Family fights, food spills: Aussies share their dinner table stories
From awkward silences to kids refusing to eat their vegetables, here are some classic anecdotes about what frequently happens when families sit down for the evening meal.
Taste recently asked its Facebook followers for their classic anecdotes about what frequently happens when they sit down as a family to eat an evening meal.
And not surprisingly, there were some VERY common themes. (Spoiler alert: kids make tough dinner guests)
Here we share a few of the favourites – and feel free to add in your experiences in the comment section below.
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“Kids spilling drinks everywhere every night.” – Lisa
“Finally sitting down after getting serving spoons, tongs and assorted forgotten items and then … the phone rings.” – Kerri
“Children conveniently needing the toilet when we ask them to eat their vegies.” – Taylah
“The kids saying ‘Mum, I’m full.’… yet they’ll have room for a whole bowl of ice-cream.” – Linda
“Uncomfortable conversations and banter.” – Stephanie
“In the 10 minutes before dinner is served up, children asking about 500 times per minute when dinner’s ready.” – Stef
“Teenagers announcing they’re now vegetarian when you serve up beef lasagne. So the following week you do spinach and ricotta lasagne … but by then they’re vegan.” – Beck
“Feeding things you don’t like to the dog.” – Danielle
“Red wine is spilled … onto something white…”. – Doti
“[Kids] swapping vegetables [they] don’t like as soon as mum is out of sight.” – Alison
“People only meet at the table for a roast. Otherwise, it’s each in every corner of the house. [A] roast has a magical power to bring people together. Everyone is too busy stuffing that roast in so it’s mainly silent.” – Rebecca
“Shooing flies.” – Nikki
“The baby throwing the food you’ve lovingly prepared on the ground. Even though last night she wolfed it down.” – Clint
“We have always eaten at the table with no TV or phones. I made a point of doing it, as growing up my family didn’t. Now kids are grown, some nights are interesting, funny 22yo-18yo and 16×2.” – Deb
“Kids arguing.” – Kara
“Dropping food on the floor and the dog grabbing it before you can.” – William
“Being bribed with dessert to eat your dinner!” – Kate
“A not-so-friendly game of rock paper scissors to see who gets to clean up and wash up.” – Clare
“Me not finishing my food because it’s too much, and my hubby finishing it for me.” – Belle
“Kids wiping their mouths on their clothes. Grrrr.” – Tanya
“Tomato or BBQ sauce being put on a meal which doesn’t require tomato or BBQ sauce.” – James
“Family fights!” – Monica
“Asking everyone to close their mouth when they chew. Every night!” – Zoe
“The four-year-old disappearing under the table to ‘be a dog’ just when we’re trying to get her to eat.” – Bec
“Sauce on the table” – Steffi
“With a house full of boys … farts.” – Mimi
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Originally published as Family fights, food spills: Aussies share their dinner table stories
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