While only lasting twenty minutes on average, fam- ily mealtimes are embedded in a social, cultural and eco- nomic context. The majority of the research conducted on family mealtimes refers to meals conducted in the evening at home. However, given the increasing trend to eat in restaurants, serve pre-prepared meals, and eat in the car (Sloan, 2006) we do not rule out other settings as an occasion for a family meal. The reports from which we draw include diversity in family structure, ethnicity, and socio-economic context. However, this is an area that is sorely neglected in the study of family mealtimes. From.
