Jamie Oliver claims that dining at the table is becoming obsolete due to a survey conducted by YouGov for his TV show Jamie’s 20-Minute Meals. The research found that forty-five percent of adults prefer eating on the sofa, with people aged 35 and older more likely to eat there than at a dining table. Additionally, over a quarter of adults cook fewer than three meals per week, highlighting a decline in home cooking habits. Oliver emphasizes the importance of social connection and mealtime joy amid these changing trends.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-28,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Jamie Oliver has highlighted a trend where 45% of British adults are now eating supper on the sofa instead of at the dining table. This shift comes from research conducted by YouGov for his TV series "Jamie’s 20-Minute Meals." The survey, which polled 2,124 people, found that more than a quarter of Brits cook fewer than three meals per week, with one in ten not cooking at all. People aged 35 and older were particularly likely to opt for sofa dining over the table. Additionally, one in twelve Gen Z adults reported having dinner in bed most nights. Oliver noted this trend coincides with a decline in home cooking, predicting the "impending death" of the traditional dinner table. Bridget Benelam from the British Nutrition Foundation emphasized that regular shared mealtimes can support mental well-being and healthy eating habits in children.
Written for “Eating Habits Changes” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
“Couch potato” has taken on a new – and literal – meaning.
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potato → take → meaning
Brits are increasingly eating supper on the sofa rather than at the dining table, Jamie Oliver has claimed.
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Oliver → eat → table
Forty-five per cent of adults are leaving the table behind, research conducted by YouGov for Oliver’s TV series Jamie’s 20-Minute Meals has found.
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research → leave → series
People aged 35 and older were more likely to eat their meals on the sofa than at the dining table, the figures indicated.
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figures → age → table
The “impending death” of the dinner table comes as people give up on home cooking, the celebrity chef said.
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chef → come → cooking
More than a quarter of adults said they cook fewer than three meals a week – including a tenth who don’t cook a single meal.
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who → say → meal
“We have known for a while that we are cooking less than ever, but never knew the full picture”, said Oliver.
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Oliver → know → picture
“With well over half of us not cooking most nights and the impending death of the dinner table a reality, I want to show how much joy, connection and value cooking can give.”
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cooking → cook → joy
One in 12 Gen Z adults aged 18 to 24 report having dinner in bed most nights.
Overall, 44 per cent of the 2,124 people surveyed said they sat at the dining table to eat their evening meal.
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they → age → meal
Other respondents said they ate dinner in bed, at their desk or on the go.
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they → say → go
Oliver added “I am hugely passionate about the power of cooking and getting everyone together over a delicious meal.
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I → add → meal
“What’s great about this, is the science backs it up too.
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science → ’ → it
“With well over half of us not cooking most nights and the impending death of the dinner table a reality, I want to show how much joy, connection and value cooking can give.”Jamie Oliver
He added: “It doesn’t have to be a big dinner – even sharing a sandwich at lunchtime with colleagues gives you that wonderful sense of connection and belonging.”
As dining tables become increasingly scarce, they provide an important space for “social connection”, said Bridget Benelam, a scientist at the British Nutrition Foundation.
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Benelam → cook → Foundation
“The research suggests that what matters most is not necessarily whether you’re sitting at a dining table or on a sofa.
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you → suggest → sofa
The greatest benefits appear to come from sharing a balanced meal, engaging in conversation and minimising distractions such as television and other screens,” says Benelam.
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Benelam → appear → television
“Dining tables often provide the best environment for this, but the social connection around a meal is probably more important than the location itself.”
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connection → provide → location
Ms Benelam added: “There is evidence that people who regularly eat together tend to have healthier diets, and that shared mealtimes may support mental wellbeing, social connection and the development of healthy eating habits in children.”
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mealtimes → add → children
The process of eating upright is important for digestion, said Sally Pinnegar, nutritional therapist and founder of Nuush, an online lifestyle business.
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Pinnegar → eat → Nuush
“Eating at the table means eating in a more upright position than if you were on a sofa or armchair, and that leads to better digestion because of pure mechanics,” she said.
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she → eat → mechanics
“When food travels from the mouth through the food pipe, into the stomach, and from the stomach to the small intestine it’s partly assisted by gravity.
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it → travel → gravity
“Sitting in a less than upright position gets in the way of gravity and can mean worsening things like reflux, wind, bloating and indigestion.”
The Telegraph (London)
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Sitting → sit → reflux
The Aporia
