Poll Finds Dinnertime Tradition Lives

Gary Franklin

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A new survey suggests the tradition of a
family dinnertime survives in America, though with a side order of modern distractions.

An Associated Press-iVillage Food poll on dinnertime habits
finds that 60 percent of those surveyed who live with their
families say they sat down to a family dinner at least five nights
in the past week. Home-cooked meals were the norm, not just takeout and the like.

But the poll suggests that television is a constant dinner
companion for a quarter of families. About 15 percent say texting or e-mailing on a cell phone can also intrude on occasion, and about 5 percent say it always does.

Nearly 40 percent of those surveyed have the radio or stereo
going, at least occasionally. And about half say they're pestered
by phone calls -- including from the occasional pollsters like those who did this survey.

Associated Press

In Your Voice

Commenting is intended as a constructive, open community forum. Please read our terms of service guidelines and abide by them when commenting. Comments are automatically removed for review after three reports of abuse by public users, such as you. If you have further questions about the comment policy, you may contact the webmaster using this form.