Dinner time disputes: 6:21pm most likely time for family fallouts

– Average family sits down to dinner just four times a week

– Bad table manners cause most dinner table tantrums

– Bringing tech to the table causes friction for over a quarter of families

The average family sits down to dinner just four times a week, but according to research from Sarson’s vinegar it’s a less than serene affair as over half of British families (56 per cent) admit they’re most likely to squabble over dinner rather than breakfast or lunch.

The research revealed tempers are most likely to fray at 6:21pm with bad table manners causing the most contention. Almost two in five parents (36 per cent) claim it is the most common cause of dinner time tantrums, followed by a third of parents (31 per cent) who admit to losing patience with their kids’ refusal to eat their greens.

Technology at the table is also guaranteed to cause mealtime mayhem, with over a quarter of parents (29 per cent) saying arguments kick off when their kids bring a game console, tablet or smartphone to the dinner table. Almost a quarter (24 per cent) also admit they find it a constant battle to tear their children away from the TV to eat.

Top 10 causes of dinner time disputes:  

    1. Bad table manners
    2. Children refusing to eat their vegetables
    3. Children bringing technology to the table
    4. Children wanting to eat in front of the TV
    5. Family members not taking part in chores
    6. Family members taking phone calls at the table
    7. Complaints about the cooking
    8. Where to sit at the table
    9. Running out of condiments
    10. Who gets the last portion of food

Kuniaki Tsukada, Sarson’s Brand manager, commented: “Dinner is an important time for families to catch up and spend quality time together, so it can be disappointing when tempers flare. If like many parents you find yourself in the midst of a meal time argument, why not try involving the kids in choosing the menu for the week and cooking the meal as they’re less likely to turn their noses up at something they’ve played a hand in creating.”

 

-ENDS-

Survey of 2000 UK parents with children aged between 2-17 was conducted by One Poll on behalf of Sarson’s between 7th – 9th May 2014.

For further information please contact:

Cally Sheard/ Ruth Bennett
Eulogy!
Tel: 020 3077 2000
Email: sarsons@eulogy.co.uk

Notes to editors

Sarson’s Vinegar was bought by Mizkan Euro in February 2012, as part of the £41 million acquisition of a number of Premier Foods’ brands including Haywards pickled vegetables and Dufrais.

At Sarson’s, we love vinegar.

We love it in marinades, in dressings and most of all, we love it splashed over steaming hot chips. We put this passion for vinegar into every bottle that we make, and we’ve been making Sarson’s vinegar the traditional way since 1794. Which, we are pretty proud to say, makes us one of Britain’s oldest vinegars.