Home > Feeding Frenzy > Archives > 2008 > October > 03 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USIs TV dining a thing of the past?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I was cleaning out my laundry room, looking for a more out of the way spot to hide my kid’s growing assortment of sports gear, musical instruments and book bags. Tucked away I found a set of tray tables that we got as a wedding present. They were a nifty convenience when we were doing a family dinner and movie night, an event we haven’t done in ages, now that bed times have moved later leaving us time to dine first.
A recent episode of the 60s-oriented series, Mad Men, a show which captures that time period in exquisite detail, showed a young couple sitting at their tray tables eating dinner while the TV entertained them. I remembered a time during the early days of TV, when the norm was to take dinner plates into the living room and eat while watching the evening news. Then the TV migrated into the kitchen. You followed along to Julia Child when making dinner and ate breakfast with the hosts of your favorite morning show.
I began to wonder if the TV is still a dining companion or are those days obsolete? Do you or your friends eat while watching TV?
Permalink | Comments (22) | Post your comment | Categories: Family foibles
Comments
By Fire Guy
October 3, 2008 10:55 AM | Link to this
I am a fire rescue officer and my wife and I watch Cash Cab every night while eating dinner. Afterward we retire to the bedroom to talk and catch up on each others day and after that to read (me) and watch some light TV (her). After a long day trying to help people….I don’t watch the news…I live it and so I leave it at work. After worrying about me all day my wife doesn’t want to watch anything depressing either…so Cash Cab it is. When the kids were still at home dinner was at the kitchen table and was family time. That was important then and I guess it stuck as all 3 kids now have that routine at their homes. It is nice to know that something took during their upbringing. How bout you guys…are we the only ones??????
By LCS
October 3, 2008 11:05 AM | Link to this
Yes, I eat in front of the TV daily and so do my family & friends. I have a TV in my kitchen so I watch while I’m cooking…then once my food is ready I walk it into the living room and sit with the TV tray and watch TV. I barely sit at the dining room table—it’s like once every 2 months. Also, it’s so bad that I have a TV in my bathroom!
By Lissa
October 3, 2008 11:36 AM | Link to this
We rarely don’t eat in the living room while watching tv. It’s usually whatever’s on TBS (gotta’ love my Friends re-runs), CSI:Miami on A&E, or whatever looks good on TiVo. Plus, now with our new 52” hdtv on the wall combined with an open floorplan, we can watch tv while in the dining room or kitchen.
By Becky
October 3, 2008 11:48 AM | Link to this
It varies..On the weekends when the grandbabies are over, we eat at the table more..During the week, when it’s just the 2 of us, we eat in front of the tv..Growing up, I don’t ever remember eating at the table, so guess that’s why I try to teach teh grankids to eat at the table..They are 6 & I would be confident taking them out to eat with me & know that they will behave at the table…
Not sure if it was here or not, but the story a couple of days ago about the child walking on the table screaming, there is no way that my 2 would do that…
Fire Guy, thank you for what you do..Yes, I love firemen, can you tell?
By Single
October 3, 2008 11:48 AM | Link to this
I’m single and live alone so yes, I eat in front of the TV. I have a full set of china but I eat out of tubberware bowls. I grew up having family dinners at the table with no TV in the kitchen. When I get married and have a family I will have to start eating my meals like a normal adult, but until then I’ll lay on the couch and eat.
By maggie
October 3, 2008 12:00 PM | Link to this
Is there some place else you are suppose to eat?
By mystery poster
October 3, 2008 12:12 PM | Link to this
How sad.
By Mattie
October 3, 2008 12:13 PM | Link to this
Nope, never, ever. Dinner is at the kitchen table with my husband and the 3 teens. It’s the best time to talk with all the jobs and activities. The kids will snack or eat lunch in front of the TV, but not dinner.
By Hannah
October 3, 2008 12:16 PM | Link to this
My husband and I do not eat in front of the TV. We may watch as we are getting ready for dinner or maybe after. But Dinner time is our time. As it is,we try to limit TV to only one or two nights -if that…
By Fire Guy
October 3, 2008 12:49 PM | Link to this
Becky you a most welcome….nearly all of us consider what we do a calling and we do it for the betterment of the communities we serve….have a great weekend.
By JJ
October 3, 2008 2:58 PM | Link to this
My daughter and I eat in the living room, together. My dining room has become a makeshift office, and all the mail, etc gets thrown on it.
