Ah, Thanksgiving. A day for gratitude, family bonding, and stuffing ourselves silly with turkey, mashed potatoes, and approximately 17 types of pie. But the real debate isnât about pumpkin vs. pecanâitâs about timing. When is the perfect time to enjoy your Thanksgiving feast? Letâs break it down.
Noon to 2 PM: The âEarly Bird Specialâ
This slot is for those who treat Thanksgiving like a brunch buffet at a Vegas casino. Sure, itâs ambitious, but it comes with perks. You get to eat, nap, and wake up in time to start the whole process over with leftovers.
Pros: Youâre eating before the âhangerâ sets in, as in the dreaded combination of hunger and anger, and you have all day to justify the extra pie slices.
Cons: Turkey coma hits mid-football game, and no one needs that much cranberry sauce on an empty stomach.
2 to 4 PM: The âGoldilocks Zoneâ
The most popular choiceâand for good reason. Itâs late enough to avoid turning breakfast into an afterthought but early enough to still call it âdinnerâ without raising eyebrows.
Pros: Post-meal cleanup finishes before dark, and you still get a solid evening to contemplate why your Aunt insists on bringing Jell-O salad every year.
Cons: Good luck dodging the dreaded 3 PM food coma just as youâre tasked with handwashing grandmaâs heirloom china.
4 to 6 PM: The âPrime Time Feastâ
This slot screams sophistication. Itâs dinner at a reasonable hour, just late enough to work up a real appetite after all those âtaste testsâ in the kitchen.
Pros: The lighting is perfect for food pics (hello, golden hour!), and everyoneâs finally arrivedâeven that cousin whoâs always ârunning late.â
Cons: The wait. The snacks are gone. The kids are climbing the walls, and Grandpaâs threatening to eat a raw drumstick if you donât carve the turkey already.
After 6 PM: The âNight Owl Noshâ
Who even eats this late on turkey day? Apparently, people who donât take Thanksgiving seriously. This is less of a âdinnerâ and more of a âwhy are we doing this a few hours before at bedtime?â situation.
Pros: More time for appetizers, and itâs socially acceptable to pour a second (or third) glass of wine during the meal.
Cons: Eating this late might mean skipping dessertâor worse, rationing it. Nobody wants a pie shortage because the turkey took too long.
So, Whatâs the Verdict?
The best time to enjoy your Thanksgiving dinner is entirely subjective, much like how you pronounce âpecanâ or whether stuffing belongs inside the turkey. It all depends on your family dynamics, stomach capacity, and tolerance for your Great Auntâs unsolicited life advice.
But if I had to choose? Go for 2 to 4 PM. Itâs the sweet spot where youâre not starving, too full, or sneaking leftovers in the dark. And really, isnât Thanksgiving all about balance? (Just kiddingâitâs about pie. So much pie.) Let me know in the poll below which time you enjoy your meal and have a Happy Thanksgiving.
-Brian