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Ok, so he's 72, I'm 40, and we've lived together for over 20 years. The older he's gotten, the earlier and earlier he eats supper. My question is, does anyone here (I put it on the Retirement thread since many of you are retirement age and may be able to answer it) know why he does this? When we got together, he still worked. Then, when he first retired in his 50s, he'd eat at 5:30 (and I'd join because I was hungry by then). That went on for a long while, and then the past 5 years it was 5:00 - I mean, up until this past year - nowadays, he's been eating dinner at 4:30! Well, that's too early for my tastes, so I still wait until 5:00, like last year. It doesn't create any problem in our relationship, but I find it strange and don't understand why many elders get this way. I hope it doesn't happen to me when I'm that age. What's next for him, 4:00?
What time does he go to bed? If early, he may not want to be eating that close to bed time.
That, and does he actually eat "dinner" around noon and then have a "supper" at night? If that doesn't apply and he doesn't go to bed early, I'd be thinking about a possible chemical imbalance and recommed he speak with his physician.
That's a little young to be eating that early unless he gets up at 5 a.m. I am almost 70 and routinely will eat anywhere between 7-8 p.m. I get up late - about 10 a.m., breakfast at 11, lunch/snack at 3 or 4, dinner later. Even when I get up at 8 or 8:30, dinner is usually 6:30-7. Sounds like he's bored - or going to bed at 9 p.m.
We're in our early 60s and we have a 5 o'clock snack, we call it 'wine time' and it's usually hummus or cheese on crackers and yes, usually a glass of wine. Then we have dinner around 7 p.m.
One of my closest friends and her hubby now eat at 5 pm on the dot. Really surprised me - we met up with them a few weekends ago - and they made it clear - off to the nearby restaurant about 4:30 so they didn't miss out on their meal being served as close to 5 pm as possible. They are not quite 70. Used to be - we dined out at 7 or 8 pm.
Hubby and I both work at home and we started having "tea" around 4:00 in the evenings . . . then can delay dinner til later. Seems to work better with our blood sugar to have some cheese and crackers and fruit a few hours after lunch - and a few hours b/f dinner.
Maybe you just need to change your routine a bit, OP . . . ? Serve something around 4 ish and then delay dinner a while? Would hubby be open to that?
I have found since I no longer work, that I basically have two meals a day-a earlier one, sort of a brunch mid morning and then an early supper. Is that what he is doing?
I also have GERD trouble if I eat too late anymore. I have found that if I don't have grains(pasta, bread, rice) I can eat that meal later and be ok.
What time does he go to bed? If early, he may not want to be eating that close to bed time.
He's always been early to bed, early to rise, even when he ate supper at a more conventional time, like 6. He's always woken up at dawn, used to go to sleep between 9-10, but these days, he often goes to sleep between 8:30-9:00. (I've always been a night owl myself). He eats a bit of a late breakfast sometimes and has lunch at 12 as always.
One of my closest friends and her hubby now eat at 5 pm on the dot. Really surprised me - we met up with them a few weekends ago - and they made it clear - off to the nearby restaurant about 4:30 so they didn't miss out on their meal being served as close to 5 pm as possible. They are not quite 70. Used to be - we dined out at 7 or 8 pm.
Hubby and I both work at home and we started having "tea" around 4:00 in the evenings . . . then can delay dinner til later. Seems to work better with our blood sugar to have some cheese and crackers and fruit a few hours after lunch - and a few hours b/f dinner.
Maybe you just need to change your routine a bit, OP . . . ? Serve something around 4 ish and then delay dinner a while? Would hubby be open to that?
If we go out to eat, I sometimes tease him on the way there about his "Early Bird Specials".
I tend to overeat and my metabolism isn't what it used to be, so I know that if I were to join him for supper at 4:30, I'll still be hungry later in the evening, especially considering that I stay up quite late.
He has this routine where he exercises from about 2-3 pm, takes a long bath or shower, then has some wine. With the wine, he gets the munchies, and starts nibbling...okay, now I see how it evolved to such an early supper, which started as just some appetizers. I could imagine joining him while only having a light snack myself and eat my supper later...no wine for me though cuz I'm on sleep meds, so maybe some herbal tea for a pick-me-up would be nice.
I'm not sure if I should try to change his supper habits though. If I cook something - sure, I'll have it done by MY usual suppertime. But otherwise, by 4:30, he just starts grabbing food and making something for himself (or for us both, if it's a batch, like Hamburger Helper or something)
For over 30 years my wife and I discussed the dinner hour. I preferred closer to 8pm, she preferred closer to 6pm.
Since retirement it is differrent as in we no longer lock ourselves into a time nor meal size. Evening meal now more depends on what we each did/ate during the day. If all we had was something light to eat during the day then we lean toward a bigger meal at about 7pm. If we had a big midday meal (even a late breakfast) we eat a light/fast meal in the evening.
We now keep more light/quick meal fixing items around. Cold cut, salads, soups, etc. for last minute, I am hungry times.
Even when we plan ahead, we like evening meals one can prepare in less then one hour.
I often hear you can have anything your little desires for supper this evening my Darling....as long as you bring it home.
Cocktails at 5pm...dinner to follow...call the Chinese take out place...LOL
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