(Credit: Netflix)

Dinner time should be sacred, not just for the food, but for the vibes. And the best kind of dinner is the one where your plate is full, your Netflix pick is light, and nothing too emotional is happening on screen to make you drop your fork and cry into your soup.

That means skipping the tragic, soul-crushing Oscar winners and going straight for the comfort pile. Films that are funny, friendly, easy to follow, and enjoyable even when you are halfway through your second bite of garlic bread.

Netflix has a surprisingly solid selection of these watch-while-you-eat gems. Think: easy laughs, cosy plots, and zero emotional whiplash. You could tune in and out and still feel like you had not missed anything. Or get totally into it and have a good time anyway.

So here are five perfect Netflix movies to pair with your dinner, whether that is a sad desk salad or a full-blown biryani.

Five Netflix movies to watch while you eat:

Mamma Mia! (Phyllida Lloyd, 2008)

You already know. This is the golden retriever of dinner movies. Mamma Mia! is chaotic, musical, and full of glitter and Greek island sunsets, and it makes zero sense in the best way. Meryl Streep sings. Pierce Brosnan attempts to sing. And everyone is dancing through emotional crises like it is a flash mob.

This is a meal in itself. Whether or not you are an ABBA fan, the movie’s energy is infectious. You’ll be humming through your meal and maybe even planning your post-dinner karaoke session. No sadness. No confusion. Just cheese, sequins, and serotonin.

Julie & Julia (Nora Ephron, 2009)

If you are eating literally anything delicious, this movie will double the joy. Julie & Julia blends two timelines: Julia Child’s rise in the culinary world and Julie Powell’s attempt to cook her way through all of Child’s recipes in a year. It is charming, warm, and filled with buttery visuals that will make you want to lick your screen.

There are zero stakes here in the best way. You watch two women try to find joy in food, writing, and purpose, and honestly, it just works. Meryl Streep is a delight, Amy Adams is relatable, and if your dinner was feeling a little bland, this movie will season it emotionally.

Murder Mystery (Kyle Newacheck, 2019)

Want something slightly plotty but still lightweight? Murder Mystery is your pick. Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler play a married couple who get accidentally roped into a rich people’s murder plot while vacationing in Europe. There are yachts. There are accents. There is a moustache involved.

It is silly, fast-paced, and full of misdirection, but never confusing. You could miss a few lines while chewing and still follow the chaos. Bonus: the exotic locations and fancy dinners in the movie might even elevate your own plate of instant noodles.

Yes Day (Miguel Arteta, 2021)

This one is loud, ridiculous, and absolutely dinner-worthy. Yes Day follows two exhausted parents who decide to give their kids a full day where the answer to everything has to be “yes”. Cue: chaos, whipped cream explosions, and a high-speed car wash scene.

It is the kind of film that lets your brain rest. The humour is visual, the stakes are low, and it never demands your full attention, making it ideal for when you are eating with family or roommates or just want a big-silly-energy movie while chewing your pizza.

The Adam Project (Shawn Levy, 2022)

This one’s got time travel, emotional moments, and Ryan Reynolds being peak Ryan Reynolds. The Adam Project follows a pilot from the future who meets his 12-year-old self, and together they try to fix the timeline. Yes, there are sci-fi elements, but the heart of the film is its charm and family-centred emotion.

It’s fun and fast without being too heavy. The jokes land, the visuals pop, and the action never feels overwhelming. Basically, it is like a Marvel-lite experience, perfect for when you want to eat and be entertained but not be mentally exhausted.