SPAM
DINNER TIME
The traditional family dinner time is becoming a thing of the past, according to a study.
Working mums and busy kids mean families eat their evening meal later than ever, with many not even sitting down together anymore.
Ten years ago, the average mum served up dinner at 5.46pm, with four in every five families always sitting down around the table together.
But today, dinner time has been pushed back to 6.22pm, and we are more likely to eat alone with more than a quarter saying they never eat as a family.
Instead, 27 per cent have their meal once the kids have gone to bed, while more than a third say everyone in the family eats at different times.
And it seems women are being blamed for later dinner times with 85 per cent believing the rise in working mums is to blame for dinner not being on the table as soon as dad gets in from work.
The stats emerged in a study of 3,000 Brits by SPAM Chopped Pork and Ham to launch its Cook of the Year 2010 competition.
Rebecca Hurn yesterday (Sun), said: ''It is not surprising that so many of us are eating dinner later owing to changes in modern lifestyles.
''The fact is we simply don't have the time to prepare and cook traditional, hearty meals every night of the week.
''There is however, some hope with nearly half of the people surveyed claiming that they would be prepared to make more of an effort to have a family meal.
''We would like to see more people experimenting in the kitchen to produce versatile, easy recipes.
''It is possible to create a quick and delicious meal that all of the family can enjoy and we hope that they will then make the time to sit down and eat together.''
Phil Vickery, celebrity chef and supporter of the contest said: ''Dinner was traditionally the ideal time for families to get together at the end of the day and talk about what they had done.
''However, mums are now juggling managing the home with a career, while dads are working longer hours than they used to.
''To top it off, children have their own hectic after-school schedule, which means getting dinner on the table is harder than ever.''
Researchers also found that 43 per cent of Brits wish their family would make more effort to sit down together in the evenings.
And almost two thirds wish they had more time to prepare nice meals in the evenings.
Phil Vickery added: ''It seems many people wish their family made more effort to eat together in the evenings, and others wish they had more time to prepare nice meals in the evening.
''So we hope this competition will encourage families back into the kitchen and experiment with convenient yet high-quality food, without having to waste their evening slaving away in the kitchen.
