Eating food in bed.

[emglow101]

I hear about people eating food in bed. Breakfast, crackers,etc.... I choose not to.Do like to eat or snack in bed? With the exemption of being bedridden.

[NellyNel]

I'm also surprised by the amount of "Nevers" here!

I do.
When I was married, breakfast was a lovely Sunday morning treat in bed while listening to some music and having a read..
When I moved out on my own, I gave up that tradition, and hadnt eaten in bed for a few years.

Until recently, that is..
My recent companion is allergic to my cats, and doesnt like them very much.
The front rooms of my apt. are all open to each other, so we often hide ourselves away from them, into the bedroom, where we can close the door. So, our meals together are always taken together on the bed.
This can be a very romantic and cozy experience!!
I don't have a tv in the bedroom, so there are no distractions at all, and we can focus on each other and the food.
Crumbs in the bed?
Who cares!?

[James Cristinian]

As a mere child my big brother may me mad, go figure, and being physically mismatched I retaliated by pouring a bunch of salt in his bed. As my mom would say, he screamed bloody murder, I got yelled at and had to change the sheets, but it was worth it. Another tactic of mine was sneaking up and pouring cold water on him while he took a hot shower. Sweet revenge!

[Jackie007]

I do pretty often.

[Lillipop]

Sometimes I do.I put a giant clean towel down and plop down on top of my bed to watch a movie on my laptop and eat a small meal like a bowl of salad and fresh baked bread or a bowl of ice cold home grown orange slices.I drink wine...champagne and coffee in bed all of the time sometimes in succession:)

[prolix]

I love coffee in bed, or a little pre-sleep sweet. I just had a few dried apricots & cherries in bed not ten minutes ago, as a matter of fact.

[latindancer]

My fondest memories are of our young children eating in bed with us, after ordering a ton of great food from room service in one of our favorites hotels while watching cartoons.
Of course, afterward, the sheets were changed so all the crumbs were gone.
Unless the bedding is changed immediately afterward I don't do it.

[tcamp]

Don't enjoy it and that predates the arrival of dogs who would make it a truly annoying experience.

Plus, I'm an early bird so I'd have to wait around in bed if expected anyone to bring me coffee/food. Not happening.

[KarenDW]

The Coffee Fairy stops in at my room every day. And on the weekend we have food in bed, too. So long as the crumbs are removed, daily, I have no problem with eating in bed. Honestly, I have more resistance to newspapers in bed. But really, IMHO, a leisurely weekend includes reading the paper, with coffee in hand, in bed.

[HillJ]

The Coffee Fairy, great business name :)

[Ruth Lafler]

I'm surprised at the number of "nevers" -- I eat in (or rather, on) bed all the time. I just set my bowl (because wide shallow bowls are better than plates for eating in bed) aside, in fact.

I also use my laptop in bed, read in bed, play with my dog in bed, watch TV in bed, pretty much do everything in bed. Including sleep, and I have no problems with "sleep hygiene"!

[tastesgoodwhatisit]

For me it's a carry over from years of living in shared accommodation and dorm rooms, where I had one room that was mine, and private. If I wanted some quiet, or didn't like what was on TV, or didn't feel like eating sitting on the couch, I'd go to my room.

And sitting on the bed for reading/laptop/eating was generally more comfortable than sitting at a computer table in a desk chair.

[fldhkybnva]

I think you hit the nail on the head for me. I never ate in bed as a kid but do it a lot as an adult but in college nearly any meals consumed in my room I ate in my bed which also where I used to study many nights. No kitchen, no table, more comfortable and the desk was not inviting :)

[Ruth Lafler]

Yes, that's a big part of it for me, too, since I've always had housemates (inherited house I can't really afford to live in alone). I actually have to consciously remind myself to sit down in other parts of the house. It's actually quite ludicrous: I have a large kitchen with a nice, sunny eating area, a large dining room (with a separate cozy seating area) and a large living room and I barely use any of them! I think the eating in bed thing became chronic after the TV in the kitchen died and I didn't replace it.

