For Resy enthusiasts or those burning the midnight oil, the best time to eat dinner is whenever you can snag that dream reservation or work in a meal into your busy schedule. But is that the healthiest choice? When should you actually be eating your last meal of the day? It turns out the answer to this is less straightforward than you might think.
For starters, there is no set time that suits everyone; it really depends on you and your specific health needs. So before you go canceling plans or overhauling when to eat girl dinner, see what experts have to say about figuring out the best time to eat dinner below.
When is the best time to eat dinner?
The short answer to this question is that it depends on each person. Vanessa Rissetto, RD, registered dietitian and CEO of Culina Health, explains that different factors such as age and lifestyle all play into figuring out when to eat your last meal of the day. “If you’re a shift worker, for example, and work while everyone is asleep, then your timing [to eat] is different. As a general rule, I recommend eating within two hours of waking up and eating something every three to four hours,” says Risetto. While studies suggest that eating between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. is beneficial for overall health, if that doesn’t fit your schedule, she says to try to stop eating 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,” 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.”
How to find the right dinner schedule for you
As mentioned above, there are a couple of different factors to consider when trying to create an eating schedule you can stick to. Halperin says that your work, hunger level, medications, daily activities, and other lifestyle habits should all be taken into consideration when figuring out when to eat any meal. “Work the timing as a general outline; it’s ideal to eat every three to four hours, with a two to three hour window before bedtime,” she says. “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.”
Having an earlier dinner may benefit those struggling with certain digestive and health concerns. McKenzie Caldwell, RD, a registered dietitian and PCOS nutrition expert, says that those with acid reflux or chronic heartburn should consider earlier dinners to allow their food to fully digest before they lay down. Those with diabetes may notice better blood glucose outcomes if they eat three to four hours before bedtime. But Caldwell stresses that this is still all dependent on each person. Many cultures eat dinner late and other lifestyle factors may get in the way of an early dinner, so be sure to consult with your primary doctor to make sure you get a well-rounded meal at a time that works best for you.
