Saying Grace at mealtimes

[TheTecknician]

This is something that went on in my primary school (first two years only) nearly fifty years ago and I believe is still a custom among Christians, at least in the USA. I just wondered if it is also a custom beyond Christianity ? Obviously I wouldn't expect atheists to participate but perhaps Jews and Muslims as they are Abrahamic along with Christians?

I'm not religious myself, just curious. Thankyou.

I'm 40, and I've twice come across this, in Louisiana and in Oregon, on holidays/at weddings.

I joined in because I was at someone else's table, but never come across it in the uk. Even being raised Church of England I've only ever seen this happen on holiday

I found myself saying 'rubadub dub thanks for the grub' Simpsons style when I read the thread title!!

DH was saying recently that they said grace both before and after meals at his boarding school. We say it at home before family meals. I think it's good to think about gratitude.

We said it growing up and do it at some big family meals. Ordinarily the cook just says ‘Bon appetit’ and then people start eating.

without grace or something like that I don’t know how we’d all start things off politely - we’d have people tucking in before everyone was served!

DH was saying recently that they said grace both before and after meals at his boarding school. We say it at home before family meals. I think it's good to think about gratitude.

I agree. Doesn't have to be religious, but it is good to have a moment's quiet to think about what you have and be thankful.

Some hae meat and cannae eat
An some hae nane an' want it,
But ah hae meat an' ah can eat
So let the lord be thankit

I was thinking. "Bless us o Lord, and this thy bounty.......
It's the one a bishop friend occasionally uses. Out of all my priest friends. He's the one who says grace the least. It's hilarious when he takes his first bite and another priest starts saying grace. 🤣🤣

@TheDowagerCountessofPembroke snap!

I posted before reading yours. Couldn't remember the name. The version I know is slightly different.

Used in my family into the 1990s.

i like the idea of expressing thanks for having food, and (and i think it may have been on Young Sheldon? some US TV show for sure) thanking the hands that made it.

A little pause to think about our good luck in having food to eat is quite nice. I'm an atheist so I'm not over keen on thanking a higher being, but i don't mind being part of that occasionally.

My sons non faith school day Grace at lunchtime and have prayers in assembly.

My brother and his wife always say grace before lunch and dinner.

With dh who was Jewish I learned to say the blessing on kindling the Shabbat lights.

We always said grace at my grandparents house, and I say it on Christmas Day. My in laws have already started eating by the time everybody is served though, so I feel as though I'm being really rude. DH used to explain before the meal we'd be saying grace, but he's given up now.

I've just remembered we said grace at our wedding breakfast.

We said grace at the independent school I went to, but we all sat down to eat at the same time, so it was possible.

My 60s non-faith school primary had us reciting grace before and after lunch.

Bless O Lord this food to our use and us to thy service

And then
O god supply the wants of others and give us grateful hearts through Jesus Christ our Lord amen

Rote learned and gabbled, I fear.

They're the ones being rude, not you. Unless the server tells you to tuck in, you wait until everyone is served. Go ahead and say your Grace. Do they at least have the grace to stop eating while you give thanks?

ME! 😆

@TheTecknician No, I haven't said it since childhood. (My parents used to say it.)

That was to @CrazyHorse .

My grandfather used to say “for food and fellowship we thank you”

At school we used to say “what we are about to receive, pigs would refuse”

We used to say “for what we are about to receive may the lord make us truly immune. DM was a terrible cook.

I remember reciting the "For what we are about to receive may the lord make us truly thankful" one but I've no idea why. I went to a C of E primary school but didn't eat in the hall with the dinner ladies as I had a packed lunch and we just ate ours in the classroom so there wasn't anyone to make us say it. Wasn't a thing at home either, definitely in my brain though.

Me! 🙋

Also learnt at CoE primary school, and Nan used to ask Grandad or Dad to say grace at Christmas dinner too (but not for any other meal...)

We also had an end of day prayer at school: "Father, we thank you for the night, and for the pleasant morning light. For rest and food and loving care, and all that makes the day so fair..." Funny how it comes back to you 40 <cough> years later!

Visiting and having tea?

Yes, they stop eating, and then everyone except MIL and her DH pull crackers. They’re both rue and miserable

BIL and SIL are ridiculously religious to the extent that when we are going for a pub lunch together they say grace quite loudly (to the embarrassment of their DC and us). It can feel quite performative in adult life.

I'm Jewish, but I went to a CofE primary school. My personal preference is for the Hebrew brocha or blessing. But I quite like the Christian grace; it's very inclusive and interfaith and expresses a sentiment I can't disagree with, that of being grateful for having a meal in front of me. There again, I didn't grow up in Jane Eyre's Lowood, where children were expected to be thankful for burnt porridge. If your experience is of fear and judgement and it's associated with food, you might not regard brochas or graces in a benign light

Catholic, went to a convent school all the way through from 4 years old to 18.

This was our prayer.

Bless us O God as we sit together, Bless the food we eat today, Bless the hands that made the food, Bless us O God Amen.