[fldhkybnva]

Yea even though I now have a table, I don't think I've ever had a meal there unless I happen to have others over. If it's just me, it's always on the couch. I guess I must think I'm still a college student, oh well works for me.

[liza219]

I definitely thinks it's the college thing.....when in school, we did everything on the bed..study, eat talk, hang out. The bed wasn't seen as a private area.....if anything communal. That's usually the first thing you go to when visiting another student's room. Still feel that way now. My hubs on the other hand sees it as a place to sleep and that's it. We meet in the middle. I hang out in bed, reading, sewing, snacking, snuggles with kitty; and he joins us at bedtime ("us'" meaning the cat and I). I get my alone time AND he gets his. Not so easy in a tiny 1 bedroom apartment. It works.

[hill food]

let me guess you're in NYC or SF - heh, try sharing a studio with a significant other (thank god we had a flat roof)

[fldhkybnva]

We have a whole system in my house-bed rest, food tray with plate or bowl and pillow. It's perfect and makes it so we can enjoy breakfast and sometime late dinners in the bedroom which in winter actually heats up vs the rest of the house which remains an icebox even with heat blasting. Now that I think about it, we do eat less in bed in the warmer months.

[cheesecake17]

Never. Sometimes a cup of water, but it's rare

[blue room]

Only coughdrops!

[blue room]

I 'm referring to the occasional cherry coughdrop found on the nightstand 2 weeks after the cold or flu has gone, I don't just sit in bed and eat coughdrops! Thought I should clarify.

It did occur to me that the people who eat in bed must have very good pillows or pillow arrangements that let them sit quite upright securely.

[dave_c]

I stopped eating in bed after falling asleep with a large container of Thai red curry soup. My IPS uniform was also soaked too.

[prio girl]

I don't eat in bed - it's just not comfortable for me; I'd much rather be sitting up straight at a table (instead of in bed, eating off of a tray and having my legs stretched out straight in front of me.

In fact, I think of this when I watch Downton Abbey and all the lovely ladies of the household (except for Edith) sit in bed eating off of breakfast trays that contain teapots or coffepots, cups/saucers, milk, sugar, glassware, dishes, food, etc..... oy, the balancing act involved!

[fldhkybnva]

I find my handy dandy comfortable bed rest handy. Though SO and I aren't the biggest table eaters so I think we are just used to the legs crossed or extended outward position.

[Bryan Pepperseed]

I'll have a morning cup of coffee maybe once a year, but I've found that I never finish it - I'll drink about half and then either decide to just get up, or I fall back asleep and just throw the remaining cold coffee away when I wake up.

As for food, if I had someone willing to remove the dirty dishes, I could see myself doing it once in awhile, but I just don't like the idea of leaving the dishes in the bedroom all night long.

[hill food]

wasn't there a blessing/curse once?

"may one day you fall deeply in love.

with someone who eats crackers in bed...."

[sedimental]

Yeah, but who eats crackers in bed anyway? There are much better things to eat in bed. I really like pizza and wine or lemon ricotta pancakes and champagne........no crumbs ;)

[fldhkybnva]

Yea I eat in bed all the time and none of it really involves crumbs. Clearly the crumbly snack foods are reserved for couch eating :)

[sedimental]

Yes, it gives the dog a chance to clean up the living room crumbs first.

I try to be thoughtful.

[hill food]

"lemon ricotta pancakes"

oh I'm looking for a recipe now...

[sedimental]

I love it and it is a regular weekend activity! My s.o .brings me coffee or green tea in bed daily. On weekends, we eat brunch in bed. I am not sure about all the "crumbs" comments. We never have crumbs (maybe we are neater eaters, ha ha ). We enjoy wine, champagne, food, computer, t. v, movies and rockin' sex in bed..sometimes simultaneously.

We occasionally sleep in it too :)

[fldhkybnva]

Ahh, someone else in the "eating in bed" camp. I feel less alone.

