What time do you all eat dinner?

[xcskier20]

I have always been curious/entertained how other people eat. Just wondering what time an average weekday dinner is and what time you go to bed. It seems like some people can eat at 8PM and can sleep comfortably by 9PM while others eat a 5:30PM and go to bed at 11:30PM. What's your pattern?

[cath]

Generally we eat between 8 and 9 p.m. No kids, and I don't get home from work until 7 or so. Bedtime varies, usually sometime between 10:30 and midnight.

[Terrieltr]

About 30-45 minutes after I get home from work, usually. Because my work schedule varies a bit, that means sometimes between 5:15 and 7:00. On the later days, I usually end up nibbling some cheese while cooking because I'm starving. Like a couple people have mentioned, I prefer to eat earlier because if I eat too close to going to bed, I get heartburn.

[bg90027]

It varies widely depending on work schedules, social schedules, when we get hungry and what we are trying to cook. It could be anytime between 6pm and 2am but probably most frequently between 9pm and 10pm.

[truman]

In the days before kids: around 7 or 7:30pm. I went to the gym most days after work so with cooking time, we weren't sitting down to eat (in front of the tv usually) until 7ish.

Now that DS is almost 2, we eat at 6pm. Maybe 6:15 if we can distract him enough. It was important to us that we all eat together as a family, so we shifted our adult dinnertime to be a little earlier. (He goes to bed at 7:30, we head up around 9-9:30.)

[tardigrade]

After it gets dark. I have no idea why, but I find it very hard to make and eat dinner while the sun's out. Luckily we live at a latitude where even in summer the sun's in bed by 9PM.

I really liked dining in Spain!

[ScubaSteve]

if dining out we usually go about a half hour after the resto begins dinner service.
at home it's around 8-9pm.

[boyzoma]

Weeknights it's usually around 7 pm. DH doesn't get home till around 6 and likes to sit for a bit. Same for Saturday. Sundays - it's 5:45 in front of the TV so we can settle in. We usually watch whatever is on Food Network (now it is Next Food Network Star).

[CookieLee]

It depends on what we're eating. I get home from work about 6:30pm. If we're eating stir fry, we're eating about 7:15pm. Fish, same time. Cooked chicken from the store, 7pm. Leftovers microwaved, 6:45pm! When we go out, I like to have reservations for 7pm, my dh prefers 6:30pm. When we go out with our friends who are European, we have 7:30pm reservations. :D

[JenJeninCT]

During the week, we usually eat between 7:30-8:30. Nights I teach, 9:30-10. Weekends depend on how many different directions we are going in, and for how long. We will often eat only 1 real meal on weekends, between 3:30-5:30.

[subarudude85]

i like to eat between 5:30 - 6:30

[cookmyassoff]

anywhere from 5 pm (rare) to midnight or later. it all depends on whats going on. if im home in the evening and cooking, usually some time between 6:30 and 8 pm. if we are going to a restaurant, again it depends on where and whats going on. so for us it really does vary. last night i had to go to a class that didnt get out until 7pm, then we had an 8:30 meeting with an attorney, so we were eating potstickers and sesame noodles in the car on the way there around 8 pm. then we came home and finished the food around 10:30. our schedules/lives/meals are sort of all over the place. i love that when we go to manhattan, there are many places open til 2 or 3 a.m., even on weeknights. we had a lovely spaghetti and lobster dinner at this great little place in midtown. we got there around 11:45 on a tuesday and they were going strong! the place wasnt packed, but we definitely werent the only ones in there. so we are very aware of the places near us that are open 24 hours (besides dennys) or are at least open til midnight.

[KaimukiMan]

Growing up dinner was at 7pm every weeknight, at the dinner table - unless there was a National Geographic or Jacques Cousteau special, then dinner was on the floor in front of the TV.

I still like dinner around 7, but it may happen anywhere from 6 until 9 depending on what else is going on. Bedtime somewhere around 11 on weekdays, up around 6 or so. I have no problem eating and crawling right into bed 20 minutes later.

[Bill Hunt]

Good points.

