Monday, July 21, 2025
Changing trends and lifestyles of children and families: evening meals
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The research and consultancy company Junior City , a partner of ActuKids , analyses the evolution of trends and lifestyles of children and families and is now looking at the evening meals eaten by children aged 7 to 14.
While we hear more and more about the destructuring of meals, with growing "Anglo-Saxon" habits, where everyone eats when they want, the evening meal for children remains a time shared overwhelmingly with the family, with their parents (and brothers and sisters in the case of siblings), for 88% of 7-14 year olds (6% of children eat with their brothers and sisters, without their parents, and 5% on their own).
In 43% of families, a screen is on at dinner time (17% systematically, 26% often).
But fortunately, the evening meal is a great opportunity for discussion and exchanges between family members. The #1 topic of conversation is... school! 67% of 7-14 year-olds tell us that this meal is an opportunity to talk (or be asked!) about life at school or college: teachers, assessments, grades, learning... there are many topics surrounding schooling, especially from the time they start college.
Families also share their plans: weekend outings, vacations, activity plans (a topic of discussion for one in two children).
And for 38% of children, mealtimes are also an opportunity to laugh and "goof around" a little. The majority of children (53%) enjoy these family discussions around dinner, which they find interesting, and say they enjoy listening as much as giving their opinion.
At the end of secondary school, where conversations can become deeper and debates take on another dimension, these moments are even more appreciated (60% of 13-14 year olds).
And it's a real moment of conviviality, during which they feel good, for 44% of 7-14 year olds.
Well, some people find that parents ask too many questions, which can sometimes bother them or make them uncomfortable... But this figure is "only" 13%. A feeling that diminishes as they grow older.
Source: Familybus, April 2025, 600 children and teenagers aged 7 to 14.