apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

we dont even get basic TV reception because we never got one of those doodads when they made the switch awhile back to HDTV or whatever so we dont watch a lot of tv, infact we almost just watch it while eating. We like to pop in a netflix disk (we usually get TV series) and watch an episode of something while we eat, I guess we do things kind of different. Usually we catch up and chat about our days, events etc while preparing dinner and changing out of work clothes etc. While taking the dog out for a walk before the sun goes down when weather permits. Then settle down and watch a quick episode of something to unwind and relax, nothing too heavy while we take in some food. For us eating is a very quiet and relaxing time.

I eat while watching tv because I get dinner ready so late that our favorite shows are on by the time it's ready. While I was growing up, my family did a stint of eating dinner while watching the evening news. It was definitely a good conversation starter, discussing world events and local happenings. Perhaps it's no surprise that my sister and I are news junkies now.

TV rots your brain and stifles your imagination in large doses, i.e., an hour every day or more is too much. Sorry, I'm no fan of owning a TV set. Owning one just makes it to easy to turn it on and tune out. I do, however, still watch shows, but I get them from netflix or watch them online, on my time, and never during dinner. I watch very, very little.

Without TV, I have more time to read, more time to think, to cook, which means more interesting things to talk about.

Gadgets and doodads are banned at the table. It's a time for conversation.

my sweetie and I are both at the office by 7am, so we go to bed early, DVR the Daily Show and Colbert Report and watch them the next day during dinner. We provide a running commentary and discuss the shows, and really enjoy that part of our day.

We frequently watch TV while eating breakfast and dinner. We have a TV in the kitchen (originally installed for use while spending lots of time baking). It's off in the corner, so not directly the focus of our dining experience, but it's nice background noise. And, as the author notes, we often discuss something that we see (sometimes to the point of missing the rest of the show). Having the television on doesn't hinder non-TV-related conversation, as there's plenty of that, nor do we eat more food.

I am a huge fan of TV too and am tired of apologizing for it. If you don't watch TV, that's a fine personal choice to make, but it doesn't make you better than me. Some of us are still able to read, think, cook, and have interesting things to talk about despite the presence of media in our lives.

I'm really not a fan of TV at the table. Period. Family meals are kind of sacred, I wouldn't want to ruin them with TV

That said, I do enjoy a show or a movie with some stovetop-cooked popcorn or some cheese and crackers.

"TV rots your brain and stifles your imagination in large doses, i.e., an hour every day or more is too much."

Eh, as a designer, I use my imagination in overwhelming amounts at work. Sometimes I don't want to use my imagination when I get home.

I watch more than an hour of TV per day -- the Today show in the morning while I'm eating breakfast, some sort of daytime TV when I'm on my lunch break at home by myself and a show that my boyfriend and I both like during dinner. I still read, I still cook, I still think. I even do other things, too. I promise.

I love TV -- I watch TIVO'd shows, TV shows on Netflix, TV shows on DVD...

In some ways I think turning the tv on after dinner (or on the weekends) and zoning out for hours on end is far more damaging than eating and watching tv. But maybe that is just because if we are eating and watching at the same time it is something we are really excited about -- a game, etc. so it feels fun and kind of like we are breaking the normal rules.

I didn't mean to offend with my post. My apologies. I was talking more for myself than anything. I don't like telling people what to do, and I certainly don't think I'm better than anyone.

My best friend has a tv in every room. I love her dearly. She loves to share shows with me, and I'm happy to sit down with her and watch them as she explains her favorite scenes.

I was merely talking for myself.

adiaphane -- there's this amazing thing called the off switch... it exists on radios, computers, all sorts of devices. ;)
like with everything in life, it's all about moderation and self-control. if you know you don't have it so you don't have a tv, good for you!

All things in moderation, TV included. Sometimes its nice just to zone out in front of the TV and doing so with a casual meal of pizza, chinese food or something else not too serious, all the better.

I like TV and all, but I think it's a terrible idea to eat & watch TV. When I do, I eat more and I don't think it's very respectful to the food or the cook (who in my case is myself and I eat alone). TV is there 24 hours a day, and these days almost everyone has a recorder. You can't take 1/2 hour or an hour to eat without it?

Personally, I find it hard to watch Top or Iron Chef without pausing part way through to head into the kitchen and throw something together. Snacking on some innovative creation of my own lets me appreciate the shows on a higher level with valid opinions on the goings-on instead of as a passive observer.

I love TV.... so does my husband. We always watch TV while eating dinner. We generally get home at about 8pm, put the baby to bed, and finally have a moment to ourselves to munch on some leftovers while watching colbert report. It's a wonderful way to unwind :-)

but different strokes for different folks... I understand why people with different lifestyles might want to keep the TV away from the dinner table.

re: stifles the imagination

Most of what we (3 adults, no kids) watch on TV is either educational (science shows are big, as are animal rescues, and god knows we can't miss Jeopardy) or crime dramas (CSI, Law and Order) and prompt a lot of imagination and discussion, whether we're eating or not.