[liza219]

+1. I was thinking I was the only one. On top of the bed, not in it.

[fldhkybnva]

Yea, very rarely am I eating "in it" rather "on it."

[afridgetoofar]

Hmmm. When I was younger eating in bed wasn't an option, no time to luxuriate like that. Now, especially on a cold, damp winter day, the bedroom with its tv screen, my laptop, cat snuggling into his share of the electric blanket, I find eating in bed very, very appealing. SO doesn't care for it but has his man-cave downstairs set up to satisfy his daylight/waking comforts, and we do need time apart no matter how we love each other.

I can clean the bedroom daily, be sure crumbs and stains don't render it icky. But I love the space, the comfort, the warmth, the coziness of a tray and a movie or a good book, with the cat (who stays by me since I'm the comfort maven), especially since I'm often in so much pain that a more conventional setting would be much less appealing. I also understand this is what the poster meant by, "unless bedridden", but I'm not bedridden, I'm quite active but do love to retreat to my sanctum sanctorum to study, learn, think about stuff, balance my inner and physical health, and that means having good yummy food in there too.

I also love eating while in the bath tub. I have a bath tray. When food isn't on it the cat is, dozing over the steamy hot water from a safe distance. :)

[linguafood]

Aw, man. That brings back memories of my childhood! It was always a special treat to get my dinner (the traditional German "Abendbrot" consisting of sliced bread with cheese or cold cuts, some quartered tomatoes, cucumber slices, and some herring salad) in the bathtub, all cozy and warm.

Damn, did I love that!

[hyacinthgirl]

You do make it sound appealing! :)

[HillJ]

sounds like your cat has a pretty comfy life!

[HillJ]

emglow101, in the early 80's I ran a Breakfast in Bed delivery service. I can vouch for how much people love to eat in their bedrooms and under pampered circumstances even more so.
Granted, my services included a sturdy tray, the daily newspaper, a pre-selected choice from our breakfast menu, linen napkins-it was an upscale gift with custom service but no one, not one customer every said I'd rather enjoy this in the kitchen.

Today, I'm co owner of a BnB in CA and most of our guests eat their meals in the main room but many op to sleep in and request service to the room; left at the door. We've found many a coffee cake crumb in the sheets (lol!).

My bedroom has a bistro table to the side that seats two. My husband and I enjoy breakfast in our bedroom when the weather is nice enough to open the windows, look at the back garden and relax. Not in the bed, but in our bedroom.

When my kids were very young and they were home sick from school I would bring them breakfast in bed and we'd get cozy and read a book while they ate oatmeal or graham crackers and milk.

Eating food in bed/bedrooms has always been an enjoyable experience. But just going by the majority of the replies here, I haven't served any CH's...lol.

[Perilagu Khan]

I learned long ago that CHs are definitely not a representative cross-section of American society.

[HillJ]

I don't agree actually. Maybe the CH's replying to this thread are divided in OP 50/50 but if you stack all of the CH boards (especially Topical boards) together society is represented. Food bring us together.

[emglow101]

Sounds like a wonderful B&B.I would get the room service and eat in bed. What the hell. Northern California ?

[noodlepoodle]

No, never. Other than sleeping and that other activity, I don't like being in bed. If I'm sick I'll get up and eat on the couch. Too worried about spilling liquids in bed and those infamous scratchy crumbs.

[linguafood]

My awesome man brings me coffee every. Single. Morning. A second cup, too. Yes, I am spoiled.

Beyond that, I prefer not to eat in bed b/c of the crumb issue that's been mentioned multiple times on this thread. It's enough that the dude (our cat) shleps in the occasional speck of cat litter.

Although, on very, very, verrrrry rare occasions, I get a grilled cheese in bed. But only if I've been very, very nice....or the opposite '-D

[fldhkybnva]

I clearly am in the minority here with the eating in bed issue and you reminded me - in recent years, most grilled cheeses have been consumed in bed.

It's interesting as I never ate in bed as a kid, but now it's pretty common.