In Hawaii, we often go near "sunset," but that does depend on the time of year, and also where we are dining. Who wants to schedule dining "at sunset," when at Chef Mavro's?

In Europe/UK, it can depend. We often go with more of a Euro-plan, and dine late, but on the first night, might go early, to get to bed, and "catch up."

Like the "National Geographic," we will alter things, as life unfolds.

Wife just got out of a board meeting, returned home, and we will eat at 9:00PM. Had it not been for the board meeting, it would probably have been 8:00PM. Just depends.

Hunt

[wayne keyser]

Whenever JEOPARDY is on.

[emglow101]

I am a single male. I always end up eating at around 8:00 P.M. Cooking fresh 98% of the time it is usually around eight. Was in Rome and could really get behind their late schedule. Maybe they are on to something. Up at seven.

[melpy]

Between 5 pm and 11 pm. Last night trying to roast chicken according the Mark Bittman's simple roast chicken caused a 10 pm dinner that was supposed to be 8:45. Generally prefer around 7:30 if I have a choice. Usually we wait until 8 for a less crowded restaurantexperience when dining out.

[MonMauler]

Usually:

Breakfast = none
Lunch = ~ 1:30p
Dinner = 8p - 10p
Bedtime = After 3a

I generally work 9a - 5p.

[tazia]

Somewhere between 6 or 7 usually. We actually will eat out early often (5:30 or 6), so we can catch a movie or a concert or somesuch.

[Stelmaria]

I'm an undergrad college student (twenty years old), so my answer is quite a bit different from most posters here! I usually have dinner around seven; bedtime is usually around two in the morning. Midnight on a night when I go to bed "early."

When I was a kid growing up, dinner was usually either really early -- around four-thirty -- or late (nine) due to after school activities.

[Reston]

Dinner at home is usually 6-6:30. We eat early at restaurants (5:30-6:30) to avoid the crowds. We're usually in bed by 10.

[cavandre]

Here on the east coast of FL, the restaurants are most crowded in that 5:30-6:30 period

[linguafood]

Looks like a LOT of hounds are eating the blue plate special, regardless of locale.

Must be an age thing?

[sandylc]

The folks ALWAYS ate at 5:30 on the button. I have rebelled by eating when ever it's ready - anywhere between 5 and 9....whatever......

[Jetgirly]

Weeknights I usually have dinner REALLY early- around 4:30, and then go the gym at 6:30. I can't make it through an evening workout unless I eat a substantial meal about two hours earlier.

If I don't have an evening workout I eat around 7:00.

Either way I'm typically in bed around 11:00.

[wyogal]

Weekdays, after work, sometimes it's 5, sometimes its 7 - 7:30. Weekends, it depends as well, but about the same time 5-7, unless we are doing our bigger meal early in the day (around 2:00), and supper later.

[kubasd23]

I generally eat dinner now that I'm on my own sometime between 7 or 8. When I was growing up, we ate at 6:00 every single night, without fail. My dad now has to get up very early for work, so my mom, dad, and sisters eat promptly at 5:00. In fact, my sisters complain of hunger and start asking where dinner is if it reaches 5:10 without food. I generally go to bed around midnight, though sometimes later.

[Tripeler]

Breakfast -- about 7:45 am
Lunch -- about 12:30 pm
Dinner -- about 6:40 pm
Go to sleep -- about 11:45 pm

[lyri]

I'm in the "anytime" camp. I have flexible hours (I work in a restaurant) and I could easily be going to work at 4 (then what I eat before I leave is my dinner) or coming home from work at around 6:30 which means I'll probably be eating dinner sometime before 8.

I'd say if I'm home on a day off, anything between 5 and 7 is acceptable and normal. Anything after 7 is pretty late.

And for reference, I usually go to sleep around midnight, unless I'm closing which makes it sometime before 2am. I'll have a snack around 8 or so in that case.

[John E.]

Here in Minnesota it has been my experience that eating the home cooked evening meal anytime after 7 pm is considered really late. When I was a kid growing up in a small town we usually ate supper (as it was called) at 5:30p and always started before 6p. As an adult we usually eat between 6 and 6:30p on weekdays. Earlier on the weekends.

