To think most people *haven't* eaten dinner by 6pm??

[JumboShiitake]

According to DP "most people" have eaten dinner by 6pm.

Referring to adults, not children.

He's obsessed with eating at a time I consider pretty early.

I'm giving him the side eye

[LizFlowers]

@TeaOneSugar

We eat around 6pm, my teenager would be chewing her arm off by 8:30, also, I don't live with DP so many evenings we eat, clean up and I go to his house for the evening, there would be no evening left if I was still loading the dishwasher at 9pm.

What do those who eat at 8pm or later do if you have somewhere to be in the evening (pre lockdown of course) ?

People usually have an early supper if they are going out somewhere, something quick and easy but substantial enough to get you through the evening.

[lubeybooby]

I usually aim for 6pm ish for dinner to be served but we usually have earlyish lunch at midday

I can handle later if planned in advance but I need a snack. Perma hungry!

[peboh]

@CustardySergeant yes sorry, that's me not proof reading before I click post.
Yes, she'll only eat if whoever's at home is eating with her. If we don't she won't entertain food at all and it ends up all over the floor.

[TeaOneSugar]

@Ragwort

Tea if we are going out (non Covid times) we would eat earlier ... I prefer not to have a 'set' meal time, it depends on so many things - what time you get home, what you are cooking, how hungry you are, if you are going out etc etc.

I was thinking those on the thread who never start eating until 8pm or later would struggle to have any sort of social life that didn't include eating out. We're the same as you it depends what else is going on, it's not set in stone but others are suggesting it is fairly set and no earlier than 8pm, even if you have a long commute and don't socialise or do hobbies outside the home during the week, surely you must at the weekends.

[Ragwort]

Tea if we are going out (non Covid times) we would eat earlier ... I prefer not to have a 'set' meal time, it depends on so many things - what time you get home, what you are cooking, how hungry you are, if you are going out etc etc.

[TeaOneSugar]

We don't eat again btw, maybe a biscuit with a cup of tea in front of the telly but nothing more substantial than that.

[TeaOneSugar]

We eat around 6pm, my teenager would be chewing her arm off by 8:30, also, I don't live with DP so many evenings we eat, clean up and I go to his house for the evening, there would be no evening left if I was still loading the dishwasher at 9pm.

What do those who eat at 8pm or later do if you have somewhere to be in the evening (pre lockdown of course) ?

[Bluesheep8]

We eat at 5:30 ish, 6 at the latest if we've got phone calls to make. We also call it tea, not dinner.

[IncorrigibleTitmouse]

Elementary school that is. Middle school is about 8-3:30 and High school is 8:30-4:30. They stagger it so that the school buses can get around all the age groups.

[IncorrigibleTitmouse]

@EggysMom @rawalpindithelabrador True story about Americans. American kids go to bed later (as a rule) than they do in the UK. There are a lot more SAHMs but the kids are in SO many activities. School in our state starts at 7:45am and finishes at 2:45pm. Most families I know eat around 7pm because standard working hours are either 8-5 or 9-6 but most people put in overtime and most people have a commute. (Mine is usually about an hour’s drive so I’m loving WFH but I don’t finish till 6)

[TheOtherMaryBerry]

Do you mean she won't eat if you aren't, because otherwise I can't see why you have to eat at 4.30 because you have a toddler.

I find this so interesting! There was a thread not that long ago about eating with your children and the OP, who fed her toddler in the afternoon and ate with her husband later, was absolutely set upon. She was told she was going to damage her child, set her up for a lifetime of poor eating because they didn't eat all at the same time. Yet so many posters here seem astonished that anyone would think of eating at a suitable time for a small child!

[LizFlowers]

@Mother2princess

Usually adults between 6-8pm

Yes, that seems reasonable.

A lot depends on what people do for a living. Farmers who have to get up at some unearthly hour would go to bed very early, therefore eat earlier.

Does it matter?

[rawalpindithelabrador]

@EggysMom

This may be a cultural thing - I believe Europeans tend to eat later, Americans eat earlier.

I'm born and bred English, we eat dinner (tea?) at 7pm.

