Snacking is killing off mealtimes

SITTING round the dining table used to be one of the few occasions families spent together.

But traditional mealtimes are becoming a thing of the past as millions resort to snacking and eating out instead.

Grazing throughout the day and eating on the hoof is the norm for more people than ever, according to a new study.

Britons eat out more than any other nation in Europe. More than a third of meals are eaten away from home compared with a fifth in Germany and a quarter in Holland.

The trend has emerged as people become increasingly strapped for time.

The breakdown of the nuclear family has also led to the loss of set mealtimes.

On average, Europeans eat 4.5 times a day. Forty per cent of their meals are

snacks, according to market analyst Datamonitor.

Spokesman Dominik Nosalik said: 'Manufacturers and retailers must meet consumer demands for healthier snacking and also develop new meal-snack hybrids that match the way we eat today.'

Eating out will become even more widespread in the next five years.

By 2007, shoppers in Europe will spend £57billion on food and drink away fromhome, an increase of £8billion on last year's figure.

The survey also found shoppers had started defining meals by function rather than by occasion. They want food which is filling and nutritious rather than appropriate for high tea or supper.