[tastesgoodwhatisit]

We usually eat about 7-8, because that's when dinner tends to be ready after getting home from work. Much later than that, and we start getting hungry, as we eat lunch between noon and 1. We typically go to bed between 10 and midnight.

[Mattkn]

My eating schedule is all over the place. I work three 12 hour shifts a week, 7p-7a. I'm following a slightly modified version of Dr. Fuhrman's Eat to Live plan, which, ironically, is KILLING me. At 1700 I have a light dinner that consists of a spinach smoothie or 1/2 cup of oatmeal. I eat again at 20:00, 00:00, and then a snack such as popcorn or fruit at 03:00. I don't usually have anything after 3AM because I’m off work at 0700, and to bed shortly thereafter.

On my days off, it just depends on whether I'm able to flip back to a "normal" day schedule. If so, 6ish for dinner in,8-9 for dinner out, and to bed who knows when! If for some reason I don't quite make the normal flip, then it is basically an eating free for all because I'm up wandering the house at all hours of the day and night.

[Njchicaa]

During the spring/summer, we eat around 7-7:30pm or so. (I'm usually in bed by 9). In the fall/winter, we eat closer to 5:30-6pm and I'm in bed by 7:30 My husband just asked me tonight why dinner has been so early. I told him it wasn't a conscious decision to have it earlier but more of a result of it getting dark so much earlier.

[Bill Hunt]

It depends on where we are eating.

At home, dinner is usually about 9:00PM. However, in Hawai`i, we will often move things to around sunset, or perhaps early enough for an AM tee-time.

In Europe, it's usually around 8:00PM, but again, can be moved up, depending on things like sunset.

If meetings start early, then the dining time the night before, will also be early.

Hate to say it, but "it depends."

Hunt

[jeanmarieok]

I am in bed by 10 ish most nights, so we eat by 7, so we can get a walk in, too. Friday/Saturday is closer to 8 or even 9, because I'll stay up later. I usually get up by 6am for the day, regardless, so I am usually ready for dinner...

[viperlush]

Well I say dinner will be @ 6:30, but it is usually between 7:45 and 9pm. I'm horrible at factoring in prep time. I blame my mother. I try to have peppermint tea and cookies (when in stock) between 10:30 and 11pm. I don't like to wake up hungry so I try to eat before sleeping. Bed between 11 pm and 12 am. It's just the two, bf works almost normal hours and I'm unemployed.

If we make reservations it's for 6 pm when his parents visit and 7:00/7:30pm when it's just us or with others.

[CookieLee]

During the week, we eat between 7pm - 8pm, as I make dinner when I get home ~ 6:30pm. We go to bed ~ 11- 11:30pm. On Saturday night, about the same time, usually out. My husband would like to eat earlier, but I'm just not hungry eating dinner at 6pm. He's gradually become accustomed to it, particularly as our friends who are French consider dining at 8pm early!

[Will Owen]

Reading all these replies, I was reminded that when I was selling Nashville Symphony tickets in the evening, 5:30-9:30, about half the folks I called up until 7:00 would give me hell for interrupting their dinner; of the ones I called after 7:30, about a third would give me hell for interrupting their dinner, and a significant number were angry that I'd called after bedtime! And of course each of these people firmly believed that his or her mealtime and bedtime were what every normal person observed.

[Kajikit]

I'm home all day, and John works a schedule that means he often gets home about 3 in the afternoon, so we will often eat dinner then because it's too late for him to have lunch and then a regular six o'clock dinner. But our normal eating time is about six o'clock.

I go to choir on Wednesday nights, and I don't like to have a full stomach when I'm singing, so on Wednesdays we either eat very early (before 5) or else I just have a snack and then we eat something light when I get home at 10pm.

If we're going out to eat, we usually go in the afternoon instead of at 'dinner time'. There are less crowds and we can take our time and relax... I'm not a night owl, and I usually want to be in bed by 11pm.

