The essential family meal time

So last night, a new programme was aired on BBC One called Nigel and Adam’s Farm Kitchen.

I am married to a farmer and we live on a farm so I watched it with interest.

At one point in the first episode, there was a statistic that many people don’t bother cooking a Sunday dinner.

I have looked into this further and discovered that according to a recent survey by baby food manufacturer Organix, more than 20 per cent of people in Britain only sit down to a meal together as a family two or three times a week.

Now I sometimes despair at my husband for being old fashioned. I do all the cooking, housework, childcare etc but I am glad he has instilled family dining into our routine.

Even when it was just the two of us, we always ate dinner together (6pm sharp unless it’s harvest time if you’re wondering).

Now I know some children eat their evening meals with their childcare providers-you know if they’re at nursery etc and their parents pick them up after work.

I am lucky I suppose, I only work two days a week and my parents look after Boo for the two days I am at work so we still eat meals together.

When she was a baby and I weaned her, most other mums fed their babies at 4pm which I think is an accepted meal time for babies.

I didn’t.

I suppose at the time I did it for ease-Boo would eat what we ate and got used to family meal times.

I have stuck to my guns and we always, always eat together. Every night and, as you can see, sometimes the dog joins in).

I think family meal times instil good manners in children. Makes them less fussy because they see everyone eating the same thing.

It fills me with sadness to think of these families who hardly ever eat together. Meal times are sacred to us.

How often do you eat together as a family?