What do you actually do while eating alone?

April 7, 2013 11:50 AM

Help me avoid the pitfall of watching trashy TV while I eat!

I eat most of my meals alone. While eating breakfast and lunch I generally read Metafilter/check my emails but in the evenings I like to eat things which require a knife and fork so I've developed the habit of watching TV sitcoms (often of dubious quality) while I eat.

What are some better alternatives? (Bonus points if you used to watch TV too and can tell me how you made the transition)

I'm normally not very stimulation hungry - I can just sit and think to myself quite happily for half an hour or so but eating seems to be different.

posted by neilb449 to Food & Drink (33 answers total)

I usually listen to podcasts, and I keep them going while I clean up/wash up.
posted by Tomorrowful at 11:52 AM on April 7, 2013 [5 favorites]

I like to do cryptic crosswords. It's lots of thinking and only occasional writing, so doesn't tie up my hands that much.
posted by shelleycat at 12:00 PM on April 7, 2013 [2 favorites]

I try to listen to good things if I'm not in the middle of a book on my ipad: audiobooks, sports broadcasts (radio), music, radio programs. I also sit in the kitchen, where I don't have a TV. Makes it easier to resist if it's not an option.
posted by clone boulevard at 12:00 PM on April 7, 2013 [1 favorite]

Read a good magazine. Don't just flip through - read mindfully, each page slowly and in order. It seems everyone is all about the distraction-free eating, but I found that a good magazine was the perfect level of "silent conversation" to keep me from eating too fast.
posted by beyond_pink at 12:01 PM on April 7, 2013

When I did eat in the living room in front of the TV, I only watched things I'd DVR'd. No casual channel surfing, ever. That's the rule for TV anyway!
posted by clone boulevard at 12:01 PM on April 7, 2013

Read something that's not on the computer? If you have a paper book, lay it out in front of you. If you have an e-reader it's even easier. Magazines are great for this, too.

I'm also drawn to watching TV while I eat/knit/do other mindless tasks. It helps me to really consider the amount of pleasure I'm getting out of something. Am I really enjoying watching this? If so, I'm fine with it. If not, I should replace it with something I would enjoy more, like an interesting article or book.
posted by chaiminda at 12:02 PM on April 7, 2013

I used to be you (a week ago!). Every meal I was either in front of my computer or on the couch, even fork-and-knife dinner. After the meal I would still find myself sitting there.

Finally I got tired of watching reality tv reruns, and I also spend enough time in front of the computer at work already. I decided to start a subscription to the Economist, but any magazines/books would do. Because it comes every week I have to make sure I don't fall behind, so no more TV for me, not even for background noise. Now I actually use my dining table!
posted by lucia_engel at 12:26 PM on April 7, 2013

I read books. I cut up my food beforehand if neccessary.
posted by windykites at 12:44 PM on April 7, 2013 [7 favorites]

Not exactly what you were looking for, but I just heard THIS podcast about eating alone on NPR.
posted by The Architect at 12:44 PM on April 7, 2013 [1 favorite]

I listen to podcasts or watch news/sports.

I think you actually don't want something too engrossing, because if you're eating something good you want to enjoy it, esp if it's not particularly cheap or healthy. Otherwise you're so distracted you may as well have crackers and water.

I think there was some study that said people eat more when eating with others because they're not paying as much attention to their food.
posted by TheSecretDecoderRing at 12:58 PM on April 7, 2013 [1 favorite]

I discovered reading during dinner (by necessity, granted) over the last 18 months, and it's some of my best reading time of the day.

In my case what works best is something that reads easily and enjoyable. Brow-furrowing history or literary criticism or what-have-you doesn't really work. I'm in the middle of a biography of Louise Brooks, and that's been perfect. Similarly, a recent biography of the Emperor Julian and music histories.

The iPad is great because there's no issue with page turning, particularly for thick books that don't lay flat on the table, but I read as much from physical books as from e-books. With unobtrusive music in the background.
posted by the sobsister at 12:59 PM on April 7, 2013

I make a to-do list. Cut up some food, eat it while writing, think about what else to write while cutting up food, write some more or reorder list, and so on. I find it calming to check things off and get myself organized.
posted by blnkfrnk at 1:02 PM on April 7, 2013

Read a book! Both the mister and I read while we're eating. Conversation is difficult because of food in the mouth and we're both hard of hearing and chewing exacerbates that. We even take books when we eat out (we talk before and after food, but read while we eat).
posted by deborah at 1:03 PM on April 7, 2013

Lots of reading. My kindle is actually better for this than a real book: the kindle lays flat where a book is lumpy/sometimes flips over, which means I can use both hands for my knife & fork, where a deadtree book means I have to dedicate one hand just to that; and if something dripped on the kindle's screen, it'll wipe clean much easier than paper would.

Also: try to make your meals more 'formal', if you will: only eat sitting properly in a dining room chair at the table with the TV entirely off, not even just playing quietly in the background: no snacking & running, no breakfasts standing at the kitchen counter, no sandwiches wandering around the house. All food eaten only while seated at the table.

