How long does it take you to eat a meal?

totaldetermination

I had 400cals worth of porridge for breakfast (made with milk).

I happened to notice the time on a clock before and after eating and it took me 7 minutes to eat the entire bowl.

It seems awfully fast.

I'm not in a hurry to do anything today, and I wasn't planning on timing myself so I think that is a pretty typical eating rate.
(I wasn't doing anything whilst eating. I was sitting at the table, focusing on my meal.)

I think meals would be more emotionally satisfying if they took longer.

How long do your meals take ?

tiptoethruthetulips

I would eat breakfast a whole quicker than that. I tend to be a quick eater, someone I work with can take up to 30 minutes to eat an average size meal.

Sued0nim

No idea

from 30 seconds to 3 hours dependent on company and wine

Alatariel75

Breakfast, a few minutes. Dinner, maybe 10 minutes? lunch can take me up to an hour because I eat at my desk.

novembersuse

I'm always trying to slow down. By the time I get to meals, I practically inhale them, I'm so hungry. Lunchtime sandwiches are ALWAYS gone in under 5 minutes. I think you're right though, if I could pace myself it would seem to go further...

totaldetermination

Growing up, breakfast and dinner were always eaten together with my family (and conversation); and so meals always took much longer.

I wonder if that is why I now find meals alone so unsatisfying ?

choppie70

I am a fast eater. I teach so I am usually eating my lunch while I am doing other things. At home I am usually the last one served and the first one finished!

Patriciaenola

Eating hastily could mean missing essential nutrients - but if you are too slow it indicates that you like cold food - unfortunately - a family connection has been broken because they like to chivvy one into "speeding up for gods-sakes" - unkind - but they are like eating in an oinkery - it is solely a matter of preference my best buddies eat heartily and enjoy their food - but not piggishly - they do not shovel it in like stoking a freaking boiler - suggestion = if you are alone - maybe THEN you eat quickly - I believe I DO - OFTEN - are you a scorpion Suse - so am I

KateTii

It really varies. One thing i've found with porridge is that if you eat with a teaspoon it feels as if it lasts longer!

totaldetermination

KateTii wrote: »

It really varies. One thing i've found with porridge is that if you eat with a teaspoon it feels as if it lasts longer!

I'll give that a try

oolou

I prefer eating alone, as while I do eat slightly faster than the rest of my family - I also eat smaller portion sizes than them. It can be quite torturous watching them eat when I have finished. I've tried slowing down - taking sips of water, putting down my knife and fork inbetween bites and so on ... but it's still a rare occasion when I'm not first to finish. So really I prefer to eat alone, so I can clear up straight away and put food out of my mind until the next meal. The social aspect of the meal? Not too worried about that as I see and chat a lot with family outside of meals.

Whitezombiegirl

I had a small bowl of porridge for dinner last night (30g oats). Took me about 25 mins to eat. I have always eaten very annoyinly slowly.

Lounmoun

I don't know.
I'd guess that it varies with type of food, if I'm eating alone, or if I am eating while doing something.
I'm going to guess 10-20 minutes. I'll try to pay attention this week and see if I am right.
ETA- Breakfast today took 15 minutes for toast, an apple, and a glass of water while reading and speaking to dh.

ki4eld

30-45 minutes. Sometimes, I need to re-heat the food in the middle. That's ok. Eating fast causes me to overeat, so I purposefully slow down.

PaulaWallaDingDong

Not more than 15 minutes. I seem to feel more satisfied when I eat a bit faster. I don't socialize while I eat, either. Since I'm tracking calories and portioning everything out, there's no chance of going back for seconds. I'm not looking to fill time with food.

nordlead2005

about twice as fast as most people and 4x as fast as a slow eater. I once ate my entire burger before my co-worker ate even 1/4 of his sandwich when we were on business travel.

Now, if you ask me how long I sit at the table with others, the answer is until everyone leaves.

Patriciaenola wrote: »

Eating hastily could mean missing essential nutrients

what?

Sued0nim

nordlead2005 wrote: »

about twice as fast as most people and 4x as fast as a slow eater. I once ate my entire burger before my co-worker ate even 1/4 of his sandwich when we were on business travel.

Now, if you ask me how long I sit at the table with others, the answer is until everyone leaves.

Patriciaenola wrote: »

Eating hastily could mean missing essential nutrients

what?

if you eat so quick you miss your mouth? perhaps?

Need2Exerc1se

I depends on many factors. Anywhere from a few minutes to a couple of hours or more. I can't even begin to guess what the average time would be.

chandanista

I prefer to eat fast, personally.

VintageFeline

It would take me an age to eat 400 calories of porridge! (My serving is usually 200-250). But generally I think I'm probably an average eater. Bit slower if in company and chatting. I'm not slow though, reheating mid way?! Nope! I just couldn't stand sitting staring at a plate of food for ages while I slowly worked my way through it. Eat and done.

Francl27

Lunch is close to 2 hours sometimes but most of that is just drinking coffee while browsing the Web lol. Otherwise, the meal itself is eaten in 5 minutes typically, unless it's soup or salad, then it takes longer, obviously (and oatmeal probably takes 10 minutes). Really depends on how hungry and distracted I am though.

spilledmilk

Breakfast 10-15 mins (at my desk)
Lunch 10-20 mins
Dinner 20-30 mins

I'm a pretty slow eater.

wrenak

Depends on the food/situation. I am almost always slower than my kids & husband (they're often done by the time I'm settling in with my own food), but I am faster than other people I know. When I was a kid I had a friend who would take 30 minutes to eat a freaking sandwich. Like, pb&j. Mine was gone in 5 minutes or less. Might be one reason why she was always underweight and I was always overweight.

mygnsac

I'm usually the last one at the table. I find if I eat too quickly I tend to want to eat more. By slowing it down its easier for me to judge when I've had enough. It usually takes me 20-30 minutes to eat a meal. I had a bowl of chicken tortilla soup for lunch today and it took me nearly 30 minutes to finish it.

brb_2013

I have always been a slower eater, lunch and dinner take anywhere from 20-40 minutes.