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This Is the Best Time of Day To Eat Your Thanksgiving Meal, According to a Dietitian

Emily Laurence

Updated November 23, 2022

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Photo: Getty Images/Thomas Barwick

There's a lot of debate on the third Thursday in November. Should everyone watch football or the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade? Is light meat healthier than dark? And which tastes better? What's the best outfit for a Turkey Trot? But one of the most important questions has to do with the main event: What time is the best time to serve Thanksgiving dinner?

Some families enjoy Thanksgiving as a lunchtime meal in the middle of the day. After all the dishes are done, you can go for a nice outdoor walk or play a family game of football; a little activity helps all that food digest. Others scratch their heads, wondering how getting all the cooking done that early is even possible and are lucky if they have it all on the table by 7 p.m. Besides, their side of the debate goes, turkey helps you sleep.

To help settle the debate on what time of day it's really best to have the Thanksgiving meal—as far as digestion goes, at least—I reached out to registered dietitian and The Full Helping blogger Gena Hamshaw, RD. "There's no 'official' verdict on the best time to eat your Thanksgiving meal," she says. "It often depends on family traditions, which is fine: food should be a source of pleasure and an opportunity to connect."

Okay, okay, but if you had to pick, I pressed. "From a digestive standpoint, it's helpful to be upright for at least two to three hours after eating and before sleep," says Hamshaw. "This is especially true if you're prone to acid reflux or indigestion: reclining right after a meal can exacerbate those common digestive complaints." With this in mind, what matters more is when you plan on going to bed, not when you're eating.

"So, feel free to enjoy your feast in the afternoon or in the evening, but give yourself some time to digest before heading to bed," Hamshaw says. "And if you do eat earlier in the day, consider a light evening meal so that you don't go to bed hungry. Consistent mealtimes benefit digestion, too, and they help to keep metabolism steady."

It looks like no family traditions are getting disrupted this year—at least when it comes to meal timing. It looks like the biggest controversy will be telling your grandpa that the mashed potatoes are actually made of cauliflower.

Here's how to build your Thanksgiving plate like a registered dietitian: