WASHINGTON — The ideal family dinner has everyone sitting around the table and enjoying mom’s cooked-from-scratch meal.

But while popular culture may perpetuate the family dinner myth, reality tells a different story.

Families struggle with limited time, budgets and patience when it comes to putting together family meals.

A study by researchers at North Carolina State University looked at the tradition of family dinnertime. They interviewed 150 female caregivers who had children between the ages of 2 and 8 and spent 250 hours observing their families. While those interviewed came from different socioeconomic backgrounds, they faced similar problems. Stress and guilt played a huge part in a working mother’s plan for dinner.

Finances were also an issue with families looking to feed their kids healthy meals that included fresh fruits and vegetables.

Picky eaters put extra pressure on working mothers, the study found.

Regular home-cooked meals are appealing to families and the thought of eating together is a grand concept, but according to the study, it’s an unrealistic goal for a lot of families.

Click here to read the full study.

Follow @WTOP and @WTOPliving on Twitter and WTOP on Facebook.