Families dining together still popular

Most Americans eat meals with their families at home six or seven nights a week, a Gallup poll found. Fifty-three percent of poll respondents with children younger than 18 said they eat family meals at home six or seven nights a week, while an overall average of respondents eat about 5.1 meals together a week, Gallup reported. Although the average has dropped from 5.4 in 1997, 5.1 has been the average number of family meals eaten together since 2001, Gallup said. Gallup also found that family dining is more related to married parents; married couples reported eating about 5.8 meals together, while their unmarried counterparts had an average of 4.8. Parents employed full-time also reported eating less meals with their families; 5.0 meals a week versus parents who do not work full-time eating 5.3 meals with their families a week. Gallup questioned 1,031 adults nationwide between Dec. 5 and Dec. 8. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.