When do you have "supper" ?

We've noticed a lot recently as supper being referred to as meaning a main meal. Is it a regional thing? To me, supper is a snack you have before bedtime.

Breakfast has always been the first meal of the day but nowadays the mid-day meal is "lunch" and the one at teatime is "dinner".

When I was younger we always had our dinner at mid-day and tea at teatime. How times have changed.

Re: When do you have "supper" ?

I'd always understood that supper was a light snack before bedtime, as you have said but it's not a meal I've ever bothered with. As far as I'm aware, whichever meal is your main meal (be it midday or evening) is referred to as dinner - the other meals would then become lunch or tea.

Re: When do you have "supper" ?

Hi Joy, our main meal is always at lunch-time and we don't have supper. I sometimes (meaning mostly) have some crisps or some cheesy things about 8pm along with my alcoholic drink.

Re: When do you have "supper" ?

We're exactly the same as you, both now and when we were young.

For me it changed when I got married. Both of us were working, so it seemed sensible to have our main meal together in the evening.
Now, we don't feel like eating much more than a snack at lunchtime.

Re: When do you have "supper" ?

Yes, that's when it changed with me, when I got married, for the same reasons.

Re: When do you have "supper" ?

We have burnt matchsticks [ All Bran ]for breakfast, we have our lunch midday, and dinner is early evening, no supper whatsoever.

Re: When do you have "supper" ?

I would have said exactly the same as this, and don't eat late, as it keeps me awake.

Re: When do you have "supper" ?

"Burnt matchsticks" made me laugh. You sound like a regular sort of guy Wrinkly.

Re: When do you have "supper" ?

I am always punctual, if I say I will be there at 9 am. then I will be there for certain.

Re: When do you have "supper" ?

I usually have 'supper', my main meal about 6pm.

I spent 15 years working in a public school where supper is the usual term for the last main meal of the day. Likewise in the army, my late husband was a career soldier .

The terms used to describe meals are I guess down personal preference and circumstances.