Where do you eat?

@p1kef1sh (45681)
January 21, 2010 11:48am CST
In the UK many houses have something euphemistically called the "Dining Room". As the name suggests this is a room used for eating meals. However, for many of us the dining room is only used on special occasions i.e. Christmas; the rest of the year it is a general dumping ground whilst meals are eaten elsewhere. In my house we often eat from a tray in the living room. Our dining room is in fact where I am typing this discussion and I cannot actually remember when we last used it for its proper function. If you have such a room do you use it to eat in? If not where do you eat the majority of your meals.
13 people like this
75 responses
• United States
21 Jan 10
I eat where ever I want to. We don't have a dining room table anymore so I usually eat in front of the television on the couch in the living room or in my room.
• France
21 Jan 10
It's important to have a family quality time, even if it is the only 20 minutes of the day to actually sit down, and eat!! :) My television is right across the dining table, so it's not a problem for my family
2 people like this
@p1kef1sh (45681)
21 Jan 10
Our dining table is now the BBQ table in the garden. I keep meaning to sort this room out and buy a new one. Maybe one day!
2 people like this
@May2k8 (18094)
• Indonesia
21 Jan 10
I never ate in the dining room, but anywhere where I can eat as long can be for sitting. I have a dining room but rarely used because it is not convenient and more comfortable if in any place. even though in the floor I still can enjoy my meal while I was in front of the computer.
@p1kef1sh (45681)
21 Jan 10
I don't ever eat at the computer after I managed to spill coffee over my keyboard. They cost a lot to replace!
2 people like this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
21 Jan 10
hi may be careful one too many spill on your key board and it will send you to the repair shop. I did that to my keyboard and the thing shorted out, lol got a brand new keyboard out of it. but now no food no drink by my keyboard.
1 person likes this
@May2k8 (18094)
• Indonesia
21 Jan 10
I do not need to replace my keyboard if I spill water on the keyboard, I will open and wipe the keyboard then dry it.
2 people like this
@polachicago (18716)
• United States
21 Jan 10
I do have dining room with dining room table with 6 chairs. I have to admit that I eat in my dining room at the table, but only one chair is occupied. For Christmas and other occasions I don't have enough chairs, but for rest of the year I am fine. I love my wooden table and I love my chairs. I can not eat in other rooms. My kitchen is too small, other rooms would be difficult to eat in....like office or theater room...or laundry room....hmmm...no... Even when dining alone I like to have aesthetic environment and porcelain set...
1 person likes this
@polachicago (18716)
• United States
22 Jan 10
I prefer everyday comfort and recently I enjoy daily luxury as much as I can afford it, using my porcelain everyday is giving me life little luxury...
@p1kef1sh (45681)
21 Jan 10
That must be wonderful to able to use your porcelain. We haven't used ours for years. Not all of it anyway.
• Canada
22 Jan 10
I have a dining room in my house, but I actually converted it to a awesome playroom for my kids. We have an open concept living room and kitchen, so we have a kitchen table there we eat at. The kids sometimes eat at the stools at the island in our kitchen.
@ElicBxn (63248)
• United States
22 Jan 10
My parents had a dining room, they remodeled their house and had the wall between that space and the living room taken down and they also expanded the kitchen and had more of that wall opened up as well, making it kind of a "great room" My place has an "eat in kitchen" and I've managed to make it nearly impossible to eat in there too! we mostly eat at our computers.
1 person likes this
@ElicBxn (63248)
• United States
22 Jan 10
I have small hands and I sit with my keyboard tray UNDER the desk so nothing much can fall into it - the computer is also under the desk - so far - no problems
@p1kef1sh (45681)
22 Jan 10
Since the great coffee disaster of 2005 I don't eat or drink at the computer. Too risky! LOL.
1 person likes this
@dragon54u (31636)
• United States
21 Jan 10
When I was growing up we ate all our meals in the dining room. As a single woman, I usually ate at my desk at work or in the living room--I had no dining room, just 1-2 room apartments. As a parent, I served all meals in the dining room along with conversation and laughter. Now I'm alone once more, I usually eat as I work at the computer or in the evening in front of the television or while reading a book. I'll occasionally use the dining room table but that's where I pay my bills and dump everything I'm supposed to put away later!
2 people like this
@p1kef1sh (45681)
21 Jan 10
The dining table slowly drowns under a tidal wave of who knows what! A very familiar scenario. We don't even have a dining table any more. I keep meaning to buy one. Having moved through a fallow period after our daughter went away we're now starting to make new friends that we would like to entertain.
2 people like this
@dawnald (85135)
• Shingle Springs, California
21 Jan 10
The dining table is a dumping ground for school things and it's where Dearra does her homework. We do eat there on special occasions, but usually we eat in the breakfast room.
2 people like this
@p1kef1sh (45681)
21 Jan 10
Now there's posh Dawn. A Breakfast Room. LOL. I do want to recover our dining room, but I admit to not showing much effort thus far. In fact this discussion is about the extent of it!
3 people like this
@dawnald (85135)
• Shingle Springs, California
21 Jan 10
technically the breakfast room and the kitchen are the same room... I reclaim the dining room a couple of times a year, but after that the books creep back in...
2 people like this
@mindrich (183)
• Philippines
22 Jan 10
I prefer to eat anywhere, together with my friends. It's a good way to mingle with friends while spending my time wisely, doing two things at the same time.
1 person likes this
@p1kef1sh (45681)
22 Jan 10
So not at home then?
