30 Sep Dinner Table Matters
- The HelloFresh Table Matters Report reveals how mealtime conversations fare compared to 10 years ago – exam results and family wellbeing are top of the agenda
- The global pandemic (54%), mental health (19%) and social injustice (11%) were some of the most popular dinner time conversations in comparison to a decade ago where the royal wedding (22%), Facebook (19%) and even Justin Bieber (12%) were talking points
- Nearly three quarters (71%) of parents have learnt more about their kids thanks to having more time to enjoy mealtimes together
- Over a quarter (26%) of families wait for the dinner table to approach meaningful conversations
A third (32%) of parents say they have had more purposeful conversations with their children because of more frequent meals together a report from HelloFresh has revealed – and just over a third (36%) agreeing that conversations overall are becoming more meaningful than before.
Increased access to live global information and a deluge of news and social media feeds has led to a more naturally inquisitive younger generation. The most popular topics in August – September 2020 have been revealed as, unsurprisingly, the global pandemic (54%), but more interestingly physical and mental health (19% & 15%) vs 2010’s conversation highlights of the royal wedding (22%), Facebook (19%) and Justin Bieber (12%).
That’s not to say the younger generation is necessarily more worried and less interested in celebrities and social media, they are just more accepting of previously considered taboo subjects such as mental health and societal issues.
Almost two thirds (65) said that other dinner time topics involved discussing exam results, family wellbeing and the future, whilst life goals (18%) and social injustice (11%) also high up on the agenda for 4 to 16 year olds. Over a quarter (16%) of parents admitted they feel most comfortable speaking about more meaningful conversations around mealtime.
The report reveals that children also school their parents too, with (81%) of parents admitting they learnt something new on average up to four times per week. One third (37%) now consider the dinner table an extension of the classroom when learning new topics come to mind. Two thirds (66%) of parents even admitted that their inquisitive kids have put them on the spot with general knowledge questions that they’ve had to google the answers to.
Thanks to lockdown, parents say they have been able to eat together up to 10 times each week, and as a result, half (52%) of parents say they will now consider changing their evening routine once the kids go back to school to make more time to continue this new family bonding experience
When asked why they’ll be changing their dinner time routine, (73%) of people said it was because eating together makes them feel closer as a family unit, and over half (52%) said it’s because they have enjoyed the new conversations that they’ve had with the kids.
Laurent Guillemain, UK CEO at HelloFresh commented: “The HelloFresh Table Matters Report has shown that families have re-connected over the past few months, and that the dinner table isn’t just for meals. It’s a place to come together, learn and have meaningful conversations. With over 30 recipes to select from each week, including familiar family favourites, HelloFresh has a variety of dishes on offer for every dinner time discussion.”
The HelloFresh Table Matters Report is part of an initiative from HelloFresh to encourage meals with meaning at the dinner table. There will be more to follow over the upcoming months.