What are the benefits of eating at the dinner table?

When it comes to our food choices and healthy eating, it’s safe to say that we’re not always the best at maintaining a varied diet. And we get it, sometimes a takeaway on the couch rather than cooking in the kitchen is just what the doctor ordered, especially after a long week of work, but it’s not something we should be doing regularly for many reasons. 

In fact, there are many benefits that come from eating socially with family and friends, and with recent studies showing a trend towards mindful and healthy eating on social media platforms such as TikTok, we thought it would be useful to highlight what these benefits are – both physically and psychologically. 

With that in mind, we reached out to two registered psychologists – Nilou Esmaeilpour, a Clinical Director and Registered Clinical Counsellor, and Sophie Cress, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with over 8 years of experience – to find out more about how social eating around the dinner table can help to strengthen our social relationships. 

Find out what they had to say on the topic, below. 

How common is it to eat around the dinner table in the UK?

Before touching on what Nilou and Sophie had to say about the benefits of eating at the dinner table, we thought it would be useful to highlight just how uncommon this form of social interaction has become in recent years. 

Perhaps most shockingly, as many as 78% of Brits admit that they tend to eat their evening meal on the sofa, with 19% stating that this is how they always eat their dinner. Alongside this, while 84% of parents agreed that family meals were important, only 50% of family dinners tend to be eaten together. 

And even when these dinners are being eaten with everyone physically present, at least 66% (two-thirds of Brits!) said that they will be on their mobile phone while eating dinner, rather than speaking with those around them. 

In other words, the majority of Brits across the UK simply aren’t getting the full benefits that come with regularly eating together around the dinner table. 

The benefits of eating at the dinner table

So, with those previous stats in mind, what exactly is it about eating together at the same time and place each day that brings so many positive mental and physical benefits to us? Here is what Nilou and Sophie had to say on the topic: 

1. Building and maintaining relationships

To start with, Nilou noted that regular dinners can help to form a core and consistent pillar for children and adults alike to build and maintain existing relationships with friends, families, and housemates, noting that: 

“Dinners are very instrumental in building and cementing relationships because the act of eating dinner creates a regular opportunity for all members of the family or household to spend some quality time together. 

“A regular dinner serves to unify the family and further bring it closer; it sets up a regular opportunity for each member of a family to come together and share parts of their life, and it helps in instilling a sense of tradition and ritual, especially for children, who find comfort in this because it offers them a stable and predictable environment. 

“This in turn helps to create a sense of belonging and security, as everyone is guaranteed time to reunite each day, sharing a meal that will provide many opportunities for meaningful interactions that will help in understanding one another better and strengthen social bonds. 

Sophie went on to further back this point up with this insightful comment: 

“As a psychologist, I always advocate for the practice of shared meals at the dinner table due to its positive impacts on mental health, family dynamics, and overall well-being. 

“Eating at the dinner table fosters stronger family bonds and enhances communication. When families sit together for meals, they create an opportunity for open dialogue and connection. This regular interaction can significantly improve relationships and provide a sense of belonging and security. 

“It’s also a time when parents can model healthy eating habits and engage in meaningful conversations with their children, which is crucial for their emotional and social development. In contrast, eating separately or in isolated spaces like the bed or sofa can lead to a sense of disconnection and missed opportunities for family bonding.” 

2. Improving communication and social skills

Next, Nilou highlighted just how vital eating in a social space is for developing and improving your social skills in a supportive and safe environment, assuming no distractions are present, pointing out that: 

“Dinner tables, by their very nature, are predisposed to conversation because they offer the possibility of providing a focused and undisturbed setting for meaningful conversations to take place. 

“That is, with minimal disturbances from technology or entertainment programs, conversation between individuals is more likely to occur in person, which is so important for properly articulating ideas and emotions. 

“This sort of setting encourages open discussions, in which everyone has the ability to voice their opinions and be heard by others in order to maintain a culture of mutual respect and understanding – something that’s sorely lacking in modern society. 

“By facilitating these varied interactions, dinner-table conversations help people to develop proper communication and listening skills, as well as empathy; as individuals learn to interact with thoughtful and devoted attention rather than a disjointed focus.” 

