This is the worst time to eat lunch, according to experts
Nutritionists have long debated the best diet for health. And now more and more experts believe that it’s not just what we eat that’s critical for good health, but when we eat it.
So, when is the best – and worst – time to eat lunch? Should we be eating earlier in the day? And does the impact of meal timing affect our waistline?
Various studies – all looking at weight loss – have researched the impact of meal timing, and suggested similar findings: eating earlier in the day may be better for your health.
What the research says about eating a late lunch
According to a fairly recent clinical trial of 485 adults, published in 2022, people who consumed most of their calories earlier in the day lost more weight than people who did the reverse. Those who ate earlier also saw more improvements in their blood sugar, cholesterol levels and insulin sensitivity.
Similarly, a 2019 study, published in Nutrients, found that those who ate lunch late (after 3 pm) lost less weight compared to early lunch eaters (before 3 pm), despite similar calorie intake, energy expenditure, sleep duration, and macronutrient distribution. While a 2024 systematic review and meta-analysis examining the link between meal timings and health outcomes suggested that eating earlier in the day is associated with better weight management and improved metabolic health.
Why a late lunch is problematic, according to a dietitian
Lena Bakovic, registered dietitian at Top Nutrition Coaching, told Real Simple that the best time to eat lunch very much depends on an individual’s needs and their sleep-wake cycles. ‘If someone wakes at 7 am and eats a nutrient-dense breakfast at 8 am, then they are likely to tune into their hunger cues roughly four to five hours later, at 12 to 1 pm.’
If you end up eating lunch later in the day and closer to dinnertime, you might then skip dinner and then feel hungry closer to bedtime. This ‘could promote snacking on salty and/or sugary foods with low nutritional value,’ says Bakovic.
Eating at different times each day may impact our health, she added – since it could disrupt our natural circadian rhythms.
‘As with sleep-wake cycles being consistent and important for our bodies to feel in sync on a day-to-day basis, the same can be said with our mealtimes,’ says Bakovic. ‘Thus, it’s beneficial to have lunch around the same time each day, as this consistent prompting of hunger and fullness cues syncs to our sleep-wake cycles.’
The worst time to eat lunch – based on research
Scientific research suggests that eating lunch late in the day – particularly after 3 pm – is the worst time for metabolism, weight management, and overall health.
This is when:
The body’s metabolism starts slowing down.
Insulin sensitivity declines, leading to poorer blood sugar control.
There is a higher likelihood of evening overeating and weight gain.
For optimal health, the general eating window for lunch is between 12 pm and 1:30 pm – as this allows enough time for proper digestion and better alignment with the body’s natural metabolic rhythms.
Doctorsat Northwestern Medicine put the cut-off point for lunch at about 2 pm. ‘Lunch should be about four to five hours after breakfast. For example, if you ate breakfast at 7 am, eat lunch between 11 am and noon. If it is not possible for you to eat lunch until 2 pm on a particular day, then plan a snack in between those two meals,’ they say.
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