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Family dinner is alive and well
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, (UPI) -- The family dinner is alive and well, it just doesn't resemble classic TV's "Leave it to Beaver" lifestyle, researchers in Canada find.
Dean Simmons, a recent graduate of the University of British Columbia, surveyed families in British Columbia about their meals and says he was surprised to learn the vast majority of families were cooking at home on a regular basis -- especially dinner.
"I expected them to be more about take-out and eating," Simmons said in a statement.
Simmons says many people say they eat at home most of the time, even if they eat all of their lunches outside the home.
"When people talk about home cooking, they generally refer to the evening meal," Simmons said.
People also say they liked eating at home because adults can control what the family is eating -- mainly avoiding preservatives and junk food -- as well as controlling costs, the study says.
Simmons also finds people use home cooking as a way to connect to other family members and to their heritage.
Fifty years ago, the mother cooked almost all the meals, but increasingly men are cooking and teens are learning to cook.
"Nearly every teen I spoke to said learning to cook was important for when they moved out," Simmons said.
The findings are being presented at the Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences at Concordia University in Montreal.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, (UPI) -- The family dinner is alive and well, it just doesn't resemble classic TV's "Leave it to Beaver" lifestyle, researchers in Canada find.
Dean Simmons, a recent graduate of the University of British Columbia, surveyed families in British Columbia about their meals and says he was surprised to learn the vast majority of families were cooking at home on a regular basis -- especially dinner.
"I expected them to be more about take-out and eating," Simmons said in a statement.
Simmons says many people say they eat at home most of the time, even if they eat all of their lunches outside the home.
"When people talk about home cooking, they generally refer to the evening meal," Simmons said.
People also say they liked eating at home because adults can control what the family is eating -- mainly avoiding preservatives and junk food -- as well as controlling costs, the study says.
Simmons also finds people use home cooking as a way to connect to other family members and to their heritage.
Fifty years ago, the mother cooked almost all the meals, but increasingly men are cooking and teens are learning to cook.
"Nearly every teen I spoke to said learning to cook was important for when they moved out," Simmons said.
The findings are being presented at the Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences at Concordia University in Montreal.