[MoMo685]

Alright someone I can agree with: "Dinner sometime 7:30 (early) to 9, bed by 11." I totally agree around 7:30, 8ish during the week and 8ish to 9ish (weekends) is about right to eat dinner and I think it's perfectly ok also for little children to eat dinner around that time as well (7:30ish). I have family and they always make sure they and their kids eat dinner at precisely 5:30. I think at least children 5:30ish is snack time and then dinner around 7:30. But I so don't agree with parents that want their children to be on this strict time schedule and dinner must always be at this dumb awful way too early time and kids to bed at this particular exact time. I understand routine is great but I think for children it should be around this time, not exactly always at this exact time. Also by making this rigid, exact routine schedule when you have children you are automatically making your children dictate your life and your schedule must be on their schedule. NO!! When I have kids yes obviously there will be schedules but not exact, but aroundish. I think it's perfectly absolutely and more healthy to be flexible with children's schedules then the absolute rigid (they must be into bed at this exact time, have dinner precisely at this time) schedule.

[jmcarthur8]

MoMo, I remember when my boys were young, one of them needed at least 10 hours of sleep, and he went to bed at 8:30 every night, up into high school, by choice. When he turned about 14 or so, and his aunt told us he should be able to stay up later than his younger brother, he and I looked at each other and said ,"No, not really". He really preferred to get his rest and feel good all day. His younger brother, on the other hand, didn't need so much sleep, and he stayed up an hour or two later.
What this is all getting to is that we ate dinner around 5 so that we could all go to the park or play ball in the street, or watch TV or whatever we as a family wanted to do after dinner. Ben had a snack about 8, then got ready for bed.
In the summer time, they both went to bed probably closer to 10, but we still had dinner early so we could play in the evening.
Now the boys are grown and gone, DH and I eat dinner anywhere between 5 and 7, just depending on how hungry we are and what we are involved in doing.

[hipsterdufus]

I am an early riser during the week. Up at 5:30 AM , lunch is at 11:30 , so I like to have dinner between 6 and 7.

[rjlebed]

We never liked to eat in shifts so waited till all were home. That was usually around 7:15ish so dinner fell about 8:00. Sleep for me is VERY late. For other half is around 10:30. When our son was little he was visiting a friend whose family set up for dinner around 5:30. He asked them why they were having a snack before dinner!!

[givemecarbs]

That is funny rjlebed! Dinner is anywhere from seven til nine thirty, but I tend to have a nice afternoon snack, tea and fruit or a refreshing smoothie.

[goodhealthgourmet]

ha! sounds like my brother's family. it's a battle every time we try to get everyone together for a meal because he always wants brunch at 10 a.m. or dinner at 5:30.

[magiesmom]

Since we no longer have kids around we eat when we feel like it, usually 7:30 or 8, but much earlier or a bit later if we are hungry then.

[goodhealthgourmet]

when i had a corporate job i was on a much more regular schedule and got up at 5:30 every day to hit the gym...so i'd get started on dinner as soon as i got home in the evening - usually between 6:30 and 7 - and try to finish eating by 8:30. that way i had a couple of hours to digest before getting to bed by 11 - i can't sleep if i've eaten within 2 hours.

these day's it's a bit more flexible, but i still like to finish dinner by 9. i'm just not a fan of late-night eating. then again, i don't like having dinner every early either...so i guess i limit myself to a pretty predictable window - no earlier than 7, no later than 8:30.

[jgg13]

which dinner? dinner lunch, or dinner supper?

Presumably dinner supper. I tend to eat around 8:30-10:30 and go to bed anywhere from 1am to 4am.

[linguafood]

Generally between 7:30 - 8, though it can be earlier (when I have an early gig) or later (when we have a poker game, order pizza, and it doesn't arrive until 2 hours later....).

Bedtime... any time between midnight and 4 am.

[OCEllen]

Around 6>7, usually make restaurant reservations around that time, too. In bed about 10:30 - 11:00.

[tracylee]

We usually eat anywhere between 7 and 8:30 pm. My SO heads to bed to read at 10 or so - usually only takes a couple of pages and he's out like a light. I usually feel sleepy at 8 pm, but once we've watched the Iron Chef rerun on at 8, I get my second wind and lately have been going to bed at 11:30 or so. Neither of us is working at the moment (OK, he does have a couple of blues gigs coming up), so we tend to nosh all day.

