What on earth is this mealtime snobbery about?

[Diemme]

At 6.45 this evening, DH and I went to sit outside at front of the house to have a coffee and enjoy the last of the sun - we live in a close with benches outside the houses. Almost immediately our neighbours came back from a dog walk. They chatted for a few minutes and then she said she was going in to make dinner. I mentioned just in small talk that we'd already eaten. And I swear she did a head tilt and tinkly laugh as she said gosh that's early. Then she went inside and her husband arranged his face in a sort of patronising / pitiful expression and asked why we'd eaten so early. It's not just them, ive come across it loads of times. It's as if there's a bizarre sense of superiority to eating at 8 rather than say 6.

@notsohippychick It’s when they call it “Supper” that really winds me up. It’s Tea, or Dinner. Saying you eat “Supper” means you have ideas of grandeur! Lol!

Supper is a last snack before bed here. DH and I don't use it but my dad did when I was little.

I think children eat high tea around 5pm when very young.

We eat supper (how can that offend?) about 7:30 - 8pm usually. It would be pretty piggy for adults to eat tea and supper, surely?

I only eat dinner if it’s a more formal affair that involves putting something tidy on.

Are you slimmer than your neighbours?

Apparently eating before 6 gives your body time to digest it before sleep and aids weigh loss. I have absolutely no evidence right now to back this up, it’s just something I read in a running mag yrs ago.

I've always called it supper. I don't know anyone who calls it 'tea'.

Just to clarify I much prefer eating earlier but sadly I usually can’t!

As I child in the North East we had tea at about 5.00 and then supper at about 8.00 which was a bit of toast or something light.

We have ours at 5.15 for several reasons, firstly our bedtime routine starts at 7pm and secondly when I am working I start at 6pm, so having my meal at 5.15, means I get food before I go to work.

I've always eaten at 5/530. These days I've got two kids who are definitely ready for it by then. I've also suffered with reflux since being pregnant so prefer to eat earlier. No way I could wait until 7/8. I also struggled to get out of the habit of weeing during the night after my last pregnancy so atm I'm trying not to drink after 6pm either

It's as if there's a bizarre sense of superiority to eating at 8 rather than say 6

Yes this is something I’ve noticed too. We eat late (DH is about to start cooking), just because we get the DC’s to bed then sit and chill out a bit before we think about dinner. However I’ve noticed DH’s family have a weird snobbery about people eating early. FIL also calls it supper . It’s weird really, as his background is about as working class as it comes.

My dinner is cooking right now so we haven't eaten yet. Those of you that eat at 5pm, aren't you starving by 10pm?

Those of you that eat at 5pm, aren't you starving by 10pm?

This is the other reason we eat late. If I had dinner before 6pm id need another meal before bed!

We eat between 5-6 here, with the children. We prefer it that way 1) because we're all hungry and 2) it gives me more free time in the evening :)

And this bothers you? Eat when you like. They are clearly of another age/dimension to yours. Don’t let it bother you.

Ps... ‘moist’ and ‘gusset’ are completely normal words.

It's a class thing, you're right that it's just snobbery.

Growing up we always had supper about 7?

Currently we eat between 6:30-7 because that's when DH gets home and we like to eat together as a family. Kids have tea at their Childminder's about 4 so not starving by supper

I have dinner at 4.30pm purely because that's when dd has her dinner and we eat together. We will then have supper (as in evening snack, which is what I've always thought was meant by supper) at around 7.30pm.
Which for her was some left over garlic bread and a boiled egg for me.
#pitythepleb

Pre DC we would eat as late as 8.30/9 depending on when I started cooking. We were both working and only getting in around 6.30.

Now the DC eat when they get home around 4pm, wet have our dinner around 5.30/6 when DC will have pre-bed snack or I suppose a supper.

Once mat leave finishes and I am beck at work, I expect I will end up grabbing toast or cereal as my main evening meal somewhere after 9 pm.

@cocomelon23 That's what supper is for!

I eat later but that’s because dh gets in later. That said like others have mentioned I’d be scoffing biscuits by 9pm.

But really it’s all about your routine - when you go to bed, eat lunch etc.

My dinner is cooking right now so we haven't eaten yet. Those of you that eat at 5pm, aren't you starving by 10pm?

No, never. I don't eat breakfast either. Sometimes I only eat one real meal a day, preferably in the Afternoon, and have a banana or something similarly light later.

That's what supper is for

Then I’d be having an extra meal every day and would like weight on!

*pile weight on!

DS usually manages to eat tea (4.30) at nursery and then dinner with us at 7ish, or if he doesn't want dinner he usually has porridge around 8 - but he is constantly moving/fidgeting. He's trying to do the splits on the sofa right now.

I have tea at 4ish and then dinner too, but it's just a few biscuits and a drink usually. Slice of cake occasionally.

I eat at massively varying times. I was hungry at 6 tonight so I ate then. Other nights it might be 9.30pm

To be honest, shouldn’t it be the other way around? All those people eating at 8pm are presumably only doing so cos they finish work later

The 6 o’clock crew are presumably so luxuriously free of work responsibility due to being so wealthy with so much leisure time they can eat whenever they want?