I’m a wellbeing knowledgeable – this is the final word components to stop arguments over Christmas dinner

A wellbeing expert has created what she claims is the ultimate formula for a harmonious Christmas dinner.

In every family, the pressure of hosting the day and an excess of booze and resentment over stingy gifts can cause all that goodwill and festive cheer to rapidly disappear. 

Dr Eleanor Bryant, a professor of psychology at the University of Bradford, set out to devise the formula in response to research by Philips air fryers which revealed that two out of five families (42 per cent) cannot get through a meal without an argument.

The study of 2,000 consumers revealed that meal times often become a flashpoint for families, with the average household having some kind of falling out at the dining table four times a week.

The three biggest factors in meal-time disagreements are who cooks (77 per cent), who washes up (73 per cent) and screen use at the table (69 per cent).

In addition, nearly six in ten (59 per cent) parents say they will allow kids to use mobile phones and tablets when eating in order to make the experience less stressful.

And with the added pressure that comes with Christmas, these factors add up to a potential recipe for disharmony.

Now Dr Bryant has revealed how to limit tensions over Christmas dinner, and advises considering factors such as the time it takes to cook dinner and planning in advance for how many people you need to feed.  

Dr Bryant, an acclaimed expert in health and wellbeing, explained: ‘For families, the benefits of harmonious meal-times are countless.

A wellbeing expert has revealed the perfect formula for mealtime harmony this Christmas – as it’s revealed almost half the nation could be set for an argument over dinner (stock image)

‘It’s been shown that children who eat with their families do better academically and socially as well as having a lower risk of developing obesity.

‘But we all know that the stresses and strains of juggling what life throws at us makes this often easier said than done, none more so than at Christmas.

‘So, this formula has been specially developed, in order to help families find meal-time harmony this festive season.’

Dr Bryant’s formula is comprised of five initial factors, which are each given a score out of ten.

To reach a total for meal-time harmony, Dr Bryant takes tastiness (Y), multiplies it by healthiness (H) and divides it by cost (C).

This figure is then divided by the time to prepare food (T), multiplied by the number of mouths to feed (X).

Then, Dr Byrant takes the new total and multiplies it by a factor of 10 – which represents the ease and speed at which tasty meals can be prepared.

Previously, psychologist Nicholas Joyce from the University of South Florida revealed three tips for avoiding family arguments over Christmas in The Conversation. 

He advised people get through the big day by first managing their expectations of how it will go.

Dr Eleanor Bryant is a professor of psychology at the University of Bradford

Dr Bryant’s formula is comprised of five initial factors, which are each given a score out of ten

If relatives start to get under your skin, Mr Joyce recommends people either directly take control of the issue or let it go.

Finally, Mr Joyce advises people prepare themselves to likely feel irritated with their family members and plan ahead how they are going to respond.

Other advice has included preparing everything in advance to avoid last-minute stresses and making sure children aren’t overtired. 

It is also advised to limit alcohol and if things get too much, remove yourself from the situation to go for a walk or read a book to calm down.  

Sara Vaum, Senior Product Manager at Philips said: ‘For many families meal-times can be a source of unnecessary stress especially at Christmas

‘Finding that balance between feeding your loved ones nutritious and tasty meals and the time it takes to prepare them can be tricky.

‘Which is why we’ve enlisted the expert services of Dr. Bryant as we continue to develop new ways to help families achieve better balance in the kitchen.’