To ask if anyone else prefer eating their evening meal on a tray?

[FredSoftly]

I have friends who insist that every meal is eaten en famille at the table so everyone can "talk about their day." Then they complain that it's often tense or their teens are moody and uncommunicative.

When I suggest tea on a tray, they gasp in horror!

We often do this in front of the TV and it can make for a nice relaxed evening. We also manage to chat a lot without facing each other across the kitchen table on a nightly basis.

Am I common?

If we have takeaway pizza or something similar at weekends then we will eat on the sofa watching a film/Netflix series.

Oh good. Now I feel less weird for not eating all takeaways at the table.

I have the opposite problem, my legs are too short so I don’t have a lap

Oh good. Now I feel less weird for not eating all takeaways at the table.

We will very occasionally eat in front of the tv - e.g. if we are all going to watch a long film and eating dinner first would make it go on too late. Pizza would be an ideal meal for that situation, but we don't ever get pizza as a takeaway as for me it's one of those things where homemade is so much better than takeaway! If I'm having a takeaway I'd rather have something that's harder to replicate at home, partly because of having lots of different dishes, like Indian or Chinese.

We have every meal at the dining table including snacks as a family. It’s not a strange concept

Don't be snotty @GrumpyHoonMain

... we don't ever get pizza as a takeaway as for me it's one of those things where homemade is so much better than takeaway!

Have you tried Domino's

@FredSoftly

We have every meal at the dining table including snacks as a family. It’s not a strange concept

Don't be snotty @GrumpyHoonMain

Including snacks?
So you'd always eat, for example, an apple or packet of crisps at the table?

@FredSoftly

... we don't ever get pizza as a takeaway as for me it's one of those things where homemade is so much better than takeaway!

Have you tried Domino's

Now I want Dominos for my tea

I wonder if eating at the table where everyone serves themselves (is it called "family style" on MN?) encourages people to self regulate with food or over eat as they can have seconds or thirds?

Whether we eat at the table or on trays, food is usually "plated up" by whoever's cooked it. Not always - before anyone gets pedantic. This way we know DD is getting the right proportions of protein, carbs and veg. And we never tell her to clear her plate - she's a slim teen and knows when she's had sufficient.

This thread needs spin offs. Lots of spin offs.

I wonder if eating at the table where everyone serves themselves (is it called "family style" on MN?) encourages people to self regulate with food or over eat as they can have seconds or thirds?

I tend to over eat if I put dishes out on a serve yourself basis. We only really do this for Christmas dinner or if we have a takeaway. Round here takeaway portions are so big that they always do us for more than one meal.

If I'm having a takeaway I'd rather have something that's harder to replicate at home, partly because of having lots of different dishes, like Indian or Chinese.

Same here. DH makes fabulous pizzas, completely from scratch. DD's friends say that they are even better than Dominos

Have you tried Domino's

Yes. Years ago. They're ok, but not as nice as homemade or ones from a proper Italian restaurant.

@FredSoftly

... we don't ever get pizza as a takeaway as for me it's one of those things where homemade is so much better than takeaway!

Have you tried Domino's

@FredSoftly - exactly what I thought! We make our own pizzas sometimes but you can’t beat a good Dominos!

I wonder if eating at the table where everyone serves themselves (is it called "family style" on MN?) encourages people to self regulate with food or over eat as they can have seconds or thirds?

It's useful with children who are picky eaters, because it gives them some choice and control and stops them feeling like there's a big plate of food they have to plough through. Not sure about adults though. Tbh we serve some meals 'family style' and some not. It depends on what it is.

@FredSoftly

I wonder if eating at the table where everyone serves themselves (is it called "family style" on MN?) encourages people to self regulate with food or over eat as they can have seconds or thirds?

Whether we eat at the table or on trays, food is usually "plated up" by whoever's cooked it. Not always - before anyone gets pedantic. This way we know DD is getting the right proportions of protein, carbs and veg. And we never tell her to clear her plate - she's a slim teen and knows when she's had sufficient.

That sounds quite controlling, especially for a teenager. My 2 teens much prefer the help yourself method where they can choose what the want and how much. DS normally goes in for seconds but he is very slim and growing rapidly. DS is also very slim.

I meant DD is also v slim.

We eat wherever.

I was brought up to eat at the table, good manners eat everything.
Taught me how to chuck up at an early age.
We eat at the table/ on a tray/ in different rooms/ in bed.
As log as there is no mess then no issue.

We watch TV from the dining room table while we are eating

We've always eaten dinner at the dining room table as a family. Just what we do, I personally don't like eating on a tray and having to pass over sofas condiments! It's not comfortable or enjoyable for most dinners.

However for takeaways we do eat these upstairs in lounge as a treat! Which has become weekly in lockdown! Eek!

That sounds quite controlling, especially for a teenager

No, it's making sure my carb loving girl eats well.

Let's not make this into a parenting competition!

@FredSoftly - it’s just the way it sounded. I’m not making it into a competition - I certainly wouldn’t win any prizes on MN! 😅