Can Eating Dinner Make You Gain Weight?

A lot of people think that eating dinner may make them gain weight, so they skip this meal. Discover if eating dinner really can make you gain weight here!

Reviewed and approved by psychologist Valeria Sabater.

Written by Valeria Sabater

Last update: 27 May, 2022

Eating dinner is a key part of your diet. Eating a lot or eating poorly at night may be directly related to fat production. It’s that time of day that you won’t be using energy and are barely burning calories.

Is it true that eating dinner can make you gain weight?

Absolutely not. What can make you gain weight is eating poorly at night. Unfortunately, it’s something that we do wrong almost every day because of the following reasons:

• In the morning, you may have a balanced diet and even “eat light”. However, when you get home, you may relax by snacking on whatever you have in the refrigerator. Snacking or eating whatever you find first makes you sometimes choose high-calorie foods rich in fat.
• Sometimes, due to your job or your responsibilities, you may eat a quick breakfast or none at all, eat something quick for lunch, and finally get home so hungry and want to “attack the fridge”. This is another bad habit that may catch up with you.
• Eating very late. Sometimes you may get home late, start doing other things, and end up eating dinner at almost the same time as you go to sleep. The best option is to eat dinner two hours before going to sleep so that your body has completely finished digesting.

Foods that you shouldn’t eat at night

There are certain foods that you should try to avoid eating at this time. These foods not only may make you gain weight, but also make you sleep poorly. You should also avoid heavy, fried, and fatty foods, carbonated or caffeinated beverages, as well as the ones in the following list:

Sandwiches

You’ve surely done this more than once because you think it’s something “light”. Although it all depends on what you put in it, you should keep in mind that eating a lot of bread for dinner isn’t recommended, especially if you’re sensitive to carbohydrates.

This is because they may end up accumulating in adipose tissue in the form of cholesterol.

Salads with lettuce

It may be surprising, but lettuce is a very indigestible food due to its high insoluble fiber contents. It may cause us to have gas and abdominal bloating at night. It’s very common for people to rely on salads at night, but it’s better to make tomato salads with some type of protein.

Garlic and onion

Never eat them raw at night. They tend to be indigestible at this time and your stomach will feel it.

Pasta, rice, and pizza

Don’t go overboard with them and try to eat them in small quantities. Carbohydrates from vegetables will always be better options than those from pasta and rice.

What foods should I eat for dinner?

Dinner is the last meal of the day and thus it can help you balance your daily nutritional requirements. Therefore, it’s always good to include a good serving of vegetables:

• Grilled or sautéed vegetables, soup, and a gazpacho accompanied with a serving of salmon or turkey. Also, you can eat a low-fat yogurt and you should substitute bread with toast.

Examples of good dinner options

• Sautéed mushrooms with a low-fat cheese omelet. A slice of melon or watermelon.
• Tomato salad with mozzarella cheese and shrimp, a little bit of salmon, and toast.
• Zucchini soup with hake, an apple, and a yogurt with honey.

What may happen if I stop eating dinner?

Skipping meals isn’t effective. Sometimes it may cause more anxiety and make you eat more the next meal. Not eating dinner means you may lower your blood sugar levels and improve your risk of suffering from hypoglycemia.

What’s the best type of dessert to have after dinner?

Fresh or preserved fruit (the latter being more digestible) and low-fat yogurt are good dessert options.

About what time should I eat dinner?

The recommended time is 2 hours before bed.