Oh, and I eat my dinner at the table, since things could get messy in the recliner and the cat on my lap would be inclined to try to help out.

[uwsister]

We don't really eat dinner unless we're eating out, which we do a couple times a week. If we're eating out, we usually start eating around 8-9 p.m. and we usually go to bed around 2 a.m.

[mariacarmen]

usually really early - always hungry after work! between 6-7. then a late (9:30) gym workout, and some nights that's followed by a nightcap out and a game of pool, but if not, i'm still up until at least midnight most nights, if not later. My BF is usually up 'til much later, 3, 4. but dinner, rarely later than 7.

[Motosport]

At home 7 PM. At a restaurant 8-9 PM.
We've traveled extensively in Southern Europe and loved having dinner at 9 PM +.
I don't know why we don't do it here for ourselves. Probably because we hit the sheets at 10 PM and wake up at 6:30 AM.

[nooyawka]

I typically eat dinner anywhere from 9pm to midnight or later, and typically sleep well after 1am.

[corneygirl]

It varies quite a bit if I've skipped lunch and B worked out we might eat at 5:30, sometimes on the weekend I get overly ambitious and we'll eat at 10. Between 7 and 8 is the norm. Bed time is usually 12:30 or 1, although sometimes it's 10:30 and sometimes it's 3.

[Harters]

Dinner's usually 7.30 - 8.00

[jmcarthur8]

Hubby and I usually eat around 6 or 6:30, head for bed around 11. If we plan ahead to have an at-home movie night, we may eat around 5 or 6 and have an interesting snack in the middle of the evening, instead of (or before) our standard bowl of cereal before bed.

[Lixer]

Lol, now that reminds me of another question. Do you all eat at the dinner table? I think my boyfriend and I have used the table once when family came over. Last night we had pan roasted chicken and mushrooms with sage vermouth sauce and roasted cauliflower while watching swamp thing.

[jmcarthur8]

We always eat dinner at the dining room table, no TV on, no music, just conversation. Snacks in front of the TV. But back to the table for the cereal because we are both too klutzy to eat cereal in milk from the coffee table without making a mess. And the thought of slurping up cereal while holding a bowl under my chin just seems so....gluttonous?
Your dinner sounds delicious! That would be too good of a meal to waste my attention on swamp thing.

[Brianne920]

Agree that that dinner sounds delicious, but I simply cannot agree that any time spent on Swamp Thing is wasted :)

[alliegator]

Between 8-9 if it's a weeknight. I usually go to bed at 11:30ish.
On weekends, it can be earlier because I'll usually skip lunch and nibble as I work on making a more labor intensive dinner. Usually on weekend nights, we'll then head our for a few drinks, and that always ends up with a big snack after.

[mpjmph]

I usually cook or at least prep on Sundays and re-heat/assemble for dinner throughout the week. I go to the gym straight from work most days, and get home around 6:30, so dinner is between 7pm and 8pm. I'm an early bird, so bed time is 10pm at the latest (except of Wednesdays, when I go out for trivia, usually eat at the bar around 8:30, and make it to bed at 11pm).

[AdamD]

Weekdays:
Young kids between 5:30 and 6:30.
Wife and I around between 8-9 depending on how fast the kids go to sleep.

Weekends are a free for all.

[msnm008]

Dinner for me is 7pm-ish. In bed at around 12am. Sometimes I get snack-ish in between, though.

[italia84]

It depends--my mother in law technically lives with us, though lately she spends most/all of the week at her boyfriend's house. On days when she's there, I start cooking when I get home from work and we eat sometime between 6-6:30. Now that she's not there as much, it's closer to 7:30.

[buttertart]

Weekdays usually home by 7, 7-8 the sacrosanct PBS Newshour, 8 bar opens and I start prep, 8:30-9:30 dinner.
Similar on weekends although I may start earlier or finish later depending on whim and how enormous lunch was.

[jmckee]

Weekdays during the school year, sometime between 6:30 and 7 p.m. Weekends usually closer to 7 or shortly thereafter. in the summer it's all over the place; we have a membership, at Cincinnati's Coney Island Sunlite Pool, and our son serves as a lifeguard there. So we're frequently there 3-4 days a week.

