What Is the Difference Between Dinner and Supper?

Difference Between Dinner and Supper?

Supper is a smaller meal to eat in the evening whereas dinner is a heavy and last meal of the day. Both terms are used to refer to the meal of the day. For supper and dinner, the same timing may not be followed by all the countries. People often use these terms interchangeably to mean the last meal of the day. It is also true that in some parts of the world, supper means the last meal and in some parts, dinner becomes the last meal of the day. Learn below for Difference Between Dinner and Supper.Presently, many Americans think dinner and supper are two synonymous terms to refer to the evening meal.

Raise your hand if you think supper and dinner are the same.

What Is Dinner?

Dinner is known as the most important meal of the day. It is the largest meal of the day. In many Western cultures, people have their heavy meal in the late evening, and people don’t follow appropriate timing. Whenever they eat their last meal, it is considered as dinner or the last meal of the day.

The term dinner refers to “to break one’s fast.” In some parts of the nation dinner also means having a meal together with people or it is a meal that can be enjoyed by everyone/family members. Historically, dinner was meant to be eaten in the middle of the day or in the afternoon.

What is Supper?

The word supper is derived from the French word Souper meaning evening meal.

Unlike dinner, supper is a lighter evening meal or snack time, habitually eaten between 7 pm and 11 pm. It is also known as an informal meal. Eating late-evening snacks is called supper. In Saskatchewan and in most parts of Atlantic Canada, supper means the main meal of the day and eaten in the late noon, and dinner is considered a mid-day meal. Some parts of countries consider supper as a main meal that people consume in the early part of the evening.

Supper vs Dinner

 Based on the above explanations, we have put together the key difference

Dinner	Supper
It is consumed before supper.	It is taken after dinner.
It is known as the largest meal of the day.	Traditionally, it is a lighter meal or snack time.
It is taken at midday or in the evening.	It is consumed in the late afternoon or in the early evening.
It is the main meal to eat appropriate foods.	Supper is eaten to fill the gap when you feel hungry before the main meal.
People have a proper meal that contains vegetables, curry, rice, bread, and other dishes.	Supper is nothing but an appetitive snack that includes lighter meals such as snacks, fruits, soup, salads, chickpeas, corn.
Dinner can be eaten with family members or guests	It is not associated with family gatherings.