Is your family dinner time disappearing in Ireland?
This does sound like a complaint that’s been around for decades, but it may be becoming more of an issue than before. .
New research has revealed that family dinners in Ireland are in decline. Three in four people in Cork say they spend less time at the table than they did a decade ago.
At least the desire to reverse that trend is strong, with 81 per cent wishing they could enjoy more family meals together. The biggest barriers are a lack of time (63%), children’s busy schedules (30%), and weeknight chores (18%) somewhat bizarrely.
As the pressure ‘to do it all’ mounts with kids back in school, parents admit that dinnertime has become less a cherished ritual and more a daily chore they struggle to keep up with. Younger parents are feeling the drop most. More than 80% of those aged 25 to 34 say they spend less time at family dinners than they did in the past, highlighting how quickly the tradition is fading in households with young children.
The survey is from recipe box provider, HelloFresh, who have joined forces with psychologist Allison Keating to highlight the significant, long-term benefits of adding just one more family dinner per week.
Allison Keating said: “Sitting down to dinner as a family is far more than a daily routine; it is a proven way to nurture children’s health, well-being, and development. Research shows that adding just ten extra minutes to family mealtimes can increase a child’s likelihood of healthy eating across their lifetime.
“Just as significantly, conversation at the table boosts vocabulary skills up to ten times more than reading aloud, while helping them learn to effectively communicate.
“In my experience, these simple rituals of connection, from prepping food together to sharing the meal itself, strengthen family bonds and help children feel secure. Even one additional family meal each week can create a realistic and lasting change, fostering resilience, social skills, and parent–child connection that will benefit children well beyond the dinner table.”
The Nothing Beats Dinnertime Challenge
HelloFresh is inviting Irish families to commit to one extra dinnertime together each week as part of the Nothing Beats Dinnertime Challenge.
Hannah Duxbury-Pardoe, Head of Product Operations at HelloFresh, said: “As summer ends and busy routines resume, it’s often quality dinnertimes that slip through the cracks.
But the evidence is clear: sharing a meal – whether it’s preparing it, cooking together, or simply sitting down as a family – does more than nourish. It strengthens relationships, improves communication, and supports emotional well-being.
“We know how stretched modern households are, and how easy it is for dinner to become another task to tick off. But even setting aside one extra evening a week for a shared meal can make a real difference. That’s why HelloFresh is inviting families to take part in a new challenge: to reclaim just one more dinnertime a week and see the changes along the way,” Hannah added.