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While some people who eat rather early dinners may hear jokes about such habits, they might be wiser than those who give them grief suspect. In the U.S., the average dinnertime falls somewhere between 6 and 7 p.m., though there are several factors (age, culture, lifestyle, health and wellness goals, etc.) that help determine when an individual has his or her last meal of the day.

Earlier dinners, such as those between three and four hours before bedtime, can often be more beneficial for one’s overall health and can help prevent gastrointestinal distress, allowing for more efficient sleep. Eating earlier can also decrease the risk of obesity.

Dallas resident Damon Yousefy understands the benefits early dinners can have for sleep and digestion, but he also said there are additional reasons to opt for sitting down to this nightly meal well before the sun goes down.

“I wake up at 5 a.m. to work out, so I’m hungry by 4–5 p.m.,” he said. “And now with restaurants being packed on weekends, it’s much easier to get a 5 p.m. reservation and find parking than it is at 7–8 p.m., and the service is better when it’s less busy.”

Because of his daily routine and focus on maintaining his overall health, Yousefy said his ideal dinnertime is 5 p.m.

“I sleep better when I eat earlier, and it gives me time to do something—like see a show, play games, or go for a walk—after dinner,” he said. “I don’t enjoy late nights, so being able to socialize and go to sleep at 10 p.m. is an ideal evening.”

Like Yousefy, Dallas resident Virginia Altick is an avid fan of early dinners, though her reasons are three-fold and are more unique to her lifestyle.

“I don’t like feeling full at bedtime, I don’t like waking up in the morning without a hunger for breakfast, and I love fasting for at least 12 hours,” she said. “A 12-hour or more fast gives my body time away from digesting in order to deal with other processes, like removing senescent cells.”

Altick doesn’t necessarily have a specific time she prefers to eat dinner every night, as it is contingent upon her morning schedule.

“I measure my dinnertime by what time I eat breakfast,” she said. “Some mornings require me to get up early and eat something before my first activity. For example, I teach yoga and personal train a client on Wednesday mornings from 7–9:30 a.m., so I have to get up at 6 a.m. and eat breakfast at 6:30 a.m. In order to fast for 12 hours, I need to finish eating dinner by 6:30 p.m., so I start eating dinner at 6 p.m.”

There are many individuals, though, who don’t have as strong of a preference on eating time. Dallas resident and runner Braden Keefer said he doesn’t mind eating early but typically eats around 6:30 p.m., though when he eats is often determined by his schedule and what his workout is the following morning.

“If it’s a hard workout or a long run, I prefer to eat earlier so that I don’t have the feeling of being full early in the morning,” he said. “Like most people, I don’t typically run well on a heavier stomach. If the next morning is just an easy run or a day off, then I won’t worry too much about when I eat. If I’m going out to eat with friends, I’ll eat whenever is best for the group, but I’ll be mindful about what I’m eating.”

Often for Keefer, though, his concern is more on volume than timing.

“The unfortunate thing is that I eat like a horse and can put away more food than I care to admit, so I have to keep myself disciplined and not overdo it,” he said. “It’s also more important for me to watch what I’m eating as opposed to what time I eat. If I eat too much heavy junk, it will definitely affect my performance the next day—or it will at least make me think it’s affecting me.”

There are certainly individuals who aren’t able to eat as early as they would like or at a time that is better for them, whether it be because of work, parenting or other family responsibilities, or several additional factors that are essential components of people’s lives. And those who appreciate early dinners more also sometimes must be a bit more flexible in certain situations.

“Being social at dinner is one of the most enjoyable ways I have to catch up with friends and family, but it doesn’t always align with my preferred early dinner schedule,” Altick said. “Like last Thursday, I went to a friend’s birthday dinner at Rise at 7:30 p.m.—an hour and a half after my normal dinnertime. It was fun, though, and they have the most amazing souffle. For special occasions like that, I will usually eat a snack of vegetables around 6 p.m. and hope I don’t get hangry.”

Hanger can be all too real for some people, including Yousefy, who admits to experiencing the irritable and grumpy demeanor one has when hangry if he is required to eat much later than he normally does.

“I will even turn down dinner invitations that are too late, like at 8:30 p.m.,” he said. “This is not Europe, and some of us need to wake up early. When I get a late dinner invite, I jokingly ask if the person sending the invitation is on cocaine, and I will counter with a 6 p.m. time.”

Some individuals are more fortunate and don’t suffer much from hanger. Keefer said he is not often afflicted with the grouchy condition but does notice feeling fatigued and a bit out of sorts when he needs fuel.

“The older I get, however, the more I hate going to bed feeling hungry,” he said. “If I’m really hungry and lying in bed, I’ll most likely get up and eat something light. It’s just annoying that I’ll have to brush my teeth again, but that’s the cost of doing business for ya.”

Regardless of when a person opts to eat dinner, as timing can vary based on each individual and his or her schedule, it’s important to keep in mind what one is eating. For those seeking a little more discipline in regard to when to eat, though, Altick advises a notion called 3-2-1 pertaining to proper sleep health that she learned and likes to employ.

“Stop eating three hours before bed, stop drinking two hours before bed, and stop blue light exposure one hour before bed,” she said. “So, eating early is good for sleep.”

Montpelier, Vermont, is the only state capital in the U.S. without a McDonald's.

There are a variety of opportunities for individuals looking to expand their social circles and connect with others with similar interests. One such option is becoming part of a book club, which allows lovers of reading and those looking to discuss various notions and stories to spend time together, bounce ideas off of one another, and potentially form lasting friendships.