@DonnaLawson (4032)
• United States
22 Jan 10
Have you been nosing around in my house?? We eat at the dining room on only the biggest holidays.. My dining table is a bit clean but it is still the dumping ground for things that I need to get done.. Our dining area is the coffee table right smack dab in front of the TV.. I am usually sitting in the floor and hubby is on the sofa.. It is really a comfortable arrangement since it is just the two of us, when we have company, we do on occasion use the dining table but not very often.. I remember growing up and never being allowed to take food in the living room, but my mother was much more civilized than I am.. Coffee table for us
1 person likes this
@p1kef1sh (45681)
22 Jan 10
When we visit my parents we always eat at the table and my in laws were the same. At home here we eat off trays or tables in the lounge. But not always in front of the TV.
@Opal26 (17679)
• United States
22 Jan 10
Hey p1key! I think that you are right about "formal dinner areas"! In my apartment I do have a "dining area"! But, it is really just a small part of my livingroom! They are kind of a combined space since my apartment is small! I don't have any eating area in my kitchen since I turned that space into my office! I have my computer desk in the part of the kitchen that would usually have a very small table! So, I either eat in my bed, which at times can be a bit messy even when using a bed tray or eat at the diningroom table while watching tv! It depends on my mood and what kind of meal I am eating which place I choose to eat in! If it is a sloppy meal I will sit at the table! It it is just a sandwich or less sloppy meal I will eat in bed! Of course all meals that have friends over are eaten at the diningroom table!
1 person likes this
@p1kef1sh (45681)
22 Jan 10
Darn and here was I hoping to get to eat in your bedroom Opal! Rude boy!
• Estonia
21 Jan 10
Nah, I don't have any special room for eating. I usually have my meal in the living room, because there I can watch TV and sit on the sofa, it's more comfortable than sitting on a chair.
1 person likes this
@p1kef1sh (45681)
21 Jan 10
Many people do the same thing. Thank you.
1 person likes this
@singuri (571)
• India
21 Jan 10
Generally if all of our family members are at the house we eat food in the dining room otherwise we use other rooms.It feels good to eat food at the dining table if all the members in the house are present.
1 person likes this
@p1kef1sh (45681)
22 Jan 10
That's what I would like us to get back to. Thank you.
@Preciousgem (1182)
• Philippines
22 Jan 10
As usual in the dining room, there's plenty of chair and a long table, where you eat so comfortable and easy,with entertainment also.
1 person likes this
@p1kef1sh (45681)
22 Jan 10
That's what I would like to do too.
@drawan (66)
• Indonesia
22 Jan 10
If I where it is important to eat a delicious, especially with sitting on the floor while watching TV
1 person likes this
@p1kef1sh (45681)
22 Jan 10
Thank you.
• United States
22 Jan 10
Yes I try not to eat in the dining room but that is because i've become so accustomed to when i'm eating I need to be watching something like a tv show or even a movie and it gets so bad that if commercials come on i stop eating and wait until the show is back on. I know i got problems but no one is perfect i try not to bring any food into the bedroom as that tends to bring unwanted visitors like ants.
1 person likes this
@p1kef1sh (45681)
22 Jan 10
Ants in the bedroom must be a nightmare. I try not to eat in there at all.
@nannacroc (4049)
21 Jan 10
We's not posh enough to have a dining room. We eat our meals in the front room, which is at the back of the house.
1 person likes this
@p1kef1sh (45681)
21 Jan 10
Makes sense to me Nanna.
@BarBaraPrz (45556)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
21 Jan 10
I do have a space I call the dining room, only because it has my old dining room table in it. I used to eat at it, but lately most of my meals here are taken in front of the computer. The dining table has this nasty habit of collecting all sorts of stuff and hiding under it. I also have a table in the kitchen that I sometimes sit at, but it likes to collect things, too.
@p1kef1sh (45681)
21 Jan 10
I recognise the dining table/rubbish thing. Ours was like that and then we put it outside as a BBQ table. So now we don't have a dining table at all.
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
21 Jan 10
hi pikey before we were evicted we had what the manager called a dining nook,it was an ell built into the living room with a creaky fan overhead. that thing used to really scare me as it would sway whenever we used it. I had read of one where one of the fan blades came loose and cut someone on the shoulder. Now of course as I am stuck here at Gold Crest I eat downstairs in the dining room at my assigned table. this did take a lot of getting used to, community eating I mean. nothing wrong with it,just that I had not ever done this before. So now my room up here is my haven and my computer and monitor are a top my bureau. thank goodness for them too. lol.
1 person likes this
@p1kef1sh (45681)
21 Jan 10
We all need our own space Hatley. I'm pleased that you have yours and that you are safe.
• India
21 Jan 10
In my house we don't have dining room but only dining table. This dining table is located in the main hall. So we used to eat from main hall. Since the Television is also placed in this hall, we end up eating by watching tv always.
1 person likes this
@p1kef1sh (45681)
21 Jan 10
As do many people around the world.
• Bangladesh
23 Jan 10
Hi friend! In my country Bangladesh, it's our culture to eat with all the family members altogether in the dining room. Therefore, everyone must gather there at the times of taking meals. Isn't it ridiculous to take meals in some other room excepting dining room. Because 'dining room' means "A room used for dining". If you don't take meal in the dining room then why did you name this room as 'dining room'?
@p1kef1sh (45681)
23 Jan 10
That is a very good point. Yet many people in the west have dining rooms and eat almost anywhere but there!
• Bangladesh
23 Jan 10
It's very strange and ridiculous. Good Luck.
• United States
22 Jan 10
My home has a kitchen and dining room combined and this is where I eat most of my meals. Occasionally I will eat in the living room, but I prefer the kitchen table.
@p1kef1sh (45681)
22 Jan 10
We had a kitchen table until we refurbished the kitchen. Now we have to eat on trays as we got rid of the dining table as well!
• United States
25 Jan 10
This will definitely add space to your home :)