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Original poster

What time do normal families have their evening meal??

49 replies

Branster · 06/05/2004 20:59

I was just curious to see what time do normal people have their dinner. I'm personally not bothered if I eat at 6 pm or 11pm, but my DH thinks 7-7.30pm (at the latest!) is the norm. Is this true? After putting my dd to bed at 7pm, starting to cook a meal is the last thing I want to do. it helps if I have the time to prepare something during the day but this doesn't happen very often. Anyway, what time do you ladies have your evening meal and how do you choose the time.

OP posts:
bunny2 · 06/05/2004 21:04

We eat at 6.00 with ds. I used to eat much later (9 ish) but now I like us to eat together as a family. Thing is, I am hungry again by 9 O'clock.

mambo · 06/05/2004 21:08

I am just about to eat! dh normally gets in at 7 and that is bathtime and reading time so we often eat after 8 - but at least it is in peace but not very healthy.

mothernature · 06/05/2004 21:08

Ours usually when I've finished work 6:00pm -6:30pm when dh on earlys, when he's on lates, it probably about 7:00pm - 7:30pm as I have to cook it first...

GeorginaA · 06/05/2004 21:10

6/6.15pm here so we can all eat together when dh gets home. So much nicer to only have to cook once in the evening, and then get more "adult time" once ds has gone to bed without it being taken up with food.

Original poster
Branster · 06/05/2004 21:13

everyone is just so well organised!!! i fell i'm always racing to get dinner ready (have set eastenders as an incentive to get it all done before it starts)and it often feels like such a chore to plan it all so it's a good, fresh meal, i find it quite annoying. if i was living on my own i would probably survive on pizzas only just so i don't have to cook. i do actually enjoy cooking, but not if i have to get it done at a certain time every single day. am i moaning or what...!

OP posts:
midden · 06/05/2004 21:13

We eat as a family, usually around 5.30 and dh gets in later and heats his up on weekdays. Sometimes would like to eat meal just with dh and feed kids earlier but that is twice the cooking and mess and I think I would struggle to get the kids to eat if I wasn't. Its nice to sit at the table and chat with them too.

Original poster
Branster · 06/05/2004 21:14

so it seems 6-6.30pm is the prefferd time if circumstances allow. Don't you get hungry by 10pm? Just curious...

OP posts:
charliecat · 06/05/2004 21:16

I eat with the kids at 5.30 -6.00 and yes, always munching at 10pm ish. Usually crisps or a sarnie.

mothernature · 06/05/2004 21:17

branstar, I don't get hungry after my tea, just thirsty..all the time in the evening...then I need to get up early to take a wee...

jodee · 06/05/2004 21:18

when I was working I would get home at 6.40, start dinner straight away (a very quick meal) and be eating by 7.15, then I would put ds to bed. (DS would have eaten at about 5.30).

Not working at the mo, so try and eat together at 5.30 (but yes, feeling rather pecking now!)

jodee · 06/05/2004 21:18

"peckish"!

GeorginaA · 06/05/2004 21:19

Branster, usually snack during the evening around 9/9.30ish - some toast or something like that.

misty · 06/05/2004 21:19

midden - snap! We do exactly the same, although DP is always moaning he never eats a freshly cooked (as opposed to freshly reheated!) dinner - there's no pleasing some people!
Yep, I do get hungry a bit later, but I like eating with my 2 DS's and catching up with the day's events..... well, even DS2 (2) has something to say

Kayleigh · 06/05/2004 21:19

I hate the evening meal too. It's the hassle of thinking in advance what we'll have and taking stuff out the freezer the night before, especially on the three days I am at work. I'd be happy with a sandwich in the evening !

We eat at between 8:00 and 8:30 during the week as dh usually gets in around 8:00. On the weekend we eat together as a family at around 6:00pm, but then I will have a snack of some description (not usually healthy!) during the evening.

JenniH · 06/05/2004 21:21

Well I am currently making dinner so late today!

It depends, on days I don't work, about 7pm and on days I do work between 8 and 10pm. We feed DD at 6ish

Original poster
Branster · 06/05/2004 21:24

so then it would appear that most people aim at having an early dinner (dh was right after all, Again!) but work etc might delay the process. And all these late snacks. Past 9pm i couldn't be bothered to start preaparing more food but have to admit i would grab something if it was all prepared for me (but the fairies never visit my kitchen )

OP posts:
suedonim · 06/05/2004 21:26

Between 6 and 6.30 here, as a family. I couldn't be doing with eating at 8 or 9pm - I'd have rampant indigestion all night! If I'm peckish at bedtime I have some cereal.

fionagib · 06/05/2004 21:29

I am starving and about to keel over by the time I make the kids' tea (7 yr old twin boys, 4 yr old girl) so I have to tuck in with them at 5.30 (dh gets a quickie thrown together thing when he gets in at 7ish). I used to hog the kids leftovers then eat proper grown up dinner but was concerned that the kids never saw me eating, and also was getting v fat! On weekend nights tho we eat together much later in proper grown up fashion with candles and tons of wine and all, a kind of substitute for going out... (if it's dimly lit enough we can pretened its not our house) How very tragic!

pepsi · 06/05/2004 21:30

I eat at 4.45/5.00 with my 4 and 2 yr old and hubbie gets it heated up when he gets home 6.30/7.30 or even heats it up straight after children in bed and settled, etc. At weekends we all eat together at the same time, mainly to keep everyone in routine. I get peckish around 9.30 but always have milk and a banana or some other fruit, it works for us.....I cant stand the thought of having to tidy up twice and having all that mess to clear up late at night when I could be doing something else.....what you ask....the bloody ironing.

noddy5 · 06/05/2004 21:39

6-6.30

Slinky · 06/05/2004 21:49

We (me and the kids) eat at 6.00pm - if by some miracle DH is back then obviously he eats then too - if not his gets left on a plate ready to be re-heated.

I eat at this time because then it allows me enough time to bath kids/teeth cleaning/reading and have them in bed at a reasonable time.

Posey · 06/05/2004 21:54

Between 5 and 5:30. We eat all together. But because we eat early, I do have a pre-bed snack (nothng worse than waking hungry in the night)

Linnet · 06/05/2004 22:25

If Dh is working at night I eat with dd at 6pm as it's just the two of us and I can't be bothered doing two dinners. If dh has the evening off I give dd her dinner at 6pm as usual then eat with dh.

CountessDracula · 06/05/2004 22:30

We usually eat between 9 and 10pm - dd goes to bed at 8 so I like to sit down and have a drink/chat with dh before starting dinner.

unicorn · 06/05/2004 22:32

so there is no such thing as normal really is there....???
I always think that everyone else is the norm and we are not..... but tbqh you do what you do individually (ie as an individual unique family) and S*D the rest of the normal world!!!!