Family meals contribute to strengthening the family, providing an environment in which members feel protected and much more open to communication. According to a national study conducted by the Delikat brand in collaboration with iSense Solutions, Romanians eat meals with their family less often than they would like, most frequently on weekends, even though they are aware of the benefits it brings, considering it an essential aspect of their lives.
Eating at home, together with loved ones, means more than just how we prepare recipes and set the table; it represents a true family experience. Moreover, family meals have a special significance as they offer an opportunity to reconnect and communicate with loved ones. That is why, with the new Delikat platform, we set out to launch a manifesto campaign, through which more and more Romanians become aware of the importance of family meals and take advantage of every opportunity to gather with their family at the table. To draw attention to the current social context and to promote the benefits of family meals nationwide, we aim to mark for Romanians the National Day of Family Meals, declared Andreea Bobeș, Category Manager Savoury & Dressings (Unilever).
The study conducted by the Delikat brand at the national level reveals a series of important aspects regarding the behavior and habits of Romanians concerning family meals. According to the study, on average, Romanians eat with their family 6 times a week. For couples with children, a family meal is considered a moment attended by the nuclear family members: the couple and the child/children. The couple’s parents also participate in family meals or weekend gatherings, especially if they live with them or take care of the children. The most common participants at family meals are partners (husband/wife, boyfriend/girlfriend) at 50%, children at 43%, and parents at 44%. Lower frequencies at family meals are recorded for siblings (25%), in-laws (11%), grandparents (10%), uncles/aunts (8%), and daughters/sons-in-law (6%). Interestingly, in urban areas, friends also participate in family meals, at a rate of 20%.
The changing dynamics of society also influence the picture of family meals. Although in smaller proportions, colleagues from work/school (6%), cousins (5%), and even neighbors (4%) also participate in family meals.
Young people and adults aged between 18 and 45 eat with their family more often than average during the week (24% vs. 17%), as do families with children (22% vs. 17%). The weekend remains dedicated to family meals, but they occur more often on Sundays than on Saturdays, 53% vs. 31%.
The study initiated by Delikat also highlighted that the main family meal during the week is dinner, which, compared to breakfast and lunch, is a freshly cooked meal, containing heavier foods (such as meat and fried potatoes).
The busy schedules of Romanians also impact the type of family meals. Most Romanians most often have dinner with their family during the week (80%), while on weekends, they have lunch with their family more frequently (88%). During the day, family members eat separately, at work, at school, at home, or at restaurants, characterized by haste and time pressure (people have to get to or return to work, school, etc.).
Although the frequency of family meals is significant, 40% of Romanians would like to gather with their family at the table more often. Among the barriers identified in having family meals are: the difficulty of gathering family members (55%), lack of time (39%), long working hours (38%), and the lack of a regular/common meal schedule for all family members (35%).
The barriers are mainly related to the different schedules of family members: parents work in shifts, do overtime, children go to school/kindergarten, are involved in extracurricular activities, and if there are several children in the household of different ages, they usually have different school schedules.
According to the national study, when Romanians eat with their family, they feel fulfilled (73%), happy (72%), confident (61%), and calm (58%). On the other hand, when Romanians eat alone, they feel rushed (59%), uneasy (32%), stressed (28%), and tense (26%). Perhaps the most important result of the study is that 83% of Romanians consider family meals important, and among the most frequently mentioned benefits are: improving communication between family members (94%), providing an opportunity to spend time with the family (94%), and offering a sense of safety and unity (91%).
The study was carried out with the support of the iSense Solutions agency in two stages: quantitative and qualitative. The quantitative component included a sample of 640 respondents with national representativeness (urban 67% & rural 33%), aged between 18 and 65 years (50% men & 50% women). The average number of family members was 3, and the average number of children per family is 1. In the qualitative component, an online journal was conducted to document, over 7 days, the meals of 6 families (3 from urban and 3 from rural areas), using a mobile application – Indeemo – to explore and understand through images and video clips how their family meals take place.
Details can be viewed in the infographic: Family Meals Study Delikat & iSense Solutions, by accessing the link: https://isensesolutions.com/infografic-studiu-mese-in-familie-delikatisense-solutions/
About iSense Solutions
iSense Solutions – The Modern Consumer Company uses the latest technologies to survey the modern Romanian consumer and offers integrated marketing services: research, marketing and communication consultancy, digital, and sales. The company was founded by Traian Năstase and Andrei Cânda, specialists with over 12 years of experience in market research and a solid academic background, being doctors in Sociology and Marketing, respectively. More information can be found at www.isensesolutions.ro and www.researchromania.ro.