The Top Dinner-Time Disagreements In The UK

March 1, 2019
by Rebecca Down Our Stories

    Britain’s hottest dinner disputes include how spicy a meal should be, who is in charge of the cooking and whether a takeaway is on the menu.

    We recently ran a recent study of 2,000 men and women in a relationship that revealed the top 20 disagreements couples have on a daily basis about dinner time, which includes what they should eat for the meal, and how much mess will be made along the way. On average, it was found that couples spend at least 10 minutes every day talking about what to eat for dinner – the equivalent of 61 hours across the average year!

    Lack of inspiration and variety when it comes to what to eat for dinner was at the heart of many dinner time disagreements with couples complaining that they eat the same meals time after time and the dishes are always boring. Head Chef Andre said:

    “Because food is so central to many people’s lives – we think, talk and disagree about food all day every day. For a lot of people, the evening meal is the prime time to catch up with their partner after a long day. Planning ahead and finding something tasty to eat that you will both like and is easy to cook is a way to avoid daily disagreements about food.”

    Other disputes regularly had in kitchens up and down the country are what time to eat, who never finishes their meal and therefore wastes valuable food, and whether or not someone is a good or bad cook. As a consequence of these disagreements, 12% of couples have ended up eating separately, while a further 13% have refused to cook for their other half altogether!

    Researchers via OnePoll.com found the average couple has the same five meals every single week, changing just two for something new. 

    The five meals on a weekly rotation are:

    1. A Roast Dinner
    2. Spaghetti Bolognese
    3. Fish & Chips
    4. Pizza, and…
    5. A sandwich!

    A third of couples admit they would be more adventurous with their food choices if given the chance – but blame their partner for being awkward and stuck in their ways. More than half would love to have more variety in their evening meals – but of these, four in 10 say their partner doesn’t like change or eat anything adventurous. Can you guess what this man’s go-to dish is..?!

    Andre added: “Often the lack of variety at dinnertime is simply down to a lack of time, energy and inspiration. There’s really no need to fall out with the one you love over boring dinners. There are ways of mixing up mealtimes, such as having fresh ingredients delivered or trying out different recipes, which will solve those daily dinnertime debates. This means less time arguing, and more time with a loved one over a meal you’ll both enjoy.”

    THE UK’S TOP DISAGREEMENTS OVER FOOD

    1. What you’re going to have for dinner
    2. What time to eat
    3. If the cook makes too much mess / doesn’t tidy as they go along
    4. Whether someone is interfering in the cooking
    5. Deciding whether you should have a takeaway
    6. Fussy eaters: whether a meal should include an item the other person doesn’t like, such as mushrooms
    7. Who should wash up
    8. Whether or not to get a takeaway
    9. How spicy a meal should be
    10. Who should cook
    11. If someone lets ingredients go off before using them
    12. Cooking unhealthy recipes
    13. Who eats all the snacks in the cupboard without replacing them
    14. The quality of washing up
    15. If someone doesn’t finish their meal, wasting food
    16. Why there’s so much of a certain ingredient hoarded in the cupboard, yet more is being bought
    17. If meals are the same as every other week
    18. The fact the food is boring
    19. Whether you should ‘meal plan’ for the week ahead
    20. Who buys the most junk food
    21. Who should shop for the food
    22. If your meals are too healthy
    23. Whether or not there is enough sauce
    24. Milk going off before being used
    25. If someone is a good or bad cook

    Want to avoid dinner-time disagreements?

    With 1000s of recipes in our archive, we’ve got a recipe for every preference – vegetarian, flexitarian, fussy eaters, spice lovers…you name it, we have it. Check them out here.

    Or, even better, get one of our Recipe Boxes delivered straight to your door. You choose your favourite recipes from our changing weekly menu, and we’ll deliver all the fresh, pre-portioned ingredients you need to cook them (along with the step-by-step recipe cards). 

    Order Your Box

    Dinner is solved.

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