Looking at the “lifestyle habits of modern British families,” the research also revealed that, of the 2,000 families with children living at home polled, the average family in a year:
- Uses 60 boxes of teabags
- Drinks 220 pints of milk
- Eats 102 plates of pasta
- Eats 60 tubs of butter / margarine
- Uses 48 bottles of ketchup
- Drinks 65 bottles of wine
- Eats 116 loaves of bread - equivalent to 2,320 slices of toast
With such a robust diet, it’s no wonder 62% described themselves as a “very happy family” - a further 36% claiming to be “happy most of the time” – and that we share 1,435 hugs, 1,492 kisses, 972 fits of laughter and 489 bouts of dancing a year.
We meanwhile spend 13 hours and 48 minutes waiting for the kettle to boil, and 489 hours watching TV.
Calling the nation “generally a happy bunch,” head of life insurance at Virgin Money, Jayne Warner, explained: “Our study took an in-depth look at the lifestyle habits of modern British families, and the results are heart warming.
“We all lead such busy lives – with parents in particular having to carefully balance the demands of working life with the daily challenges that come with running a family home. Despite this, the research shows families still make time to love, laugh and have fun together.
“These survey findings also reflect how much we depend on each other to keep family life running smoothly” – 90% saying family is “the most important thing in their life.”
“We’re struck by how hard it would be for many families to cope without the support of their partner and/or their wider family (two thirds of parents admitting they “simply couldn’t manage without the help and support of their partner.”)
“It emphasises how crucial it is to ensure that we have plans in place to keep family life going no matter what life throws at us.”