Top ‘tea on knees’ meals revealed as families eat from sofa 16 times a month

A survey of 2,000 parents found that a whopping 65 percent of parents with children living at home are likely to move dinner to the living room when a major sporting event is taking place.

Only 36 percent have a television in the dining room and 19 percent of them watch television during every meal.

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More than two-thirds believe that a meal in front of the TV helps the family stay connected and feel together, and 64 percent believe it makes watching TV more enjoyable.

However, the research found that a third of parents ‘ban’ comedy during meals in front of the TV, because it causes children to burst out laughing and spill half their meal across the living room.

Families most often eat during a film or live sporting event, while 19 percent prefer to watch children’s programmes such as CBeebies.

A spokesperson for recipe box Gousto, which carried out the research, said: “Dinner and TV watching are really powerful ways to bond as a family, especially when you combine them.

“Many of us have fond memories of ‘tea on knees’ from when we were children. It’s wonderful to see that this tradition is still alive and creating joy in families.”

The survey found that 64 percent of parents would rather have their children watch TV during dinner than have them focus on a personal screen, such as a phone or tablet.

Meals such as soup, spaghetti bolognese and curry were not allowed on a ‘tea on knees’ evening, due to the risk of spillage.

But pizza was by far the most eaten while sitting at the cash register, thanks to its convenient size.

And half of all parents have fond memories of times when they received a treat as a child.

According to figures from OnePoll, families are most likely to gather in one place to eat on Sunday evenings.

But 27 percent admit they don’t eat at the same time as often as they would like, even though most consider it ‘very important’.

The Gousto spokesperson added: “Eating a home-cooked meal together is really important for families, whether that’s in the dining room, at the kitchen table or in the living room.

“When you share a TV show or sporting event, there is always room for conversation because you can talk about the action on screen.”