The family that cooks together bonds better. So says a new survey of nearly 2,000 people in the United Kingdom, where it was long traditional to call the kids into the kitchen for cooking lessons. In the study, commissioned by the British baking company Dr. Oetker International and reported in the June 6 edition of the International Business Times, 59% of survey respondents said they consider food-prep time great family-bonding time. More than a quarter (27%) named “baking with parents or grandparents” among their fondest childhood memories, and 33% said home-cookers make better parents. The news isn’t all straight out of Mary Poppins, though: Despite the widespread high regard for family cookery, most respondents said they don’t have the time or knowledge to actually put their passion into practice. Another third admitted they’re put off by the thought of washing pots and pans afterwards. Still, the intriguing study puts yet more meat on the bone of all the evidence to come out in recent years showing a strong correlation between the family meal and kids who do well, study hard and stay out of trouble.

Kevin Bedan illustration