THIS is the number one dinnertime challenge for parents…

Brought to you by Chicago Town The Pizza Kitchen.

We asked; you answered. The results of our big mealtime survey are in... and they make for interesting reading.

We called on our loyal HerFamily readers to share some insights around family dinner; one of the most stressful parts of the day for many. The No 1. dinnertime challenge for Irish parents? The length of time it takes to prepare something to suit everyone. The survey of over 1,000 Irish parents, commissioned by Chicago Town’s The Pizza Kitchen, has revealed that a lack of time, differing tastes and fussy little eaters are the biggest challenges faced by Irish parents at mealtimes. Over 80 percent of parents said they spend more time preparing and cooking their meal than actually enjoying it. A quarter of parents said that by the time they’ve cooked for everyone else, they no longer feel hungry themselves and 22 percent said they would go without dinner if it meant their children finished their meal. Perhaps not surprisingly, just under 70 percent of Irish parents said that getting a meal handed to them was their favourite thing. In terms of planning and preparing meals in advance, just over half of parents said they prepare meals at the weekend for the week ahead ‘whenever they get the time.’ But 64 percent said they’d rather spend their weekend having quality time with their kids instead of in the kitchen. The survey also revealed that family eating patterns had changed with mealtimes having to fit in with different schedules (17 percent) and just under a quarter of families ‘only sometimes or never’ getting an opportunity to sit down and share a meal together (24 percent). Fussy little eaters were also a big challenge for parents at mealtimes with 45 percent saying their no. One tactic for getting their children to eat was by compromising with the child and getting them to eat a few more spoonfuls. Other successful tactics used by parents included putting food out on the table to share so they can choose for themselves (20 percent). TOP 10 TACTICS USED BY IRISH PARENTS FOR FUSSY LITTLE EATERS 1. Compromise by getting the child to eat a few more spoonsfuls - 45% 2. Liquidise or hide vegetables in their meals – 26% 3. Put all the food out on the table and let them choose – 20% 4. Separate each food item on their plate – 18% 5. Feed them even though they can feed themselves – 15% 6. Cut their food into really small pieces – 9% 7. Bribe them with dessert – 14% 8. Play aeroplanes and choo choo trains with the spoon – 11% 9. Tell them they're not allowed to leave the table until they finish – 11% 10. Cut their food into a certain shape – 9% "This research shows that although parents see spending time with their family as paramount, it is becoming more and more difficult for time strapped Irish families to get an opportunity to sit down and share a meal together." says Jennifer Coffey, Marketing Manager, Chicago Town’s The Pizza Kitchen. "Parents are struggling to find the time to prepare meals and convenient meal solutions that suit everyone's tastes and differing schedules." The takeaway? There's a lot of pressure on parents to serve up tasty and wholesome food to their families, but not a lot of time to meet everybody's unique expectations on a daily basis. Our advice is to keep doing the best you can - a well fed child is a happy child. Oh, and if in doubt, pizza is always a winner. Want to put a smile on your family’s face? Chicago Town The Pizza Kitchen combines unique fresh dough with generous toppings to guarantee clean plates (even the crusts!) and smiles all round! The Pizza Kitchen has a unique fresh dough giving it a delicious crisp crust which tastes like tiger bread. The pizzas are generously topped with mouth-watering fresh toppings for a fresher tasting pizza. The tasty new flavours include Cheese Medley, Deli Pepperoni, and Roasted Chicken. The Pizza Kitchen is available in supermarkets nationwide.