This Is the Best Dinner To Eat To Help You Poop in the Morning, According to Dietitians

In a perfect world, you'd wake up in the morning right before your alarm goes off (hey, we said a perfect world), drink a glass of water and have a satisfying bowel movement before going about the rest of your day. It's certainly better than when the urge to go number two hits at work or while you're out and about.

Not everyone is a morning pooper, and that's okay. It's considered normal to poop anywhere from three times a day to three times a week. If you're falling in that range and aren't experiencing any distressing G.I. symptoms, your pooping habits are nothing to lose sleep over.

But if you're regularly dealing with constipation, that's when it's helpful to consider making changes to your diet. "Constipation is often multifactorial, but the most common lifestyle-related reasons are not getting enough fiber, not drinking enough fluids, not moving enough, travel or routine changes, ignoring the urge to go and eating a lot of low-fiber foods," registered dietitian Johannah Katz, RD, tells Parade.

Related: It's Not Just Coffee! Here Are 20 Foods That Will Help You Poop

Besides these common reasons, Katz says that other potential causes of constipation include taking certain medications (like antidepressants or opioids), supplements (such as iron), having irritable bowel syndrome, hypothyroidism, diabetes, pelvic floor dysfunction and having an intestinal obstruction.

Sometimes, something as simple as changing what you eat for dinner can help with morning constipation. With that in mind, keep reading to find out what registered dietitians recommend eating for your last meal of the day if you want to poop in the morning.

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The Best Dinner To Help You Poop in the Morning

If you want to poop in the morning, there's one nutrient you absolutely want to make sure you have on your plate at dinner: fiber. "Americans don't get enough fiber," says Dr. Theresa DeLorenzo, DCN, RD, a registered dietitian and adjunct professor at Russell Sage College and SUNY Oneonta. Not getting enough fiber is a primary cause of constipation.

With this in mind, Dr. DeLorenzo recommends devoting one-fourth of your dinner to fiber-rich foods, such as vegetables and whole grains. Ideally, vegetables will make up half of what you're eating for dinner. "Any vegetables work, and they can be cooked or raw. Corn works really well," she tells Parade.

Besides vegetables, lentils, black beans, brown rice and quinoa are all fiber-rich foods to consider eating for dinner. "Beans and lentils are especially helpful because they provide both fiber and resistant starch, which can support stool bulk and gut bacteria," Katz explains.

Related: The Surprising Reason You're Constipated That No One's Talking About

What you're drinking matters too. Katz emphasizes that drinking enough water is key to avoiding constipation and keeping the digestive tract functioning properly. So, make sure you're drinking water throughout the day, including with your dinner.

Now that you have fiber covered, Dr. DeLorenzo suggests making sure your dinner includes protein. Some fiber-rich sources already cover this base. (Lentils, beans, chickpeas and tofu are all high in both protein and fiber.) Lean protein and seafood are great protein options too.

After dinner, Katz says that it can be helpful to have a kiwi for dessert; the fruit is notorious for helping with constipation in a gentle way.

Foods and Drinks To Skip at Dinner To Avoid Morning Constipation

Similarly to how some foods can help constipation, some foods can make it worse. Both registered dietitians say that alcohol can be disruptive to the digestive system. "Too much alcohol during and after dinner can lead to dehydration that can cause constipation. Have your glass of wine if you like, but make sure to have a glass of water after each glass of wine," Dr. DeLorenzo says.

If your dinner only consists of simple carbohydrates and cheese (such as macaroni and cheese or pizza), you can expect to experience some constipation in the morning, according to Katz.

The same goes for meat-centric meals that don't include any vegetables or other sources of fiber. One easy fix: Mix zucchini noodles in with your pasta. That way, you can still have your cheesy pasta but you're still getting some fiber.

Related: Get Constipation Relief Naturally With These 31 Home Remedies That Work Quickly

Other Habits That Help With Constipation

In addition to being mindful of what you're eating, both experts say that finding a gentle way to move your body after dinner can help with avoiding constipation and support morning poops. This could look like going for a walk, or doing some light yoga or stretches.

"A gentle after-dinner walk can help because physical activity supports gut motility, which is the movement of food and stool through the digestive tract. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases recommends regular physical activity as part of constipation prevention and treatment. A 2025 study also found that walking increased markers of gut motility shortly after activity in healthy adults, although more research is needed in people with constipation," Katz says.

If you want to poop in the morning, your morning routine matters too.

"Eating breakfast can trigger the gastrocolic reflex, and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases notes that trying to have a bowel movement 15 to 45 minutes after breakfast may help because eating helps the colon move stool," she explains. "So the best strategy is usually a high-fiber dinner, drinking enough fluids, going on a short walk and having a calm morning routine where you give yourself time to go."

If you've increased the amount of fiber you're consuming, are staying hydrated and are exercising regularly, but you're still experiencing regular constipation after one month, Dr. DeLorenzo says that's an indicator that you should see a gastroenterologist. That way, you can work together to pinpoint the cause and troubleshoot from there.

Morning poops can't happen if you're not getting enough fiber at dinner, so if you want to go in the morning, up your intake of the nutrient. It's the number one tip you'll hear from any registered dietitian or G.I. doc.

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Related: We Asked 3 Gastroenterologists About the Best Breakfast for Gut Health and They All Said the Same Thing

Sources

• Johannah Katz, RD, registered dietitian with a master's degree in applied nutrition and dietetics.
• Dr. Theresa DeLorenzo, DCN, RD, registered dietitian and adjunct professor at Russell Sage College and SUNY Oneonta.
• Quagliani D. and Felt-Gunderson. (2016). Closing America's Fiber Gap. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. 11(1):80-85.
• Gearry, R., Fukudo, S., Barbara, G., et al. (2023). Consumption of 2 Green Kiwifruits Daily Improves Constipation and Abdominal Comfort-Results of an International Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial. The American Journal of Gastroenterology. 118(6):1058-1068.
• Treatment for Constipation. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
• Katagiri, K., Koyama, S., Takeda, K., et al. (2025). Immediate effects of physical activity on gut motility in healthy adults.Scientific Reports. doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-18860-8.

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This story was originally published July 10, 2026 at 10:50 AM.