Families rely on evening meals to spend time together

Six in 10 families rely on their evening meal to spend time with each other – otherwise they would ‘never speak’ during the weekdays.

A study, of 1,000 parents with kids at home, found dinner is when they spend the most time together – averaging 25 minutes each day.

Away from mealtimes, 59% of mums and dads feel they are like passing ships in the night with their children, thanks to school and work, after-school clubs and distractions from tech.

The typical week sees families eat four dinners together – with 97% considering this time as an important part of their life.

As many as 65% believe this improves the family bond, according to the research by Gousto. And more than a quarter (26%) claim that it’s during mealtimes that they laugh together the most.

A spokesperson from the recipe box brand said: “With the school routine back in full swing, sitting down together for a home-cooked dinner becomes even more important for quality family time.

“Our latest research shows dinnertime really is one of the few moments families can connect without distractions, amidst the hustle and bustle of modern life.

“We love to see how many people consider dinner, not only as such an important part of their day, but something they look forward to.There really is nothing better than catching up with the people you love over delicious food.”

The stats went on to find 83% like to ban tech at the table in order to ensure they have a proper conversation. As 46% find it easier to talk about important things over a meal with 59% using it as an opportunity to speak more openly about their children’s lives.

Furthermore, exactly three in 10 believe it’s a time when they can detach from everyday life in their own little bubble and 77% like to use it to spend quality time with their children – as a result, 86% look forward to mealtimes together.

With top conversation topics including what’s happening at school or work, how everyone’s day went, and any funny stories that have happened recently.

Others (58%) look forward to this time of day so they can enjoy tasty food, according to the stats by OnePoll, with spaghetti bolognese, pizza and pasta bake being the favourite home-cooked dinner-time staples when the kids are back at school.

The spokesperson from Gousto added: “We encourage families to spend quality time together over dinner, so it’s reassuring that the results show parents have the same mindset.

“This is why we’ve created recipes that don’t take long to prepare and that kids can follow as well – allowing parents and children to spend more time together.”