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IKEA just released its new Cooking & Eating report, a global snapshot of how we do both of those today, habits and quirks included. Some findings won’t surprise anyone, like our collective frustration with too little counter and storage space, but one stat stood out to us: “Dinner seems to happen everywhere. Eighteen percent of us eat on the sofa.”
So go ahead and feel validated eating dinner on the sofa, because it turns out nearly one in five people have the same evening routine. The Swedish retailer surveyed over 31,000 respondents across 31 markets (from the U.S. to Slovenia to Japan) and found that the dining table isn’t disappearing exactly, but it’s taking a different form.
“Despite the emotional importance of food, shared meals are under pressure,” says Lorena Lourido Gomez, global food manager of IKEA Retail. “Busy schedules, compact living, and competing priorities make it harder for people to come together, not just at the same time, but in the same place.” Meal multitasking is the new norm: according to IKEA, 54 percent of people watch TV when eating alone and 40 recent do so while eating with their housemates.
If dinner and the couch are now a package deal, we’re all for it—but your setup deserves a little intention. Below, our favorite ways to upgrade your sofa supper.
The design world’s favorite TV tray table has a chrome swirl base that slides under the couch or around corners and a removable tray attachment. Get it in cobalt or off-white.
A bestseller for a reason, IKEA’s Resgods bamboo tray will blend into pretty much any interior and can be used in bed if you prefer breakfast in another soft locale.
A cutting board can serve as a makeshift TV tray (just put a pillow or two underneath to adjust the height). This colorful chopping block from Fredericks and Mae adds a little whimsy.
Urban Outfitters
Jalen Folding Tray Side Table
$169
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This green polycarbonate folding table easily tucks away post-meal, but it’s stylish enough to be a 24/7 side table.
Design Within Reach
Offi Mag Table
$345
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Use this molded birch plywood table as a mini coffee table when positioned horizontally or a TV dinner tray when positioned vertically.
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