For night owls and busy professionals, fitting dinner into a packed schedule can be challenging. But when is the ideal time to eat your last meal of the day? While there’s no one-size-fits-all answer, experts shed light on the factors that influence the best time to eat dinner.
Individual Needs Matter
Vanessa Rissetto, RD, registered dietitian and CEO of Culina Health, emphasizes that factors like age and lifestyle play a crucial role. “If you’re a shift worker, your timing will differ,” she explains. “As a general rule, I recommend eating within two hours of waking up and eating something every three to four hours.”
While research suggests eating between 5 PM and 7 PM is beneficial for overall health, Rissetto advises stopping at least three hours before bed to avoid issues like acid reflux. “What’s more important is eating consistently at regular times throughout the day,” says Perri Halperin, MS, RD, CDN, clinical nutrition coordinator at the Mount Sinai Health System. “You should be gradually hungry and gradually full in a repeating pattern every three to four hours or so.”
Crafting a Personalized Dinner Schedule
Halperin underscores the importance of considering individual factors when crafting an eating schedule. Work, hunger levels, medications, daily activities, and lifestyle habits all influence the best time to eat any meal. “Work the timing as a general outline,” she suggests. “But more important than timing is making healthy choices. Having a healthy dinner is linked to [many] benefits, including stable blood sugar, weight maintenance, and improved sleep.”
Early Dinners and Health Concerns
McKenzie Caldwell, RD, a registered dietician and PCOS nutrition expert, recommends earlier dinners for those struggling with acid reflux or chronic heartburn. This allows for better digestion before bedtime. Those with diabetes may also see improved blood glucose outcomes with an earlier dinner. However, Caldwell emphasizes that this is dependent on each individual.
Listen to Your Body
Ultimately, listening to your body is crucial. “If you are eating well-rounded meals and snacks earlier in the day, your body is usually pretty efficient at telling you when it’s time to dine,” Caldwell adds. “Hunger cues can also help each person decide what time a full meal would feel good in their body in the evening.”
Foods to Avoid Before Bed
Regardless of dinner time, certain foods are best avoided before bed for better sleep and overall health. Halperin advises against fatty foods as they take longer to digest and can cause indigestion and disrupt sleep. Caldwell adds that caffeine can also interfere with sleep.
Late Dinners: Not Always Bad
So does a late dinner reservation or a friend’s birthday mean sacrificing a healthy routine? Not necessarily. “Your body can digest and metabolise food at any time of day or night. While each individual’s experience might vary,” says Caldwell. “I’m a fan of eating when you’re hungry, even if it’s late at night.”
Halperin agrees and highlights the importance of overall health in determining the best time for a late dinner. “Some people may be more sensitive to meal timing than others,” she says. “Thus reaping an even more noticeable benefit.”
Late dinners can be beneficial for managing low blood sugar or consuming foods with amino acids that promote sleep.
Nighttime Snacking: When Done Right
Healthy nighttime snacking is also permissible. “If you’re hungry, then you should honour that hunger and definitely eat,” says Rissetto. “But we want to think about the kinds of things we are eating. If we are eating sugary foods close to bedtime, our body will do the work of digesting while we are asleep and this might wake us up and disrupt our sleep cycle.”
The Bottom Line
Ultimately, stress less about rigid schedules. There’s no perfect time for dinner, and prioritizing getting the necessary food and nutrients for overall health is paramount. “If you missed the ‘ideal time’ to eat, it’s better to eat late than not at all,” says Halperin.
Remember, listening to your body and consulting with your doctor for personalized guidance are key to finding the right dinner time for your unique needs.