Dallas-area resident Cindy Hallo Reasor initially joined a sci-fi/fantasy book club for the social aspect and currently meets with her group on the second Monday of every month. It’s a commitment she said she sticks to, no matter what.

“All of the core members knew each other, and we were reading the same books, anyway, so why not get together to discuss?” she said.

Reasor said over time, friends of friends have been added to the group, and she values being able to participate in meaningful discussions about science-related topics.

“Everyone has different educational backgrounds, so it’s interesting to hear what a teacher, principal, accountant, voice actor, etc. all think about things like time travel or space travel,” she said.

Dallas-area resident Olivia Wetzel enjoys reading and saw joining a book club as an additional sensible way to be social while also being exposed to new and different kinds of topics and stories. She was part of a book club in 2020 during the pandemic, so she said the format was slightly different than a traditional book club. 

“We only met once, and it was based on genre,” she said. “You picked a book in the genre and shared what you liked and disliked about the book. I did not know anyone in the group beforehand. If you are looking for a book/reading club that is more relaxed and flexible, this is not a bad option and is a good introduction.”

Not everyone has a deep love for reading, but book clubs aren’t solely for those who turn pages faster than Katie Ledecky swims. Book clubs offer the ability to improve one’s conversation and general communication skills, discover new perspectives and ideas, and enhance cognition. Essentially, they allow a person to expand his or her overall horizons.

“I think the benefits of a book club really depend on the person and what they want out of it, but I think the overall benefits are finding different books, participating in group discussions, and meeting people with different thoughts and book recommendations,” Wetzel said.

Dallas-area resident and avid reader Stephanie Hone is currently involved in two book clubs, one of which is held monthly with a group of coworkers and another with three close friends, though she said the latter is a little more challenging to get everyone to finish the book by the time they meet. Regardless, Hone said she enjoys being part of both book clubs, as she values the insights of the others involved.

“I love to read and need to know I have a committed group of readers who will read the same book as me and share their thoughts and feelings about the book,” she said. “I don’t just want to finish a book and go to Goodreads to read opinions of people I have never met without talking about it with someone I know.”

Although Hone is no longer in education, she taught middle school English for 10 years and is a strong advocate for reading communities.

“I love being able to talk about my reading experience with other people,” she said. “Also, reading is therapy for so many people without them always realizing it.”

Book clubs are not necessarily for everyone, even the most dedicated readers. Some individuals’ schedules don’t always align, some people don’t like feeling pressured or obligated to read certain books in certain given time periods, and others simply might not want to share their feelings or hear those of other people who read the same books.

And while book clubs are by no means mandatory, they certainly can provide rewarding interactions for many individuals. Wetzel, who encourages people to be accepting of differences, said she had apprehensions prior to joining a book club.

“I would hope any book club out there is hopefully a positive experience for someone who likes to read,” she said. “However, as a neurodivergent person, going into a group setting had me a little nervous. I sometimes use audiobooks to help me, and there are some people out there who feel audiobooks don’t count, but that is silly. Using audiobooks and being open to different reading paces, supports, and abilities should be welcome. Also, support your local library.”

Reasor said if a person is able to find a group that likes to read the same genre as he or she does, creating space for meeting with that group would be a valuable investment.

“For people with kids and/or crazy schedules, it’s so important to carve out time for yourself, and a standing book club date is a great way to do that,” she said.

Hone said she thinks book clubs are helpful not only for book lovers but also for reluctant readers—and she’s seen the results unfold before her own eyes.

“I believe in the power of discussing literature and having opinions,” she said. “Loving a strong storyline but hating the protagonist or discussing how the ending was predictable or sharing how you cried when the heroine finally put the noise to death by overcoming her fears is revolutionary. I have witnessed firsthand how a book can change a person’s life. I had many students tell me how they stayed up late to finish a book because they couldn’t put it down, or they cried with me as I read an emotional chapter to the whole class. But the best? The best was a student who read a book in his literature circle group. He told me that it was the first book he ever read on his own from cover to cover—because he saw himself in the main character.”

For Hone, reading will always be a life-changing activity. She said, like anything, if a person can find others who enjoy what he or she enjoys, that individual has found a new community.

“I think reading communities are vital and the right kind of people we need,” she said. “Reading builds emotional empathy. And if you have empathy? I shouldn’t have to explain the impact that has on this world.”

WEEKLY PHOTO OP

NatNews staff members enjoyed a fun-filled evening of OSHA violations and other typical antics with some dear readers over the weekend 

Monday, August 4: Rangers vs. Yankees at Globe Life Field; Koe Wetzel and Friends at The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory; National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day
Tuesday, August 5: Sunset Cruise on White Rock Lake (Ladies Night); Free Rooftop Movie — Poetic Justice at Sundown at Granada
Wednesday, August 6: Mahjong Social at Sadelle’s Highland Park; Sunset Cruise on White Rock Lake
Thursday, August 7: National IPA Day at Community Beer Co.
Friday, August 8: Dallas Wings vs. New York Liberty at College Park Center; Luke Combs Tribute — Like Combs at Legacy Hall; Bop to the Top at House of Blues Dallas
Saturday, August 9: WRRC Saturday run from Taco Joint; Pride Thrive Summit at Union Coffee; Vitruvian Salsa Festival at Vitruvian Park
Sunday, August 10: Rangers vs. Phillies at Globe Life Field; Rooftop Wellness at Waterproof at The Statler (also on Saturday); National S’mores Day