Basically, you've got to change your entire eating ambience, not just sitting in the same old living room chair trying to keep the TV off.
posted by easily confused at 1:07 PM on April 7, 2013

Concurring with those who recommend e-readers for reading-while-eating.
posted by mskyle at 1:22 PM on April 7, 2013 [1 favorite]

nthing podcasts, especially if, like me, you have a hard time reading more than a few sentences while eating.
posted by Beardman at 1:30 PM on April 7, 2013

Another vote for reading a book. Bonus: If you're reading a real book (non-e) you can use your plate to hold the book open.
posted by scratch at 1:33 PM on April 7, 2013

Read a book, read a book, yes read a book.
posted by fivesavagepalms at 1:38 PM on April 7, 2013 [1 favorite]

As with several people here, I read books. But usually paper books (I have several on the go, in various print and digital formats, at any one time), as I save the kindle books for travel, to save on weight and space.

The city you live in has some great public libraries. There's your source of books. Books you don't need to purchase. Go browse! Let serendipity bring you unexpected knowledge and pleasure. Borrow at no cost (in fact, as you're paying for them via taxation, it is logical to borrow and read them anyway). Heck, Edinburgh is associated more closely with the book, in its flourishing, than arguably any other city. You're practically obliged to read them :)
posted by Wordshore at 1:52 PM on April 7, 2013

Why not watch things that are actually good instead of trashy TV?

Watch movies you've always wanted to see.

Watch the latest "appointment" TV like Game Of Thrones, Mad Men, Girls, Justified, Walking Dead, etc.

Marathon through an old series like Lost, The West Wing, The Wire, Battlestar Galactica, etc.

I eat dinner alone, usually do so staring at a screen, and rarely find myself watching trashy junk that makes me dumber.
posted by Sara C. at 2:12 PM on April 7, 2013 [3 favorites]

I travel the globe for business, and often have to eat solo in my hotel room.

- I plan long term projects with each meal. Safaris, excursions, house purchase, plans for significant other & family, etc. The large nature of these projects give me something continuous to chew on, while making progress.

- I project my e-book onto an entire hotel wall as I enjoy the meal. The large, crisp view of each page overwhelms the ambience and gives me an impressive immersion into the story, especially with the lowering of lights.
posted by Kruger5 at 2:29 PM on April 7, 2013 [1 favorite]

French or Belgian comics and classical music. Works like a dream. Little old school but who cares.
posted by Namlit at 2:43 PM on April 7, 2013 [1 favorite]

I often just eat and watch the world out the dining room window.
posted by michellenoel at 3:49 PM on April 7, 2013

n-thing podcasts, or audiobooks. Or subscribe to the librivox podcast and get audiobooks in your podcast stream!

Hands down, spoken audio is my favorite thing for times when there's nothing to distract my mind, but my hands aren't free.
posted by clerestory at 3:58 PM on April 7, 2013

This is not really ALONE alone, but it's kind of fun to skype with someone else who is also eating (not necessarily alone).
posted by emeiji at 5:37 PM on April 7, 2013

I listen to podcasts, or read books. The reading is much easier to do one handed with an e-reader.

The podcasts are faciliated by decent headphones.

When travelling, I load up my ipad with decent TV shows or movies, so I don't have to watch whatever crap is screening on broadcast TV at the time.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 5:47 PM on April 7, 2013

Go outside! I love eating on my patio or even just standing on the walk. (YMMV with a knife and fork/wind/boring or unpleasant neighborhood.)
posted by wintersweet at 5:58 PM on April 7, 2013

I read over breakfast - book, magazine, whatever. Lunch, if I'm not catching up with someone, is more reading. Dinner, if I'm not catching up with someone, is usually watching something I've chosen - I have been re-watching "The West Wing" lately, but have also gone through "Fringe" and various other series that I never catch on TV. This is made easier by the fact that my aerial is wonky and while it works sometimes, it often fails. I rarely watch actual TV anymore. Quickflix is my dinner companion (films too).

I keep hearing about mindful eating but I have to confess that whenever I've tried, I last a couple of bites and then look around for something to read.
posted by Athanassiel at 6:19 PM on April 7, 2013

You could look at old photo albums or books comprised mainly of photographs or pictures of art.

On TV, you could play a slideshow or watch a relaxation video.

If you have a patio or balcony, eating while watching the activity on the street can be a nice complement to good dinner.
posted by Bokmakierie at 7:03 PM on April 7, 2013

I used to watch MST3K tapes. YMMV on MST3K, I guess I'm just saying watch better TV (or movies) :)
posted by agress at 8:17 PM on April 7, 2013 [1 favorite]

Cookery programmes! I find my enjoyment of the food I'm eating - whether it's something very fancy I've spent an hour cooking for myself, or something very simple I flung together - is enhanced if I watch a cookery programme at the same time.
posted by Acheman at 1:14 AM on April 8, 2013

I don't always do this, but I frequently just turn on some music and then really listen to it. Music is so often kind of a backdrop in life, it's nice to allow it to be the main event once in a while.
posted by Defenestrator at 10:34 AM on April 8, 2013

I read Reddit on my iPad while I eat, but only if there is no one else around.
posted by PuppetMcSockerson at 4:29 AM on April 9, 2013