Americans often work till at least 5pm, often 6. And eat accordingly. They are expected to work very long hours there.

[Mother2princess]

Usually adults between 6-8pm

[JumboShiitake]

@garlictwist

Now I'm working from home I have developed quite odd eating hours. I get up about 5am and have my first breakfast, then second breakfast around ten. Lunch at 3 and then usually don't bother with dinner.

I'm a big fan of a second breakfast

I do love that the thread is still going, and its fascinating

[CustardySergeant]

@peboh

We eat at the geriatric time of 4.30 at the minute, however that is because of my toddler and the fact that she won't eat if we are. (She has to eat early otherwise it causes her tummy issues in the night) before her we would eat anytime between 6.30-8pm.

Do you mean she won't eat if you aren't, because otherwise I can't see why you have to eat at 4.30 because you have a toddler.

[WaxOnFeckOff]

When we are abroad we just adapt based on where we want to eat and what we are doing. If we have a a trip into the city, we do a nice big main meal at 1/2ish and a later dinner that will depend on whether we are self catering or not as to what and when we have it.

We tend to sleep in later so might have a buffet type lunch at 11/12ish with fresh bread from the shop if we are self catering and then if going out we'll either go at 5/6ish to a place that's open all day or book the earliest slot on one only open in the evening.

If it's a hotel with set times we just do latest breakfast and earliest dinner and might just have a light snack in-between.

Have done all inclusive a fair bit when DC were younger and generally food available all day so just eat whenever hungry. DC might have an early "tea" and then come back up into room and chill while DH and i shower and change and DC generally do too and will come back down for a snack while we eat dinner and then they will usually find some other kids and go off and play while we finish up.

[Iknowwhatudidlastsummer]

@stripeyIIIIItscmsfkmf

If there's one thing I know about mumsnet it's that people here simply cannot comprehend other people doing things differently to them.

but there's a practical element. Everything is opened -or at push just closing - at 6pm. It's not unreasonable to think that people can't be at work and having diner at the same time.

Of course there are shift workers and unemployed people, but it doesn't change anything. It would be like faking surprise that a 10am leisurely breakfast surprises people. Most people couldn't have breakfast mid-morning even if they wanted to.

[blowinahoolie]

"I have to admit, in hotter countries, I don't even take the kids back in the sun until 5pm so we would struggle with early diners."

We stayed in the shade during the day with them. Temperatures were too hot even for myself as an adult. We did find that leaving eating out late wasn't going to work for them as they were too tired and it was stressful for all involved so eating the main meal at lunch time worked best. The further into the day you go with small DC the more exhausted they get in a hot country. Even abroad, still up very early.

[MilesJuppIsMyBitch]

If there's one thing I know about Mumsnet, it's that it teaches people how differently other people do think about things.

I think often what you see on here is the disbelief as they process it. (I'd include myself in that).

[stripeyIIIIItscmsfkmf]

If there's one thing I know about mumsnet it's that people here simply cannot comprehend other people doing things differently to them.

[Spacecudet]

I have breakfast at 6:30, lunch at 11:30 and dinner at 18:00. As a family we don't really snack at all so our meals are evenly spread. I go to bed about 22:00, and would feel uncomfortable if I ate later. I have 3 DS, and it's nice to spend time with them after dinner, and then get some grown up time once they are in bed. I don't think I'd change the timings without DS though, works for me and DH. We're in our forties.

[Iknowwhatudidlastsummer]

Are restaurants even opened at 5pm?

It sounds so weird to eat early because most people are still working at that time anyway, and not just in London, plus you couldn't find a table even if you wanted one.

[waxed]

@TriciaMcMillan

DH downstairs cooking dinner now. Unusual for us to have sat down before 8pm. Is he Northern and this is a weird 'tea' thing??

It's a different name for the meal, it doesn't mean northerners eat at a different time

I mean I suppose some might but that's true of everyone

[MilesJuppIsMyBitch]

But threads like this challenge people on both sides of the tea/dinner late/early divide. That's what's so great about them

I've definitely spotted unthinking prejudice in myself from threads on here over the years.