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In an ideal world, what do you think is the best time to eat dinner (or main meal of the day in the evening) ?

38 replies

bibbitybobbityyhat · 17/01/2019 21:26

I think 7.30pm.

I rarely eat before 8.30pm but don't seem to be able to nudge it forwards. On the very rare occasion I do eat earlier (usually visiting elderly relatives, or squeezing in a quick meal before meeting friends at the pub), there does seem to be an awful lot of evening stretching out before bed time!

OP posts:
Lazypuppy · 17/01/2019 21:29

We always eat around 6:30, then evening to relax and bed at 10ish. Couldn't eat any later otherwise i'd struggle going to sleep

HolyMountain · 17/01/2019 21:29

We go to bed early ( we’re both early risers) so 6.00-6.30 pm is an ideal time for me and dh.

comebacksoonsusan · 17/01/2019 21:31

I d actually like to eat 6.30, but that's kids' bedtime and I don't usually eat before 7.30/8.

Greensleeves · 17/01/2019 21:31

We eat round 7pm, but I make sure there are decent after-school snacks available for the boys to have earlier (they're teenagers).

Sometimes earlier at weekends, but then we'll generally have a late supper (soup etc).

ApplestheHare · 17/01/2019 21:32

5pm Blush I've never got over the habit of since having tea at 5 as a child and having DD is a great excuse to do it atm.

Sitranced · 17/01/2019 21:45

6pm. Still time to yoga or gym before shower and bed by 9pm.

bibbitybobbityyhat · 17/01/2019 21:54

I'm not sure what time I had dinner as a child.

I've never had a job where I've left work before 6pm so dinner at 5pm would be technically impossible for me!

OP posts:
lastqueenofscotland · 17/01/2019 21:55

I like having it about 8ish, gives me time to get home from work, run and wash my hair and then I don’t get hungry before bed

Penninepain · 17/01/2019 21:58

Another 5pm ish - I am with you Apple 😁

We are up early, 5-5:30 am, so everything happens a bit earlier in this house!

Penninepain · 17/01/2019 21:59

Btw OP - 8:30......8:30..... are you serious? I am often in bed with a chocolate biscuit and a cup of tea by then 🤣

Runwayqueen · 17/01/2019 22:00

5.30 if we are all home

elQuintoConyo · 17/01/2019 22:00

8-9. Unless it's dinner out, then 9.30+

Belishaa · 17/01/2019 22:01

Just finished dinner here which is late for us but not unheard of.

Finish work at 7ish, swim and shower, then cook.

But I did have mid-afternoon cake.

kaytee87 · 17/01/2019 22:01

We eat at 5.30pm usually as we like to have dinner with our toddler. I don't see the point in us cooking and clearing up 2 meals.

Time40 · 17/01/2019 22:02

The ideal would be to eat when you were hungry, but that's not possible when there are other people involved. If I'm on my own, I'll eat at any time between 6-9.

DareDevil223 · 17/01/2019 22:05

Usually between 6.30-7pm during the week, sometimes a bit later at weekends.

IShitGlitter · 17/01/2019 22:07

We all sit down together at 5.30ish my husband is always ready for tea straight from work kids are ready to eat by then. Kids are in bed at 7 after a light supper of milk and biscuits were not far behind.

Sunhill4 · 17/01/2019 22:08

I don't finish work til 6.30 then walk dogs, shower & eat between 7.30 - 8 because DH cooks. If I had to then do the cooking it would be closer to 9!

PuppyMonkey · 17/01/2019 22:09

We aim for 6pm these days. Used to be earlier.

Hate the thought of eating late. I like to be sat on my arse watching crap on telly by 7.30 or chilling doing something else - not doing all the clearing up after a meal till god knows when.

Also I’d be starving by 8.30.Shock

Xmasbaby11 · 17/01/2019 22:11

6pm with the kids, always around then. However dh and i are usually up til midnight so we start snacking at 10pm!

Nacreous · 17/01/2019 22:12

Ideally 6-6:30 but I push it to 7-7:30 if feeding adult guests.

SwimmingJustKeepSwimming · 17/01/2019 22:12
  1. I dont like the idea of a big meal just before bed, and also like my children to eat with me!
3boysandabump · 17/01/2019 22:15

5pm as we all eat together as a family and bedtime for dc starts at 5.30.

I do snack later in the evening though so I should probably eat later than I do

Hotterthanahotthing · 17/01/2019 22:17

In an ideal world 6.30 but in the real world I get home at 19.15 or 21.30.So 6.30.on.days.off,and 20.00 after my earlier shift and DD fends for herself when I'm on a later shift(and I still have to be prepared to sort something or she would skip a meal,and she often skips lunch on school days).

JuniLoolaPalooza · 17/01/2019 22:19

Ideally 7ish.
We finished about half an hour ago. Kids' bedtime falls at this time and DP doesn't get home before 7. I could do our dinner for 7pm when he walks in but I can't really handle the stress of it on top of doing the kids plus I can't stand the idea of getting into the routine of me having his tea ready when he walks in. I just can't.