[sunangelmb]

I love to lie on bed, not under the covers, eat candy & popcorn and watch horrible tv. I NEED candy, and it's always a pre-sleep, but after dinner snack. If I ate it out of bed, I'm worried I'd eat it all day. I'm kind of a piggie sometimes

[pretzal]

No, eating is a special thing for me, almost sacred. I like to sit at a table always.

[JerryMe]

Only if it's room service, then I'll eat in bed. Never, ever at home.

[alliegator]

No, never. And even when I'm sick, I still get up, put on sweats, and camp out on the couch where I do my dining on the coffee table.

[Kontxesi]

Ugh. I don't like to, but it's a serious habit with my fiance. It seems that he would get chewed out when his parents found him eating*, so instead of sitting at the table he'd take his snack down to the basement and eat it in his bed.

I can't stand the crumbs it leaves. Sometimes I will cave and snack with him (like last night he brought up the chips and salsa) while we watch a movie. But I still hate it. :(

(* They got after him for eating every few hours and in the middle of the night, but it's a habit he picked up from his dad. I am still teaching him that he doesn't need a sandwich while I'm making dinner or a bag of chips right before/in bed.)

[pinehurst]

Never ever.
The Sesame Street of my youth had an episode of Ernie eating cookies in his pj's, and then having itchy crumbs in pj's/bed. Bert was right. No noshes.

The only one who attempts to eat in the bed is Ben the hound. He likes to sneak Milk Bones in when I'm not looking, take a couple of bites, and then bury the remainder under my pillow. It's like the Tooth Fairy, except with crumbles.

[small h]

Once in a while, we have an attack of extreme laziness and have breakfast delivered. Then we eat it on (not in) the bed while reading the New York Times or listening to WNYC or engaging in some other cliched East Coast liberal activity.

[hyacinthgirl]

I love the idea of having breakfast delivered. I only ever saw a service for it once when I was in LA, but it was over-the-top expensive.

[small h]

There are three diners that deliver to me, and omelet/coffee/juice sets me back about $15 with tax & tip. It's one of the things I like best about living in a city. That and never having to shovel snow.

[HillJ]

I ran such a service in the 80's in NJ. We had a 3 tier price plan and many repeat customers. Only delivered on weekends.

[grayelf]

Once in a while I'll nibble on something in bed like chips but always regret me liberality afterwards in terms of crumbage.

small h, you have just added an item to my bucket list: getting breakfast delivered. As if there weren't already enough reasons to wish I lived in New York :-).

[KarenDW]

arrangements could be made.

[lisavf]

If I'm sick, DH will bring me soup and crackers on a tray, but that's it. Maybe once a year. I usually do have a glass of water on the nightstand in case I wake up coughing. It just would never occur to me to eat in bed, but then again, my bedroom is on the second floor, kitchen is on the first, so I would have to carry the food upstairs. Also, no TV in the bedroom. So really, no reason to eat in bed.

[iluvcookies]

Nope. Even if I don't feel well--I'd rather curl up on the sofa with a blanket to eat.

I *might* bring a glass of wine or a square of chocolate if I want to watch a movie/show that DH doesn't and I watch it on the bedroom TV.

[biondanonima]

Never. I'll occasionally have a cup of coffee in bed, but never ever food. It's just awkward and uncomfortable. Even when I'm sick, I go out to the couch if I want to eat. We also don't have a TV in our bedroom, so it's not like I'm tempted to eat breakfast and watch the news or whatever in there.

[Berheenia]

Only when your kids bring you breakfast in bed for Mother's day. Then you change the sheets after.

[fldhkybnva]

I do it all the time - snacks, meals, etc. I of course am clean about it and all plates return to the kitchen immediately after eating. I also always use a food tray.

[mrbigshotno.1]

Eating in bed is about the same as eating on the toilet to me.

[Perilagu Khan]

Nope. And I'm at a loss for how breakfast in bed ever came to be considered such a lux experience.

[HillJ]

Have you ever stayed at a bed and breakfast, PK? I co own one in CA.

