In this increasingly fast-paced world, everyday activities are becoming reduced and penciled into spare 15-minute slots or shoved into the corners of busy days. Mealtimes are no exception, and it’s shocking to see how the meaning of a meal has evolved. Over time, what used to mean elaborate dishes and free-flowing conversation has been transformed into a mere fulfillment of one of the three basic needs.
The most obvious manifestation of the aforementioned trend is the popularity of grabbing breakfast or lunch “on the go.” It’s a valid claim that this “on the go” concept has become more and more common only because it’s become increasingly possible with the availability of portable foods. However, we have to keep in mind that companies tailor their products to consumer needs and market trends. Eating on the go is not only unhealthy, but limits mealtime to being a private affair.
Perhaps it’s not “our fault” that this behavior takes place: after all, everything is fighting for our attention nowadays. We’re in the age of multitasking, and it’s not uncommon for work to follow us wherever we go. The ‘no phones at the table’ rule seems archaic, and it’s quite normal to see an entire table of people on their phones, interacting with both their dining partners and others alike.
Some may argue that the quality of our meals has improved, but in actuality, only the quality of the food has seen progress. Eating has become more of an art than ever before and diners are spoilt for choice with a wide range of choices and cuisines. While eating foods we take for granted, but our ancestors would have deemed delicacies, there is often a silence hanging ominously in the air: participants of this meal are too engrossed in satiating hunger to be enjoying the company.
Given the extensive menu we’re privileged to choose from, it seems odd that elements like “conversation” and “family time” are no longer staples. Their disappearance can be attributed, in part, to the hustle and bustle we’re all caught up in, but the problem is mainly rooted in the gradual progression from face-to-face conversation to interactions that happenfrom behind digital screens.
Causes of this phenomenon aside, the outcome is clear: we’ve stripped down “mealtime” to the practical aspects, trimming the edges free of items we’ve come to deem dispensable. However, these elements of camaraderie and family are essential to develop, especially in the ever-changing international community where it’s sometimes hard to say where you’ll be next year. Below are some suggestions to rectify this situation in the hopes of injecting meaning into the three meals a day that we all enjoy.
Schedule it:
It is likely that dinner is one of the few sacred times that families can be together, as most school, work and errand schedules converge in time for the evening meal. Capitalize on the moment and work between schedules: makean effort to ensure weekday dinners are eaten as a family.
Finding a balance:
On the weekends, it’s undoubtedly easier to spend time with friends, since you have the option of choosing your dining partners. However, it’s important to allocate some of these mealtimes to be spent with your parents. Make Sunday dinners a regular part of the week and explore Beijing’s eats and treats with the family.
The cellphone tower:
One of the biggest distractions at the table in this day and age is the use of handheld electronics. The “cellphone tower” aims to negate that problem and calls for all the phones to be stacked in the middle of the table for the entirety of the meal. It also dictates that the first person to reach for their phone is penalized by either paying for the meal, or performing some other punishment.
Cooking up a storm:
Tired of eating out? Parents don’t want to drive? Try making a meal yourselves, using the internet (or UNIT-E) as your bottomless recipe box. Food tastes better when you’ve played a part in its making, and the fact that you have control over your dish’s ingredients could compensate for any sugary granola bars and other “on the go” treats you’ve been eating.
Editor’s note:The “cellphone tower” has become popular online, and was recently put into practice at a UNIT-E gathering where Dan Zhang, founding member, tech boss, and former column editor, was forced to wave at strangers for five minutes through the glass windows at Hatsune.
About UNIT-E
UNIT-E was founded in the spring of 2010 with the aim of establishing a non-profit, student-run magazine for international students in Beijing. Staffed by current students from a range of international schools, the magazine provides an amalgam of cultural tidbits, fragments of Beijing student life, and a broad spectrum of unique perspectives from a diverse group of young adults.
UNIT-E was founded in the spring of 2010 with the aim of establishing a non-profit, student-run magazine for international students in Beijing. Staffed by current students from a range of international schools, the magazine provides an amalgam of cultural tidbits, fragments of Beijing student life, and a broad spectrum of unique perspectives from a diverse group of young adults.
photo by Flickr user iweatherman
