Dishing it out: we spend a whopping two days a year just talking about what's for dinner
Food lovers assemble – it’s official, we love talking about food! Research has revealed adults who talk about what they’re having for dinner do so for a whopping 48 hours a year.
A poll of 2,000 adults[1] revealed seven in 10 discuss it daily for up to an average of eight minutes, with 21% saying they discuss their evening meal with coworkers every day.
Gen Z discuss what’s for dinner the most, with 29 per cent of those aged 18-24 admitting to having three or four different conversations about their evening meal each day.
More than six in 10 (62 per cent) of those polled say they’re ‘food lovers’ and when it comes to our favourite meals, a roast dinner came out on top – ahead of spaghetti Bolognese and fish and chips.
Home-cooked meals bring joy to 85 per cent of us, 79 per cent love sharing meals with loved ones and 71 per cent say they love to cook from scratch knowing they’re building healthy habits.
The survey found that 6:28pm is when the UK sits down to eat and for 63% of us, it’s taste that rules the dinner table.
There's nothing quite like sharing a meal with friends or family, and for many of us, life just wouldn't be the same without it. Food is so much more than fuel for us as humans. Sitting down to eat with others creates connections and builds relationships – that’s why food is at the centre of so many big events in our lives.
The good news is, despite what people may fear, losing weight doesn’t mean giving up that joy. When you’re desperate to lose weight, it can be tempting to chase quick fixes – weight loss injections, pills, surgery, a restrictive or fad diet, anything that promises instant results. These might involve suppressing your appetite, depriving yourself or not being able to eat with others as your diet is so different. But the truth is there is no magic bullet. Lasting weight loss comes from sustainable changes to our food, physical activity, and mindset.
At Slimming World, our healthy eating plan encourages members to eat nutritious, real food that fits around their lifestyle, so they can enjoy meals together as a family or with friends. It’s such a joy to see time and again our new members being amazed that they can lose weight without feeling like they’re missing out or having to stop socialising. When we surveyed our members, 85% told us they were surprised they could lose weight while still eating foods they loved.
Carolyn says: "The good news is, despite what people may fear, losing weight doesn’t mean giving up that joy. When you’re desperate to lose weight, it can be tempting to chase quick fixes – weight loss injections, pills, surgery, a restrictive or fad diet, anything that promises instant results. These might involve suppressing your appetite, depriving yourself or not being able to eat with others as your diet is so different. But the truth is there is no magic bullet. Lasting weight loss comes from sustainable changes to our food, physical activity, and mindset.
“At Slimming World, our healthy eating plan encourages members to eat nutritious, real food that fits around their lifestyle, so they can enjoy meals together as a family or with friends. It’s such a joy to see time and again our new members being amazed that they can lose weight without feeling like they’re missing out or having to stop socialising. When we surveyed our members, 85% told us they were surprised they could lose weight while still eating foods they loved.”
With over 55 years expertise in helping people lose weight and transform their lives, Slimming World offers an inclusive, non-judgemental community for everyone – including those who may be using weight loss medications or have had weight loss surgery. Carolyn says: “Whatever way someone chooses to lose weight we’d always encourage them to get support to make lasting changes. They’d never be judged at Slimming World if they joined to get that support."
Despite more weight loss drugs now being available, 69 per cent of adults surveyed would be unlikely to take them according to the OnePoll.com data. Of those, 25 per cent say they don’t want to change the way they eat, drink and socialise, 21 per cent worried they wouldn’t be getting the nutrition they need for good health and 20 per cent say they love their food too much.
A separate One Poll member survey of Slimming World’s 13,000 community weight loss groups and online programme[2] found that 89 per cent love losing weight while getting all the nutrients they need. Over three quarters (77 per cent) of members questioned now make healthy, nutritious, filling meals that the whole family enjoys and 76 per cent feel proud that they’re passing on healthy habits to their families. More than half (56 per cent) report being surprised at how quickly they’ve lost weight since joining Slimming World.
Slimming World, founded by Margaret Miles-Bramwell OBE in Derbyshire in 1969, is the UK and Ireland’s leading weight loss organisation. Each week, more people choose to attend a Slimming World group than any other weight loss programme. Our tried, tested and trusted evidence-based approach has helped millions of people to lose weight and keep it off long-term. We support 700,000 people weekly through our community weight-loss groups, run by 3,500 highly trained self-employed Consultants, and digital service.
Our founding principles make us unique:
· Our support system is built on a deep understanding of the guilt and stigma people living with overweight and obesity experience. We always treat people with genuine care, empathy, respect and understanding. When members join Slimming World, they become part of a community, in group and online, and each week we inspire and motivate people to make positive mindset changes and develop new, lasting healthy habits around food and activity using effective, sustainable behaviour change techniques.
· Our healthy eating plan, Food Optimising, liberates members through our concept of Free Food. Members fill up on foods that are naturally lower in energy density (calories per gram) and are highly satisfying while limiting foods that are highest in fat and sugar and are less satisfying. They can lose weight without ever feeling hungry or deprived, all without weighing, measuring or counting everything they eat.
· Our physical activity support programme, Body Magic, helps members overcome any barriers they face regarding exercise. Members choose when and how to start, setting their own pace and finding activities they enjoy until regular physical activity becomes an unmissable part of their daily routine.
We proudly work with the NHS, the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, The Royal College of Midwives, Diabetes UK and others to help shape the future of weight management in the UK and Ireland. We also support Cancer Research UK, Alzheimer’s Research UK and the Irish Cancer Society through fundraising.
We developed and launched our Slimming World Free Food range, available exclusively in Iceland, The Food Warehouse and Dunnes Stores in Ireland, and introduced our Slimming World Kitchen recipe box service. These help members to continue making healthy choices, even when they’re short on time.
For more information about Slimming World’s approach, visit slimmingworld.co.uk or slimmingworld.ie and for more information about Slimming World Kitchen, visit slimmingworldkitchen.co.uk
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