[Perilagu Khan]

Stayed in a pensione in Venice once. Similar, I spose.

I wouldn't mind breakfast being brought to my bed, but I'd eat it on a table.

[Isolda]

Never. I can't stand the thought of it. My kids know never to bring me breakfast in bed on Mother's Day, and even when I'm suffering from a raging flu with fever and apocalyptic coughing fits, I'll try to get up to eat my chicken soup.

[Monch]

Never.....EVER.

Sick at home being no exception.

If I'm well enough not to be hospitalized, I'm well enough to get out of bed for chow.

One person's viewpoint.

[alwayshungrygal]

+1

[hyacinthgirl]

I keep my bedroom for sleeping and nightime related activities. The only time I eat (or watch tv) in bed is when I'm at a hotel and the bed becomes a couch substitute. And I LOVE IT!

[juliejulez]

Same here!

[mpjmph]

Same here. Frequently when traveling for work I end up in hotel rooms with two double beds for lonely old me, and I designate one bed as the sleeping bed and the other as the eating bed.

[bobbert]

If DW and I are hanging out in bed sometimes a snack but it has to be a non crumb producing snack like an apple or a yogurt. Crumbs in bed freak me out.

[LMAshton]

Yeah, I'm barely allowed non-crumb producing snacks like apples (no to yoghurt - I spill) on the couch. :P

[fldhkybnva]

Yea, I do eat in bed but nothing crumby although the occasional bowl of popcorn might find it's way to the bedroom.

[DuchessNukem]

I do keep a bottle of water around me most times and I take it to bedside. Other than that, just no. No.

I work in a hospital, I associate eating in bed with illness, and I don't want to be there until I need to be.

[James Cristinian]

I can down up to two bottles of water at night, being a tosser and turner. I was in a hospital once for 24 hours, and was denied food in case of the need for surgery. My roomies meals smelled so good..........

[Chemicalkinetics]

Beside being sick and hospitalized, I prefer not to eat in bed. It has nothing to do with crumbs on the bed for me. Frankly, drinking and eating in bed actually is uncomfortable for me.

[calmossimo]

I rarely do, but when I do, it's usually a midnight snack type of thing... I was already in bed, then I got hungry (or had a craving and gave in), got out of bed to grab food, then crawled back into bed for the comfy warm goodness. I would say chips or crackers are the most likely indulgences here, not full meals or dishes. And like rabaja mentioned, I usually regret the crumbs afterward, though it's blissful in the moment. I live alone so I don't get in trouble and the crumbs only annoy me. I will wash my sheets pretty soon after.

When I'm sick, I tend to eat while laying on the couch more than in bed.

[rabaja]

Some mornings I will crawl back into bed with a cup of coffee and a scone or something.
I usually get in trouble for it, and when I find crumbs on my side it is annoying to even me!

I don't recommend it, although at the time I am enjoying the indulgence.

[ohmyyum]

No. For good sleep hygiene, your bed should be reserved strictly for sleep and sex. :)

[Kontxesi]

One of my doctors got after me for reading in bed when I said I had a hard time sleeping. Before my fiance and I moved in together, I was pretty good about not reading or watching movies or playing games in bed.

He is used to a) having the tv/a movie on while he goes to sleep, and b) eating in bed. It's been an interesting battle. We don't have a tv in the room, but we end up watching movies on my laptop every night.

[alliegator]

I'm a sleep hygiene freak. I've had my bouts of insomnia, but keeping certain habits helps. Having a meal in bed would just totally rock the boat.

[MonMauler]

I never eat in bed.

But this reminds me of the Seinfeld episode where George is "having relations" with a woman and eating a pastrami sandwich at the same time.

[virtualguthrie]

It's the most sensual of all the cured meats.

[virtualguthrie]

Crumbs and bed don't mix in my opinion but I know some people enjoy it.

[LMAshton]

Never.

And I really do mean never. We live in a tropical country. Ants abound. We don't need them in bed. :)