Sophie went on to back Nilou’s point further: 

“Structured mealtime routines can provide a sense of stability and predictability, which is particularly beneficial for children and adolescents. Regular family meals can serve as a consistent ritual in a young person’s life, offering a safe space for them to express their thoughts and feelings.” 

3. Promoting healthy eating

Naturally, eating at the dinner table also offers far more opportunities for growth than simply building on our social skills, it’s also the perfect way to promote mindfulness when it comes to food. Nilou had this to say on the matter: 

“Providing dinner at the dinner table incorporates mindful eating and provides structured time for relaxation and de-stressing from the events of the day. It can bring a greater mental presence to the table, which allows people to become conscious of and engaged with their food for healthier eating and better digestion. 

“A dinner table setup also offers an organised environment that may promote more well-rounded and healthier meals, as families prepare and eat more home-cooked food. This in turn can help lead to other healthy habits, such as establishing a time for food intake and the real nutrition needed physiologically and psychologically. 

“Moreover, the time spent together through the dinner routine enhances time management and organisational skills, since families must coordinate their many activities in order to create such time to begin with.” 

Building on top of Nilou’s answer, Sophie also went on to say: 

“The dinner table setting promotes mindfulness and reduces stress. Eating on the go or while distracted by television or other activities can lead to mindless eating, where individuals are less aware of their food intake and less likely to enjoy their meals. 

“This in turn can contribute to unhealthy eating patterns and increased stress levels. Conversely, sitting down at the table encourages a slower pace, allowing individuals to savour their food, recognise feelings of fullness, and appreciate the sensory experiences of eating. 

“As a result, this mindfulness can improve digestion and enhance the overall eating experience, contributing to better mental and physical health.” 

4. Reducing isolation and stress

Finally, eating at the dinner table has been shown to reduce the impact of isolation, which is being increasingly felt by many individuals in today’s isolated and online world, by creating a sense of unified community. Nilou raised the important point that: 

“Dining together can substantially improve mental health in the form of giving support emotionally in a safe environment and reducing isolation and loneliness through social interactions, and dinner with family or close daily contacts makes a real difference in lowering the level of stress while increasing happiness through community building. 

“Among the other advantages of dinner at the table, it also allows the parents to act as role models in both healthy eating habits and good table manners, which are essential life skills.” 

And to wrap up this point, Sophie states that: 

“In addition to the benefits for individuals and families, communal meals at the dinner table can strengthen community ties and foster a sense of togetherness. Sharing food is a universal human practice that brings people together, transcending cultural and social barriers. 

“Whether with family, friends, or community members, these shared meals can build stronger social connections and reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation. This routine can also act as a buffer against the stresses and challenges of daily life, promoting emotional resilience and a sense of normalcy.” 

Should mobile phones be kept at the dinner table?

A prominent feature of our daily lives, mobile phones are a constant addition to many of our dinner table experiences. However, as much as our children might not want to hear it, Nilou points out that mobile phones at the dinner table can really affect face-to-face conversations: 

“Mobile phones at dinner provide distractions that remove people from the here and now, making them not fully present or engaged with one another and therefore defeating the intention of sharing mealtimes. 

“In turn, this behaviour can result in superficial conversations where one is more engaged to the device than to their companions, and relationships are weakened over time. It also sets a poor example for children and teaches them that technology is more important than face-to-face communication. 

“Also, dinner aided by mobile phones can make one or more family members feel neglected or frustrated by the lack of attention, therefore stretching relationships further and demoting the potential emotional gains from dinner that is taken together.” 

Elevate your dining experience with Wren Kitchens

And there you have it, now you know what benefits come with creating and installing a regular dining routine with your family or household. We all know just how important social bonding is, and it’s clear that eating at the dining table, or in any social space, is an excellent way to facilitate these meaningful bonding experiences. 

Of course, dinnertime doesn’t have to be the only occasion in the day for eating together as a family. Breakfast or lunch around your kitchen island can be just as beneficial, or you could redesign your whole kitchen to be more social if you have the budget. 

And speaking of kitchen redesigns, if you’re thinking of updating your kitchen in the near future, then why not try our kitchen planner to see what your dream kitchen might look like once installed? 

Get in touch with our kitchen experts today to find out more or book a visit to one of our showrooms to speak with us in person. And don’t forget to look at our other kitchen inspiration pieces and kitchen guides for more insight into what your kitchen can do for you.