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The average British dinner lasts 21 minutes and is eaten in the lounge

The average British dinner lasts 21 minutes and is eaten in the lounge and in front of a screen, a survey has found.

According to the poll for Co-op Food, more than half of people (57%) don’t eat dinner together as a family each night, but when they do 34% eat on a sofa, 20% eat in the kitchen and 18% eat at a dining table.

A fifth of British households (20%) no longer own a dining table, the poll found, and more than half of families (55%) have a television, computer or handheld screen present when eating together.

The most common reasons for not eating together are people’s busy and conflicting schedules, meaning a fifth of Brits regularly dine alone and for 14% it’s a daily occurrence.

But despite this, the survey found almost half of Britons (49%) think that having a meal at home or at a relative’s house is the most important way of spending quality time together, with 47% saying they’d like to do it more.

<em>TV dinner – a fifth of British households no longer own a dining table (Pictures: Getty)</em>
TV dinner – a fifth of British households no longer own a dining table (Pictures: Getty)

The survey, which polled just over 2,000 people, found that 24 minutes is spent preparing the average meal, while just 2% of people prepare a three-course meal on a regular basis.

Dr Patrick Alexander, from the Social Issues Research Centre, said: “Families continue to recognise the social importance of sharing food and identify eating together as an activity that most brings them happiness and a sense of togetherness.

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“What eating together means, however, is changing. Screen time during mealtimes, for example, is now common for the vast majority of families.

“However, contrary to negative perceptions of how social and digital media impact on family life, the advent of the ‘digital dinner table’ may present us with new opportunities to interact over food.”