Do you listen to music while you eat a meal?

[A Cute Earring]

I enjoy classic, straight up jazz (no vocals) or classical (solo piano, sonatas etc) while eating a proper meal at home. Including entertaining friends or family.
I know some people who insist on no music during a meal at home. I’m wondering what others prefer…

 

[Chrispy]

Mostly in prep of a meal rather than just consuming it....

 

[GD Fan]

Music is a must. Either when dining alone or with others. And especially when dining with others and crunchy, noisy food is involved!

 

[A Cute Earring]

Music is a must. Either when dining alone or with others. And especially when dining with others and crunchy, noisy food is involved!

Never thought about the noisy food, but of course!

 

[Multicore]

When I'm out I don't have a choice, there's always something on. When I'm working in the kitchen, yes, I like to have music. When eating then usually we don't. When guests are present then sometimes.

 

[Keith_W]

There are studies that show that music listening during a meal can improve the eating experience. There is also music that ruins the experience, like the Viet pop you find in Vietnamese restaurants. That music is so bad. But then I have come to expect that awful music, it goes with the terrible decor to create the ambience of a Vietnamese restaurant. Eating a bowl of Pho wouldn't be the same without it.

 

[Trdat]

This is a great question, definitely listen while preparing food however I try to minimize it while eating. I suppose the idea is to be as relaxed as possible while digesting. However in my case the music is fast and hard hence the reason why I minimize it. Would I listen if the music is slow and relaxing? Well, I think generally I don't like to be distracted while eating.

 

[MattHooper]

I would usually listen to music while prepping a meal. Just a kitchen, smart speaker usually.

But in the past few years I’ve taken to listening to less music in the background.
I generally prefer to listen to music when I have time to put more attention to it. Which is usually listening to music through my audio system.

There’s also thing that if I’m listening to music a lot in the background, I kind of get “music’d out” and want to take a break from music rather than listen to more of it on my system.
So to a certain degree listening to music in the background Impedes a bit of my desire to sit down and listen to music later on to my system.

I guess it’s a little bit like some people who find taking a nap during the day ultimately impedes the quality of their sleep

 

[Doodski]

I listen to music and videos while wearing my headphones at my desk.

 

[beeface]

I might listen to music or a podcast via headphones with lunch during the work week. not really a "music in the background" guy

 

[Waxx]

No, if something is playing it's video (mostly youtube docu's). But very often it's silent and i'm looking outside to the birds in my garden as entertainment while eating.

 

[Somafunk]

Usually do, as I eat at my desk in front of my iMac I either watch something on YouTube or listen to music

 

[wadude]

Music while eating is fine. Listening to music is an intentional thing for me. If it’s on, there’s a reason and the content is chosen. I do enjoy picking music for social occasions, but even if it’s seemingly in the background there’s a part of me paying attention.

 

[Scytales]

I usually listen to the radio (a classic/jazz station or a good old rock/pop station) when I take meal indoor.

 

[Mart68]

I like to watch the TV while I eat.

 

[Thighsofsteel]

Roberts Internet radio. Recently found a group of Dutch radio stations called Radio 10. Great music

 

[bluefuzz]

When alone I listen to music while eating but with company I would never have music on. I don't enjoy cafés, bars, resaurants or private parties with piped 'background' music. If I'm expected to talk, interact or otherwise communicate with someone else I don't want competition from any music ...

 

[Count Arthur]

When alone I listen to music while eating but with company I would never have music on. I don't enjoy cafés, bars, resaurants or private parties with piped 'background' music. If I'm expected to talk, interact or otherwise communicate with someone else I don't want competition from any music ...

I'm with you on that. I really don't like "background" music. I sometimes get an uncomfortable sensation, trying to listen to two things at once.

Even when I listen to music while reading a book, I prefer instrumental tracks and albums, so the lyrics don't distract me.

 

[bluefuzz]

Even when I listen to music while reading a book, I prefer instrumental tracks and albums, so the lyrics don't distract me.

Yes, or if there are lyrics then preferably in a language I don't understand. But even voiceless, calm, Enoesque ambient music can still be too distracting in some situations. If I'm trying to work or concentrate on something, i.e. communicate with myself, then only silence will do. However, I find unstructured industrial sounds, noise rock or free jazz less distracting than more 'normal' music. But I fear my dinner guests may not appreciate Merzbow as accompaniment to their chicken tikka ...

 

[Hal_01]

If its a "sit down" meal at the dining table then No. I feel this would be quite rude actually, unless of course you invited your new hot date and you are playing Rafael's Bolero. Think "10".
On the other hand If i am stuffing my face while surfing the Internet, then I might have some streaming going with who knows what on the Que. Maybe Boston-- Foreplay/Longtime blasting out.