In fact, I don't think we've really ever had 2 people in a room watching TV without discussing what's going on on-screen or how it relates to some other story we want to share. Unless one of the people is napping. And if someone hits a Lifetime movie I just about set the floor on fire fleeing the room to do something else.

We really don't have a lot of sitcom tastes, and we don't watch reality shows unless it involves animals... In fact, due to work schedules and medical issues, I think most everyone in our house is in bed and/or reading before 9pm. We really don't SEE Must See TV these days.

Now... sitting in front of a COMPUTER while eating... let's discuss that.

I don't think there's anything wrong with watching TV while eating. Is reading while eating equally bad? What about listening to a podcast? Or looking at websites on your computer?

There's a time and place for everything. My bowl of ramen noodles isn't going to be any tastier if I switch off the computer or telly or put down the magazine.

My boyfriend and I usually eat dinner while watching the previous day's (TiVo'ed) Daily Show and Colbert Report. It's a nice way to unwind a bit after running around all day, from the kitchen, to work, back to the kitchen again.

I do like as often, though, to turn on some good music and focus on the food - and I insist on it for any special or just particularly tasty meals!

And just to throw my $.02 in, I didn't have a television for about 2 years before I moved in with him. I liked not having one, but I also like TiVo. I'll never live without it - too much junk on!

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When I have children, I don't think I will want the TV on during dinner. But since it is just my husband and me now, I think it is perfectly fine. We often watch the local news, national news programs, PBS, etc. with a few comedies thrown in. The TV can be a great way to socialize and stimulate discussion about news topics and even our own relationship (sitcoms don't have to be mindless!). It's much better than the two of us going our separate ways on the Internet.

while i agree that being absorbed with tv causes you to eat more, i find that not having serving dishes on the table helps with that. my husband hates having the tv on during mealtimes, mostly because that's how he grew up. i am quite the opposite - when i was growing up, every night the whole family would get involved in a rousing game of jeopardy.

Anyone who tries to tell me that my husband and I aren't bonding while we watch Jeopardy over dinner is just...wrong. It's my favorite newlywed tradition, and the trivia always sparks some interesting conversation or new revelation about each other.

What about the radio over dinner? Tonight we did our Monday or Tuesday thing where we listened to This American Life while we ate. Seems to me not all that different from music, perhaps because I'm most interested in anything that's story-based.

I really dislike having something playing while eating, it usually gives me a feeling of ick. However, every once in awhile we have dinner and movie (or tv) night!

We don't own a TV, but we watch some through the computer. Just last Friday we made our own pizza, sat around the coffee table in the living room, and watched episodes of Myth Busters on Netflix. I wouldn't do it often, but every once in a while is fun. :)

It's not for me, but far be it for me to tell anyone else how to live their lives. I am the chef in the family (of just the two of us) and we chat over dinner about our day. That said, we do occasionally fix our plates and watch a movie or special event while eating, but that is a rare occasion. In my next house the TV will not be in the same room or adjacent to the dining table.

I grew up eating in the kitchen with the TV turned on. The dining room hardly ever got used except for family occasions or get togethers. I had the hardest time trying to talk to my mother about stuff while we ate because she was always distracted.
Now that I'm an adult and on my own, I really don't care for TV a whole lot anymore and keep it off especially during mealtimes. Maybe it's because I had no real bonding over meals and I feel I missed out on something?
A few of the guys I dated were the same way....if the TV was on they zoned out and it was impossible to carry on conversation.
So yeah, it's not really for me most of the time as it's sort of sacred time for me, but every once in a while it's nice to nosh on pizza and watch a movie.

We watch TV while eating dinner. Every day. Unless we have more than 2 guests over for dinner.

But I did see a study that showed that people that ate in front of the TV ate much more than people that at the table. When you eat in front of the TV, you tend to eat automatically without thinking or tasting the food too much. You tend to eat everything off your plate because you don't notice.

But at the table, you concentrate on the food more and you are more likely to stop when you are full.

Thoughts?

My husband and I almost always watch tv while eating when we're at home. I don't buy that it's disrespectful to each other - one of our favorite ways to spend time with each other is to appreciate good entertainment together. Why should dinner time be any different?

As for portion control while watching television, it's really not that hard if you set out your portions carefully before sitting down to eat. I always plate our food at the stove, then bring it out to eat, so I can control how much is eaten and force us both to make a conscious effort to eat more than one portion. Simple solution.

I usually watch TV while I eat. Like the previous poster, I plate my food in the kitchen, so I'm going to be eating the same amount whether the TV is on or not.

Growing up, sometimes the TV was on while we ate, sometimes not. Sometimes we all ate together, sometimes not. Meals were never some ritualized or sacred, and we all ended up happy, healthy, and well-adjusted.

You're hungry, you cook some food, you eat it, you enjoy it, and then you're done and you do something else. I never understood what the big deal was about 'mealtime'.

Hurray!
After years of living in small apartments we thought we would settle into civilized digs when we bought our little house three years ago. A run to Ikea produced a nice small dining table and upright chairs...yet as you guessed it, like homing pigeons we still find ourselves camped around the tried and true coffee table, television front and center- and well have resigned ourselves to the fact that it is just fine this way.