Here are the top hurdles parents say they face during dinnertime

Sixty-one percent of parents say mealtimes are one of the only times they’re able to fully engage their child without distraction.

That’s according to a new survey of 2,000 Americans with kids in kindergarten through sixth grade.

Dealing with picky eaters, getting kids to sit at the table, and cleaning up after a meal were revealed as some of the top hurdles faced by parents at dinnertime.

The survey, conducted by Talker Research on behalf of HP, explored how parents make the most of dinnertime to connect with their children — and what gets in the way.

Results showed that even when engagement does happen at mealtime, it doesn’t last long as 41% of parents said they don’t talk as much as they’d like.

Another 77% agree it’s a good opportunity for learning, and 87% believe small moments at the table can have a long-term, positive impact on their child’s development.

The good news is families are making time for each other around the table. Just one in five parents said this was a struggle for them (22%).

Thirty-eight percent of parents feel pressure to make dinnertime meaningful, and 24% admit they often intend to do learning activities at home but don’t follow through.

“Parents are juggling so much,” said Dr. Elizabeth Bonawitz, an associate professor of Learning Sciences at Harvard University, who collaborated with HP to create resources such as educational placemats to support parents in making mealtime more interactive. “But kids don’t always need hands-on activities to learn and be engaged. Light conversations, especially those built around thought experiments and generating explanations, can spark curiosity, creativity, and real understanding. It doesn’t have to be perfect to be powerful.”

When asked what would make dinner more engaging, parents gravitated toward small, kid-driven moments like letting children help choose (35%) or even cook (37%) the meal, building in silly or storytelling time (29%), or using conversation prompts that spark curiosity (21%).

More than half of parents said they’d use printed activities with games, “what if” questions, or personal memory challenges at the table.

“Mealtimes are a wonderful opportunity for connection,” said Dr. Bonawitz. “They offer a natural setting for children to ask questions, share experiences, and engage in meaningful conversations. These everyday interactions are foundational for building trust, curiosity, rapport, and for supporting broader cognitive development. Small, low-effort shifts such as the free Bite Size lessons from HP can transform dinner into a moment of connection and discovery,” said Dr. Bonawitz.

TOP 10 HURDLES AT MEALTIME

1. Cleaning up the mess afterward (35%)
2. Dealing with picky eating or food complaints (33%)
3. Getting my children to actually sit still and eat (24%)
4. Managing different schedules and routines (22%)
5. Getting everyone to the table at the same time (21%)
6. Trying to cook while managing homework and chaos (18%)
7. Keeping screens away without a meltdown (17%)
8. Just finding the energy to make it happen (17%)
9. Getting anyone to talk beyond “fine” and “I don’t know” (11%)
10. Feeling like I have to make it meaningful or educational (7%)

Survey methodology:

Talker Research surveyed 2,000 parents with children in grades K through 6; the survey was commissioned by HP and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between May 29 – June 5, 2025.