The dining table could become a relic of the past as nearly a third of Britons now confess to eating there only a few times a year.
New research suggests that the number of us who now eat at our dining or kitchen table is shockingly low.
Just five per cent of those polled ate every meal at the table, compared with 13 per cent of those who ate at least one meal a day there.
The traditional scene of a family sitting to enjoy a meal together may become a thing of the past, as a third only use their table a few times a year
Almost a fifth of respondents (19 per cent) said that they ate one or two meals a week at the dining or kitchen table.
Over a quarter, 26 per cent, of those surveyed confessed to eating at the table no less than once or twice a month and nearly a third (30 per cent) admitted to using it just a few times a year.
Only four per cent said they never ate any meals at the table whilst three per cent said they didn’t even own one.
Sitting down to meals has been replaced by eating on the go to keep up with fast paced modern lifestyles
A spokesperson from NetVoucherCodes.co.uk, who conducted the research commented: ‘Compared to 40 years ago, we now live in a society which moves at an extremely fast pace. Often, breakfast has to be eaten on the go, and in many cases so does lunch.
How often do you eat at the table?
1. Every meal - 5%
2. At least one meal a day - 13%
3. At least once or twice a week - 19%
4. At least once or twice a month - 26%
5. A few times a year - 30%
6. Never - 4%
7. Don’t have a dining/kitchen table - 3%
‘Also, with people working longer hours, a quick ready meal or a takeaway in front of the TV is the easiest option.’
One woman said: ‘I always make sure my children eat at the dining table, but once you’ve got home from work, fed them and put them to bed, it’s all you can do to crash out in front of the TV with a jacket potato.
‘I can remember always having meals at the table, but then again my mum was a homemaker and had the time to prepare everything.’
Another man commented: ‘I hardly ever eat at the table, I think the only times I do are at Christmas and Easter.
‘In fact the only table I regularly eat at is my desk in the office when I am having my lunch.’
One final respondent said of the poll: ‘I am really worried that my children are growing up in a society where eating meals at the table is something special and not the norm.
‘What does it say about family life in this country if all we can do at meal times is sit and watch the television while stuffing our faces.’