You've heard of 'girl dinner', right? The viral TikTok trend started by creator Olivia Maher, which consists of a low-effort, snack-based meal that reduces the exorbitant mental and physical load of making dinner. Much has been written about this phenomenon. Some have argued that it's infantilising. Some have argued it's disordered. Others have said it's just not that deep.
I don't have a whole lot to say about Girl Dinner per se. What I want to talk about today is the related but separate practice of Mum Dinner, which I submit is under-theorised. So let's talk about it!
I'm going to work this up into a full essay when I'm out of the unpacking/sorting/dusting/Easter Holiday trenches. But for now, I'd love to hear from you all about what 'Mum Dinner' means to you.
Over the years I've worked with a lot of parents. Specifically mothers. And I've heard a variation of the same story from them over and over again. They cook elaborate meals for their children. Organic. Local. Nutrient Dense. Intentional. Clean. No UPFs. Shepherd's pies with lentils and sweet potatoes. Salmon broccoli and quinoa bites. Pea and asparagus orzo. They spend hours and hours researching recipes, planning meals, sourcing ingredients, cooking, and cleaning. They feed their kids, bathe them, and get them into bed.
Before having a kid, this behaviour baffled me. Why not just sit and eat with the kids? But since becoming a parent, and especially since becoming a solo parent (half of the time), I get it. You don't want to eat dinner at 5pm. You need to clean and tidy while the kids are occupied eating. You want to eat in peace. You don't want a bastardised kid version of something. You want to eat with another adult or with Bridgerton on.
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Mum Dinner is now a fixture.
It can take many forms. Toast after kids have gone to bed is one. Eating cold chips and peas and other scraps off of their plates is another. A bar of chocolate and a glass of wine is a common permutation. Sometimes out of necessity, you eat the bastardised kid version.
I want to hear from you. What is your experience of Mum Dinner? What form does it take? Why does it happen? Take this in whatever direction you want, but I'm interested in how is it different from or similar to Girl Dinner. What are the qualities of Mum Dinner? Is it driven by convenience or exhaustion or being the primary carer of young kids (or are those the same thing?). Why has Girl Dinner blown up, but Mum Dinner feels under-examined? Is Dad Dinner a thing? Lots to think about!
