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Dietitians and health experts say this is the best time to eat your dinner

What time do you usually have your last meal of the day?

dinner, health advice, time management, healthy living, eating

What time should you eat dinner?

Photo credit: Canva
Erik Barnes
By Erik BarnesJun 27, 2025
Erik Barnes
See Full Bio

We eat dinner every day. Sure, breakfast is touted as “the most important meal of the day,” but virtually no one ever skips dinner. Dinner is the meal that evil stepmothers deny children in fairy tales for goodness sake. It’s an important daily staple, but those who want to live a healthy lifestyle often ask not just what to eat for dinner, but when. Even the folks at GQ ponder over this question. Well, the best time to eat dinner might not be a specific time at all.

There are some experts and studies that report the best time to eat dinner is between 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. each evening, but that time frame is mostly a broad suggestion aimed at Americans that work a usual nine-to-five job. For instance, the usual dinnertime for people in Spain is past 9:00 P.M. and they’re one of the healthiest nations on Earth. There are also vetted professionals who suggest a different time frame depending on a person’s individual health needs and lifestyle.

@makoandkonasmom

We do this every morning following breakfast #GetYourJeansOn #SummerMashup #dogsoftiktok #dog

So, what time should you have dinner? Does time even matter at all? Well, while nutritionists, dietitians, and experts cannot agree on a specific time to eat dinner each day, they do agree on some factors that can determine when it’s the best time for you specifically to eat your final meal for the day.

The answer to “What time should I get dinner?” depends on your answer to “What time do you go to bed?” The majority of experts agree that folks should have dinner at least three hours before bedtime. Studies have found that eating just before hitting the sack impedes digestion, messes with your blood sugar levels, could impact the quality of your sleep, give you acid reflux, and could even make you feel hungrier. So, in short, eating a full meal just before bed ruins the potential benefits of the dinner you just ate and your sleep.

@stephen.cabral

Listen to the full episode at StephenCabral.com/2526 #digestion #diet #healthyhabits #sleephacks #bettersleep #restfulsleep #bedtimeroutine #dinner #stephencabral #cabralconcept

Another recommendation is that whatever time you eat dinner, stick to that time consistently on a regular schedule. Eating dinner, and all meals for that matter, at the same time frame each day can help your body metabolize food more efficiently and keep you energized throughout it all. Sticking to a regular schedule also prevents you from overeating when you miss your regular mealtime because you felt hungrier than usual.

@retro.rosey

Apparently 6:30/7 PM is standard dinner time for most people??? #grandmalife #grandmalifestyle #dinnertime #suppertime

If there are days in which you end up eating dinner later than usual, the majority of professionals insist that it is better to eat rather than skip the meal. For a myriad of health reasons, it is best to feed your body when it is hungry regardless of bedtime. It shouldn’t be a regular habit, but for most people it’s best to never skip dinner. However, they also suggest eating a smaller portion than usual if you eat before you go to sleep so that you’ll feel less impact from all the negatives that could occur from sleeping with a full stomach.

So, just pick a time to eat dinner. Any time, really. Just be sure to stay as consistent as you can and avoid eating it too close to when it’s time to get some shut-eye. Bon appetit.

consistent eating habitshealthhealth advicehealth tipshealthy lifestylenutrition adviceregular mealtimebedtime routinesleep routinefoodfood and drinkdinner time

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