same meals.

CHALLENGE: FINDING TIMEQ: How much do you agree with the following

statements? (Agree Strongly/Somewhat)

26%

33%

“These days, we are all so busy it is

difficult to make sure we eat dinner together as family.”

“I find it stressful to make sure we

eat dinner together as a family on

a regular basis.”

ACCOMODATIONS AND TRADEOFFSTogether and Separate “My daughter and her boyfriend usually cook for themselves or grab food and bring it home. I cook for my husband, son and myself. About half the time is spent together at the table.”

Better Late than Never “It’s going to get harder as their schedules change, but keep it up. It’s worth it! We have four kids, all grown now, and they still talk about our dinners together even though we ate late most nights.”

Whatever Works “Sometimes people are hungry at different times, so if they’re ravenous, they can eat earlier. If they ate lunch late, I allow later eating.”

COOKING WITH “GROWNISH” KIDS

We are truly a diverse family with our own schedules. There are more times we eat different food and

at different times. Usually we split cooking chores. I find it interesting to eat the dishes my sons find on the internet or TV. If only they would find an

appreciation for vegetables.

Having family meals with grownish kids is fun — especially as they learn to cook. Each one is

finding their own specialties and they appreciate the feedback from their built-in audience.

A HOME-COOKED MEALQ – How much do you agree with the following statements? (Agree Strongly/Somewhat)

84%“For family dinners,

we tend to eat a complete home-cooked meal.”

46%“For family dinners, we

tend to eat a combination of pre-prepared foods

and homemade items.”

46%“For family dinners,

we eat out once a week or more.”

When someone is cooking, love goes into those meals no matter how simple or challenging; even if it’s consumed separately you are thinking of the person that made it as you eat.

RESPONDENT DEMOGRAPHICS

17%Age Under 45

62%Age 45-64

21%Age 65+

14%Male

86%Female

16%Grandparent

or other relative living in HH

40%Children in HH

(including Adult Children)

Trusted Media Brands Inner Circle is an online insights community

of more than 3,500 of our most engaged consumers, the print

and digital consumers of Reader’s Digest, Taste of Home

and The Family Handyman.

Through weekly interaction, members provide insight through discussion

boards, quick polls and surveys.