Posted on October 30, 2019

When Is the Best Time to Eat Dinner?

After an extremely long and strenuous day, there is nothing quite like getting to relax and enjoy a delicious and satisfying dinner. However, inconsistent work schedules and busy lives can make getting to do this nearly impossible.

People eat this meal at all different times or may not even eat it at all. This leaves one specific question: When is the best time to eat dinner?

The Best Time to Eat Dinner

The most important thing about determining the best time to eat dinner is figuring out how much time you have to digest before going to sleep. According to dieticians, the best time for dinner is at least three hours before falling asleep. Eating this meal at a relatively early time allows your body the necessary time to properly and fully digest your meal. By eating closer to the time you fall asleep, excess calories in your stomach will be stored as fat. Having a late dinner can also increase your blood sugar and insulin depending on what you eat, which can make it harder for you to fall asleep.

Based on research, the best time to eat dinner is between 5 and 6 pm. Why is this the best time for dinner? It’s because most people with a normal schedule will have a few hours between the end of their meal and bedtime. It will also give people the perfect amount of time after their lunch has been consumed to eat again.

Early Meal

According to a recent article from EatingWell, there are a few reasons why eating dinner at an earlier time can be the best option for you. Aside from saving on the early-bird special, eating an early dinner can lead to weight loss, better sleep, and an overall healthier lifestyle.

However, eating earlier won’t matter unless you are eating well. For example, eating chocolate cake for dinner every day, regardless of what time you chow down, is probably not a good idea.

Late Meal

According to an article from Livestrong.com, there could be some surprising health benefits to eating late. By eating a light meal closer to bedtime, you can improve your body’s overnight muscle synthesis, increase your metabolism so you’re ready to take on the morning, improve your appetite when you first get up, and, believe it or not, also help you sleep better.

If you plan on eating late or right before bedtime, just keep it light. If you eat something heavy or unhealthy, the health benefits mentioned above won’t really take effect.

The Best Time for Dinner Also Depends on Lunch

Whether or not you realize it, the pandemic has had a certain degree of impact on when we eat dinner. With the work-from-home culture becoming popular, even our lunch times have changed. This is why factoring in the influence of lunchtime on your dinner time is important.

The later you eat lunch, the later your palate will be ready for dinner. An early lunch will likely mean that your body will expect to eat earlier as well. Of course, this doesn’t mean that eating your lunch super early will help you eat an early dinner – and this isn’t necessarily practical all the time.

If you end up eating lunch as early as 11 a.m., you’ll need to find a way to avoid the 4 p.m. hunger pangs – with a healthy snack, of course. This snack will help prevent you from becoming famished by the time dinner is served, thereby saving you from unexpectedly overeating. You’ll be able to make sound and healthy dinner choices because you’ll be making decisions with a satisfied brain rather than a hungry, impulsive one.

Making Dinner Time Work for You

As you can see, the best time to eat dinner depends on different factors. The answer to what is the best time to eat dinner really boils down to what works best for you. From what we’ve learned so far, it’s best for the average healthy person not to develop the habit of regularly eating the largest meal of the day right before bedtime.

Making healthy, mindful choices with respect to food seems like a good route to take. This may mean knowing when you’re actually hungry, eating proper portions, and stopping when you’re comfortably full. These factors should help you decide on a meal schedule that works for you.

Eat Early or Late at Kevin’s!

If you can’t curb your hunger until later or are the type of person who can’t eat right after work, Kevin’s Bar & Restaurant is the place for you! We are open from 5 to 10 pm, Monday through Saturday. You can make reservations online or by phone: 570-285-3071.

At Kevin’s, anytime is the best time to eat dinner. We look forward to serving you!

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