AS FUSSINESS RUINED THE FAMILY DINNER?
Nearly a third of Londoners eat entirely different dishes while dining together at home, a new report by Fieldfare loose frozen foods reveals.
While nearly over half (58%) of Londoners (national average 64%) eat their main meal with other people, a new poll by YouGov, on behalf of Fieldfare premium loose frozen foods, reveals that 50% (national average 49%) say that they will often make a few alterations to the meal on offer, to cater for personal tastes or needs. Almost a nearly a third (31%) admit to often eating entirely different dishes at the table (national average: 17%).
So, why is dining together, but plates apart, becoming the new norm? 16% of those who eat different or altered dishes cited allergies and intolerances (national average: 13%) or different diets such as vegan or vegetarian (19% compared to the national average of 15%) but what it really comes down to is personal choice – with half almost half (43%) saying that they don’t like the same things (national average 45%)  while a further 24% admit they quite simply don’t like being forced to have what everyone else is eating (national average: 16%)
The survey also revealed that nationally, households with people aged 35 – 44 years old (Millennials) seem to be the most particular, with 55% of this group saying they like different things from the rest of their household. For Gen Z on the other hand, it’s all about asserting their right to make their own decisions, with 37% of 18 – 24-year-olds surveyed stating that they want a choice and do not want to be forced to have what everyone else is eating.
This celebration of individual choice also seems to play a large part when shopping for food and planning meals, no doubt contributing to the shift in how Brits are shopping for food now versus just a few years ago:
- Taste is king, with 64% of adults based in London, stating that taste is their top priority when choosing what goes in their basket and ultimately onto their plate (national average: 69%)
- In line with the national average of 51% of shoppers in London will seek out products that they consider to be high-quality
- 35%Â felt that having the freedom to choose the right amount or portion of food, rather than pre-packed amounts, is a priority for them (national average: 38%)
- Sustainability is important to Londoners with over a third (34%) stating choosing products with less packaging or plastic-free packaging is a priority (national average of 36%) when shopping
“It is encouraging that so many households do find time to enjoy their main meal together but priorities and lifestyles continue to evolve and so will our mealtimes. A few years ago, we may have said that tweaking dishes to everyone’s taste or needs, or even having to prepare different dishes for the same dinner table would be very frustrating for whomever is doing the cooking. However, the availability of better quality prepared foods and increased popularity of loose or portioned foods, especially the rise of premium frozen foods, has made it easier to please everyone”, states Matt Whelan MD of Fieldfare loose frozen foods.
The report by YouGov, on behalf of Fieldfare also found that 41% of adults in London eat alone, which is one of the highest in the nation, after Scotland where 46% of adults state that they eat alone.
So, whether you see it as fussiness, or the right to have a choice, the UK family dinner is alive and well, just not as you might know it.
Featured Photo by Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦 on Unsplash.
