What do you do whilst you're eating?

[mumofoneAlonebutokay]

I usually eat my 5pm dinner with dd at the table whilst the chase is on

As its cold, we're spending out time in my bedroom where it's warmer so we just eat on the bed with trays

Otherwise I always eat whilst watching tv

I'm trying to avoid the tv as much as poss except for love island and eastenders so now I'm sat listening to the radio whilst 'eating mindfully' for my weight loss 🙄 with dd on her tablet

It feels so weird as I used to always pair eating and watching tv - i do think that's where the weight gain comes from as I'd need food to watch a good show

If I eat alone I usually read news on my phone or read kindle. At breakfast I have the news on on iPad sometimes. I appear at table though. I’d make a mess

DD and I just talk at the table. No tv or devices.

When her dad lived with us he couldn't leave his phone alone, it really annoyed me.

If DD is out I just eat on the sofa in front of the TV.

Eating on the bed with the TV on... I'm sorry but that is sad and trashy. Assume I'll get slaughtered for this but whatever.

Just sit at the table and eat? You don't need TV or radio to eat. Just sit up, eat, and savour your food.

And if you're alone? I only eat one meal with dd every evening but otherwise I eat by myself

I still eat at the table, although I would pop the tv on if it was just me. But always at the table, it's far more effort to take the food out of the kitchen and eat it uncomfortably on the sofa, or heaven forbid, in bed!

'Sad and trashy' damn 😬😄

It's just me and dd and I'm still a relatively young single woman 😄 - i see no need to eat so formally

That said, now I have no tv and no carbs, I am sat sadly with the radio on

When with someone else, I chat to them

If on my own, I usually read my kindle which has a stand thing

I just don't feel comfortable eating except at the table - it's not out of formality, I just think it's easier to eat sat up properly

Bore off.

In the week, my boyfriend and I sit at the table and chat as we eat, no tv. On a Saturday we have an easy tea (oven pizza, fajitas or a takeaway) and we love to sit down with it in front of the tv watching Masked Singer/Strictly/whatever easy Sat night tv is on.
On a Sunday, roast at the dinner table with either my parents or his.

I get up very early and always have my cup of tea and toast while sitting in front of my laptop reading mumsnet posts.

I like to do this, but yes, it's easier to over eat when distracted by looking at the computer, I think.

The next meal is tea time, with DH and grown up DSs.
We sit round the table, with a tablet on the table silently showing beach cams, a welcome sight in winter.

As its dark out, we have tiny orange-coloured LED lights draped high above the table for ambience, and we chat together while we enjoy our meal.

You know what's really sad and trashy? Deliberately being unpleasant to total strangers whose personal choices have no impact on whatsoever, knowing full well how rude and childish you're being.

I don't have kids, OP, but when I eat with my DP we usually eat at the table and have the radio on - usually 6Music or an internet radio station. Occasionally we listen to a particular podcast we both love. Sometimes, though, we do eat on a tray in front of the telly, especially if we're watching a film on a Friday night or a football match.

When I eat on my own I usually read or listen to a podcast or an audiobook.

I mumsnet with meals, I find the two go together perfectly.

I eat breakfast at my desk at work (as we get free breakfast).

I eat lunch at my desk at work.

I eat dinner at my breakfast bar (don't have a dining table) while listening to a podcast and/or scrolling.

I eat out at least 3-4 times a week.

We sit at the table, no gadgets or tv. Just eat, talk if we want or not.
If its just the kids having a quick non messy tea like pizza, I let them watch tv in the living room with the tv on but its not the norm.
Occassionally if only one of them is eating they sit at the table and ai put the laptop on with youtube but something educational.

We chat. It's rarely silent at our dinner table, and that was the case even when the dc were tiny. We have a no-phones rule while eating, except for looking things up if they're relevant to the conversation.

If I'm alone, I read while eating. Usually a book, sometimes a magazine or paper.

I used to love eating on my lap while watching TV, but that was probably because my dad banned it. Now that nobody's telling me not to, I have absolutely no desire to!

I hesitate to post this on MN, but if you're venturing into the world of eating mindfully, and sometimes alone, then maybe it'll inspire, and if not, you can laugh at me 😆

You can turn it into a sort of extended saying of grace, or thinking it, about everything from the earth that nourished, the rain that watered, the sun that ripened; to the people who planted and tended and harvested; the hands which packed and shipped and sold; to the details of how each specific food is grown and harvested and transported and cooked.

I eat a lot of vegetables, and used to grow them for a living, so it's perhaps easier for me to visualise the journey of broccoli or tomatoes or whatever, but it's also fascinating to learn about, and might get you started on gently musing about your food as you eat it. Helpful if you're overhauling your diet, and a fun educational activity with children too.

It slowly cultivates an appreciation for good nourishment, and gratitude for everything that contributes to the food on our plates.

Including your work to earn money to buy and prepare and cook it, of course :)

At the table, the vast majority of the time, even if it’s just me. DS is 16 and we sit at the table. Sometimes with music on in the background

Can’t remember the last time I ate alone. I’ve got five and one year olds, we both wfh. All meals at the table, usually with the radio or music on. When I last lived on own I ate on the sofa but can’t remember eating in bed.

You sound happy with your arrangements so I don’t suppose what anyone does is relevant. Do you and DD enjoy your way of doing things?

We eat breakfast, and lunch when we're all home, at the kitchen table.

DD (2) eats her dinner at the kitchen table and I sit with her. We have ours later after her bedtime, and tend to eat on the sofa and watch a show together.

I don't think it's great to watch tv while eating, but we don't get a lot of down time in the evening after working/toddler bedtime/cooking so we enjoy our show & dinner.

Growing up, once we were out of the toddler years, my family always ate round the table together and I really loved that.

No telly, we talk at dinner.
It’s the one time of day we are guaranteed to come together so it’s a nice opportunity to catch up and have a chat.
I was home alone for dinner at the weekend for the first time in as long as I could remember, I ate my dinner on the sofa in front of the telly - I felt so rebellious even though I was the driving force in the early days for no telly 🤣🤣

You're not important enough for anyone to bother 'slaughtering' you.

The most I can muster is to say don't be a knob.

But I expect people have been telling you that for years.

Read.
Listen to the radio.
Chat.
Never TV.

At the table, no gadgets phones or tv for 30-60 minutes while we eat and catch up on our day.

If i'm alone i just eat on the sofa watching tv.

I'm hoping to start taking dd out on paydays as I'd love to see how she copes at a restaurant that isn't mcdonalds 🙈

Food isn't allowed upstairs at all. Screens are also not allowed at mealtimes. Me, DH, DS9 and DD5 sit around our dinner table and eat dinner together daily at 630 pm.

Most days I take a quiet moment inside my head to make a note of what a blessing simple moments are and whilst browsing the BBC news app I remember we can't take these things for granted.