Is dinner the most anticipated meal?

According to online encyclopaedia, Wikipedia, ‘Dinner’ traditionally had been used to refer to the main and most formal meal of the day, which, from the Middle Ages until the 18th century, was most, often the midday meal. When the evening meal became the main meal, it was referred to as dinner,’’ and the lighter midday […]

According to online encyclopaedia, Wikipedia, ‘Dinner’ traditionally had been used to refer to the main and most formal meal of the day, which, from the Middle Ages until the 18th century, was most, often the midday meal. When the evening meal became the main meal, it was referred to as dinner,’’ and the lighter midday meal was called ‘luncheon’.
Dictionary.com describes dinner as the main meal of the day, served either in the evening or at midday. “However, in certain regions of the US (New England in particular), the words are used interchangeably used for the main evening meal. Supper is the older word, dating to C.  1275, and is the less formal term.” According to the website, “Dinner dates to 1297 and signifies the chief meal of the day, no matter what time it is served, and is a formally arranged meal, sometimes given to celebrate something or in honour of someone.”
Today, different individuals have redefined the set formality of this meal. For many, it is still the major and most prepared for meal because they consider it the most interesting and delicious meal.
Dinner is already determined even before breakfast and lunch are, said Judith Aliu: “I never cook my dinner just before I eat it because the exhaustion and efforts towards preparing it takes away all the fun. I cook it in the morning or the day before so that when I am ready to eat all I do is heat it up.
“At the time I am cooking this in the morning, I would also during this time select a movie or programme on television I would want to watch while I eat dinner.”
She explains her pre-dinner rituals: “When I return from work, I heat up my meal and serve it into a warmer or foodflask to retain the heat. I lay my plate, cutlery and the warmer on a tray which I take into my room and set on the bed. I switch the air condition on and the television next. I then slot the movie I want to watch into the player. If it is on satellite, I tune to the station. I would have timed the beginning of the movie or programme so I don’t miss any part of it.
“I then go to have a very refreshing bath. I perfume myself properly, dress up and then slip underneath my duvet and then set the tray on my laps, switch my movie or programme on and eating dinner begins.” 
Aliu says she especially looks forward to Friday and Saturday dinners because, “after I am done eating, I simply stack the empty dishes neatly on the tray and leave them on the floor beside my bed. I am not in a rush to get out of the house the following day and therefore not in any hurry to tidy up.”
Solo dinner is it for Ezekiel Gambo: “Whether I have company or not, dinner is one meal I will always look forward to and I actually prefer to have it alone and in my own space. Simple or plain there is an added deliciousness to it simply because it is dinner.
The 29- year-old bachelor says: “I never cook my dinner. I buy it on my way home from work. I settle down to eat it while watching a sports programme. This in some way helps me relieve whatever stress or tension occurred during my day.
“It’s like I am saying to anybody who got away with upsetting me, ‘this is my haven, and you can’t take this pleasure away from me.’”
Gambo adds that: “Interestingly, dinners are only this important to me on work days. At weekends, I really don’t pay a lot of attention to food.”
Emmanuel Anibe enthusiastically tells this reporter that: “If you have not experienced having dinner sitting in front of your television set and watching a programme or movie in a cool and calm environment, I must say that you are doing yourself a grave injustice.”
The downside to this habit is the health implication. Adam Pegg , a certified personal trainer, who also holds a degree in Health Science, shares his views on the issue in his article, ‘How Will Eating Food Late At Night Affect Your Fitness Goals?’.
According to Pegg, “late night eating should not be resorted to as you are likely to add on extra pounds. In fact you should eat your last meal before eight in the evening to avoid binging on a snack before dinner time. Herbal tea is a good option to satisfy your hunger after dinner time and then brush your teeth to switch-off your mind from the idea of eating.”
However, he adds that, there is some conflicting evidence on how eating food late at night affects your fitness goals. “Let me give you both sides to the story and then tell you why I think if you are not careful eating food late at night may make you gain weight.
“I’ll give you the bad news first. One of the most popular studies done on this subject was by Harvard researchers. They studied 420 people (half men, half women), in a Mediterranean town in Spain for 20 weeks. The study subjects all got the same amount of sleep and had similar digestive hormones, like leptin and ghrelin. Everyone consumed 1400 calories per day and they all did a similar amount of exercise. The one difference in their diet was the times at which they ate. One group ate the biggest meal of the day before 3 pm. The other group ate the biggest meal after 3 pm. At the end of the study the group of people who ate the bulk of their calories earlier in the day lost an average of 22 pounds and had a higher insulin sensitivity, which decreases chances of diabetes. The group who ate later everyday lost an average of 17 pounds. This study supports the idea that the timing of your calorie consumption can affect weight loss goals, but it does not prove the cause and effect. There are still many sceptics out there.”
The fitness expert gives the good news. “One of my good friends who is a fitness competitor, ate late at night for 12 weeks straight before a figure competition, and felt great! He now even recommends eating late to some of the clients that he trains. Some benefits that he experienced while eating late at night were better sleep, better recovery and increased muscle preservation during fat loss, and dietary obedience.”
“Lastly, if you have a meal planned, chances are you will make more healthy choices. One of the worst things about eating late is those spur of the moment unhealthy temptations that we fall for. If you are already planning a meal, chances are you will make better choices to abide by your healthy diet.”
Pegg sums it up saying: “In my opinion, the timing of meals plays a small role in your fitness goal, but not nearly as much as what you are eating. Eat small meals throughout the day. If you are going to be up late, you don’t have to starve yourself; that is terrible for your metabolism. Go ahead and eat a healthy snack. Stay away from heavy foods, lots of sugar, spicy foods, and greasy things that will just sit in your stomach and keep you from sleeping soundly.
“An example of a good late snack would be a light protein, like deli meat or yogurt, with light carb like vegetable. Try not to eat your late night snack within an hour of going to bed. You want to give yourself time to digest while you are still awake.”