[Dan G]

i'm in the 'whenever' camp. Weekdays, if we are both working, dinner can start as early as 5:30, but often not until 8:30. It all depends on what we are having, how long it takes to prepare, what else we are doing, what the day was like (lunch might not have been until 130...)

If dining out, reservations are usually for 7 if we are in home town, but on vacation we usually book between 8 and 9.

[iL Divo]

Our dinner has never had a time stamp on it.
As a young lady, our family ate when it was on the table. Too many things came into play, what time do mom and dad get home, am I cooking tonight cause dinner isn't appearing, are we waiting to go out to dinner?
same thing when I started my own family of husband and kids.
the kids' games or sports events, sometimes it was 10 at night by the time we ate.
now again, it's when it gets on the table.
it's always ready way in advance of when hubby gets home.
that's a problem though cause sometimes he calls and says meet me here or there, then I wrap up what I made, put it in the frig and that's dinner tomorrow.

[Lixer]

Whenever dinner is cooked is when we eat! I grew up eating dinner between 5 and 6 and will usually eat at 6 on my own. My boyfriend prefers to eat later and dinner often takes a while to cook after work so we usually eat at 7-8. He seems to have his main meal at 2 am after band practice though.

[link_930]

My dinner schedule is all over the place these days. I eat when hungry and sleep when tired, which means that I'll sometimes go to bed after a beer, or eat at 6pm and go to bed at 2am, or eat at 9pm and go to bed at 930pm... :\

[Uncle Bob]

We usually go to bed and get up with the chickens... (Southern translation = early to bed and early to rise). ~~ Supper is normally between 5 and 6 ~~ Lights out....9:00 ish

[valerie]

If it's a day when I'm working, I get home at 6:15, and my kids, ages 6 and 4, have been fed already. I get dinner ready for me and my husband by 7:00. On days when I work at home, we eat as a family at 6:00, or when we go out as a family it's also around 6:00. If it's my just me and my husband going out for dinner, 7:30 is optimal, though if we go to a movie first we might eat around 9 or 9:30.

[jamieeats]

on weekdays, i eat between 6-7:30, basically when i get home from work. on the weekends we eat a little earlier; if we are going out we prefer dinner reservations on fri/sat around 6 or as early as 5 for sunday.

[Sooeygun]

So far, your's seems to be the only earlier dinner post. I'll add my agreement and go even earlier.

We are early to bed folks. Mr. S gets up at 4, so likes to be in bed by 8 or 9 and I need as much time as possible between eating and sleeping, or else I get heartburn . We eat as soon as we can after I get home, usually around 5:30-6. Earlier on the weekend. Sometimes we eat dinner at 4 on Sundays. But then on the weekend, I tend to only eat 2 meals, late breakfast or early lunch around 10 or 11 and early dinner.

[xcskier20]

That's about what we do too, I love being able to get easier dinner reservations/better service by eating early on the weekends!

[Will Owen]

With Mrs. O working downtown and usually getting to Pasadena sevenish, we generally shoot for 8:00. That gives us time to eat in the den and watch one of our TIVO'd shows, since the ones we like don't come on live until around our bedtime, or a movie or series on DVD. Sometimes when Mrs. O has a project of her own in production, especially if it's close to deadline, she'll ask me to shoot for 9:00 or even 9:30. When we eat out that's usually around 8:00 too.

[TuteTibiImperes]

I usually eat dinner around 9 - 10, and go to bed around midnight.

[LeoLioness]

Usually between 7-8. I go to bed between mindnight-1.

If I make a dinner reservation for a weeknight it's usually 7 or 7:30; weekends it's 8 or 8:30.

[Maximilien]

weekdays, usually between 18:30 and 19:00
saturday, it depends if I have people over, if that happens, it will be around 20h
sunday, I eat a bigger breakfast/brunch so I only snack.

M.

[odkaty]

Dinner sometime 7:30 (early) to 9, bed by 11. We ate really early tonight, around 7.

Left to my own devices, I'll often be making dinner at 10:30.