I have an open floorplan too, and I can usually poke my head out of the kitchen and see the tv in the living room.
FireGuy, I thank you too. I know what you go through every day!!! and Bless you!!!! I have numerous friends, and two brother-in-laws who are both firemen over in DeKalb, and a few in law enforcement too……Kudos to all of you!!!
By Katie
October 3, 2008 3:30 PM | Link to this
As a rule, and with our two year old daugheter, we attempt to make dinner time a family affair at the table with the TV OFF! When I was growing up it was a rare treat to eat dinner in front of the TV and it was never ever one while we were eating dinner at the kitchen table. Eating in front of the TV was a rare treat and something that we looked forward too and enjoyed immensly!
Dinner time is the one time a day that families have to reconnect and talk about the day past and the future. It is important for children to grow up with that routine so the oppurtunity is there to talk. Also, being at the kitchen table at home each night is a fantastic time to teach table manners and talk about how to behave at the dinner table; whether it be at home, at a friends, or at a fancy restaurant.
By Perkle
October 3, 2008 4:43 PM | Link to this
When I was a kid we always rolled the tv stand into the dining area and my parents would usually watch the news. I didn’t really care back then. My husband and I have a coffee table that the top raises up to a comfortable eating level. We eat there in the living room in front of the tv every night. On the weekends when my stepson is with us, we eat at the dining table the majority of the time. Works for us!
By clyde
October 3, 2008 8:15 PM | Link to this
We never eat in front of the tv.My wife and I eat at the table.The tv has been relegated to the bedroom,where it’s one channel is rarely watched.Next February,when the signal changes to high density the tv here will go away.
By Anna
October 4, 2008 1:15 AM | Link to this
I live alone, so I often eat watching TV, or reading. But I only have one TV in my house - in the living room — and don’t watch while I cook.
By Sam Snelling
October 4, 2008 6:07 AM | Link to this
I rarely eat at the dining room table or in front of the TV. I eat almost all of my meals in front of the computer.
By not as a rule
October 4, 2008 9:01 AM | Link to this
Not as a rule. We are in control, not the boob tube. All the experts say watching TV while eating is a recipe for overweight b/c it supposedly leads to mindless eating(although I do occasionally eat while watching and I am not overweight; I mindfully eat what’s on my plate and nothing more). H and I are both at work all day and dinner is a sacred time when we get to catch up and reclaim our relationship, although sometimes on Friday night we will forego formality and eat in the living room while watching something special (something you can eat on your lap without getting too messy).
By Southern Gal
October 4, 2008 9:38 AM | Link to this
We don’t eat dinner on a regular basis in front of the tv. In fact, it’s rare, although the tv is usually still on when the family comes to the table for dinner. I must say, though, that some of the commercials gross me out (as in cockroaches, runny noses, etc) and that actually has something to do with why we won’t eat in front of the tv!
By Big Juicy
October 4, 2008 11:00 AM | Link to this
Yep. Anything ala mode in front of the TV is great!
By Shannon
October 4, 2008 1:01 PM | Link to this
This is an interesting topic for me. My boyfriend and I lived together for over a year without cable, just got it and are probably going to get rid of it! We used to sit and talk over dinner- it was the only almost daily time we had to catch up with what was going on at each other’s work, school, etc. Now it is so easy to turn the TV on and just veg out while eating dinner. Plus, there have been a few times (like Saturday mornings), that we turn the TV on and we keep finding shows that look interesting and before you know it half of the day is gone and we are still sitting in the house! We used to be get up and go spend all day outside people, so we have decided either we need to learn some discipline and limit ourselves or the TV has to go- we are missing too much of each other.
By Steve
October 5, 2008 7:00 PM | Link to this
I almost never eat in front of the tv; it’s a bad habit. When I do, usually it’s cereal or fruit - something good for you.
By FCM
October 6, 2008 7:45 PM | Link to this
Depends on the day of the week/our mood. If we have the latest school project all over the table…Living room it is. Sometimes (like now) that means tv. Other times it can be an indoor picnic.
Weekend breakfast is often at the breakfast bar while cartoons are on. Lunch can be out/in often Food Network is on. I love Food Network.
Dinner at the table at least a few nights a week is a must. Breakfast during the week is an eat as your ready affair…Although they love it when I talk all nasal and pretend to make them the breakfast special at the breakfast bar.
As for me, the computer, the couch, a book…Sometimes, Food TV or Dancing with Stars or something on bed with a takeout carton.