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Original poster

To not have a drink with your food!?

205 replies

calltheyep · 04/06/2026 19:08

Do you know what blows my mind… people who have their dinner with no drink. Like no drink at all. No juice no tea no water. How do you people do it?

what do you think?

YABU - a drink with food is not necessary
YANBU - not having a drink with your food makes you a psycho!!

OP posts:
Esmeraldathe3rd · 04/06/2026 20:44

I can only stomach a few mouthfuls before I need a drink. I give the kids water with dinner. If they have juice or pop then they just drink that and then don't want the food. But I can't just not have drinks with dinner.

I drink quite a lot though and can't stomach full sugar drinks as it makes me feel so dehydrated. I drink about a litre through the night, I pee a lot too though.

Maybe it's to do with how much sugar, salt, seasoning you have on your food? The people I know who don't drink with their meal eat very bland food. Whereas our diet is quite rich I suppose.

TheWineoftheChicken · 04/06/2026 20:43

Having a cup of tea with dinner is the work of a psychopath

MesonBoson · 04/06/2026 20:43

80-90% of a plant is water.

60-70% of an animal.

When you're eating, you're hydrating.

GentleSheep · 04/06/2026 20:42

I always have a cold drink once I've finished my meal. DP has a hot drink!

allthegoldicouldeat · 04/06/2026 20:42

concertinacornflake · 04/06/2026 19:21

a glass of milk goes down well with a bacon sandwich this is completely unacceptable

Agree, that's so weird. What's wrong with people?

Magnalux · 04/06/2026 20:38

I am the only member of my family who takes a drink with their food. dh and 3 teens never take as much as a sip of water

bittertwisted · 04/06/2026 20:35

I’ve never thought about it until i saw a couple in the airport eating pizza and chips with no drink
and made me realise I would never ever eat without a drink of some kind, really no idea why !

JustGotToKeepOnKeepingOn · 04/06/2026 20:32

Rubeeee · 04/06/2026 20:26

Same here. I never even think about drinking and eating at the same time . So I have learnt today I am a weirdo 🤦‍♀️

Show quote history

Looks like I’m in the weirdo gang too! It’s never occurred to me to have a drink with food.

FunnyOrca · 04/06/2026 20:32

Growing up my aunt’s house was like this! There was no water with meals and then after only offered tea and nothing else before bed! Then a glass of water at bed! I would fill and refill the cup at the bathroom sink and guzzle it down! I was a thirsty child!

Jk987 · 04/06/2026 20:31

It’s meant to be better not to drink with food as it dilutes the digestive juices and slows digestion. It’s best to drink at least half an hr before or after. I normally have a glass of water to hand though.

JustGotToKeepOnKeepingOn · 04/06/2026 20:31

I never have a drink with food. I think it’s weird! Surely you just fill your stomach up with water/juice/whatever so you can’t eat?

bloooooberry · 04/06/2026 20:28

I don’t necessarily prepare a drink to have with my food but always have my water bottle on hand

Elsvieta · 04/06/2026 20:28

My grandparents didn't do drinks with food - odd belief that it's bad for your stomach or something.

EmeraldShamrock000 · 04/06/2026 20:28

I start to panic if you haven’t got one. I might not take a drink but I need to know it is there.

Rubeeee · 04/06/2026 20:26

sugarandcyanide · 04/06/2026 20:19

I never eat and drink at the same time! I'm so focussed on the food I don't even notice the drink is there.

I had no idea so many people think I'm a weirdo! 😯

Same here. I never even think about drinking and eating at the same time . So I have learnt today I am a weirdo 🤦‍♀️

purplecorkheart · 04/06/2026 20:22

OtherS · 04/06/2026 20:12

I'm exactly the same, and hotel staff look at me like I'm mad when I tell them I don't want my coffee until after food, so I assume it's unusual. But would rather have no coffee than have it with food.

Must have water though when eating, and sometimes wine... maybe a lemonade if it's lunch and I'm hot. Nothing else though.

Show quote history

Haha I certainly know the feeling with hotel staff. I had a manager come over to me recently saying sorry that the lovely lovely lady serving me had not brought my pot of coffee with my breakfast. When I explained that I asked to have my coffee after breakfast he said he would add a note to my guest profile as it was an unusual request! and they would bring it up in staff training! I asked what some usual requests in a hotel were. I will not ask againBlushConfused

GreenAcre100 · 04/06/2026 20:21

Growing up, we never had drinks with food unless we were out at Maccas or something. As an adult, I always have a water on hand when dining at home or out. I never thought about it growing up, it was just how it was at the dining table. I do find it strange now not to have one.

Wallywobbles · 04/06/2026 20:21

I think squash is kind of odd. Why not just drink water.

Malasana · 04/06/2026 20:20

DilemmaDelilah · 04/06/2026 19:19

I have to have a drink with my food. Usually water, although a glass of milk goes down well with a bacon sandwich, and I like a beer with a curry.

Feral! Milk and a bacon sammich? What the hell is this you wrong‘in?

sugarandcyanide · 04/06/2026 20:19

I never eat and drink at the same time! I'm so focussed on the food I don't even notice the drink is there.

I had no idea so many people think I'm a weirdo! 😯

Malasana · 04/06/2026 20:18

Mammabear23 · 04/06/2026 19:15

When I was a child we were never allowed a drink with dinner (evening meal) at our home and at our grandparents houses. I think the reason given was that we'd fill up on liquid instead of food.
When I could make my own choice, I'd always have a drink accompanying my evening meal and I provide them for my children too. Although do limit them, because they do indeed tend to fill up on drink rather than food.

Same! We weren’t allowed a drink with food either!

Munchie1965 · 04/06/2026 20:18

You do not need to drink anything, in fact its a bad idea.

When you eat you release enzymes into your mouth that aid digestion. Drinking anything washes those enzymes away.

I drink whatever I want - water, wine or juice after eating.

fabstraction · 04/06/2026 20:16

I always have a glass of water (or something) at my side when I eat, but often I don't drink until after I'm finished. I just don't think about it, sometimes... DH has always been mystified by this behaviour.

tulippa · 04/06/2026 20:14

concertinacornflake · 04/06/2026 19:21

a glass of milk goes down well with a bacon sandwich this is completely unacceptable

My SIL likes to drink a glass of milk with a packet of pickled onion Monster Munch. 🤢

OtherS · 04/06/2026 20:12

purplecorkheart · 04/06/2026 19:57

I will have a glass of water or wine with a meal. There was always a jug of water on the table with dinner when I grew up.

I cannot drink a hot drink with food. Even at breakfast I tend to wait till I finished my food to drink my tea or coffee or else drink it first.

I certainly could not drink tea or coffee with my dinner - again I think this was because coffee was always served growing up after dinner after the wash up was done.

I'm exactly the same, and hotel staff look at me like I'm mad when I tell them I don't want my coffee until after food, so I assume it's unusual. But would rather have no coffee than have it with food.

Must have water though when eating, and sometimes wine... maybe a lemonade if it's lunch and I'm hot. Nothing else though.

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