Lunch

{{Short description|Midday meal}} {{Other uses}} {{Redirect|Lunchtime}} {{Redirect|Luncheon|the type of cured meat|Lunch meat}} {{lead too short|date=April 2025}} {{pp-move-vandalism|small=yes}} {{Use American English|date=March 2016}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2017}} {{Meals}} '''Lunch''' is a [[meal]] typically consumed around the middle of the day, following [[breakfast]] and preceding [[dinner]]. It varies in form, size, and significance across cultures and historical periods. In some societies, lunch constitutes the main meal of the day and may consist of multiple courses, while in others it is lighter and more utilitarian in nature. The foods consumed at lunch differ widely according to local dietary customs, ranging from simple items such as [[sandwich]]es or [[salad]]s to more elaborate meals involving rice, [[noodle]]s, or [[soup]]s. Regional and cultural practices continue to shape lunch traditions, which are further influenced by factors such as religion, geography, and economic context.

Health authorities recommend that lunch meals include a balanced combination of carbohydrates, vegetables, fruit and protein while remaining light and easy to prepare. The UK National Health Service provides numerous healthy lunch recipes designed to support balanced nutrition.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-12-13 |title=Healthy lunch ideas - Healthier Families |url=https://www.nhs.uk/healthier-families/recipes/lunch/ |access-date=2026-02-15 |website=nhs.uk |language=en}}</ref>

According to the ''[[Oxford English Dictionary]]'' (''OED''), the [[etymology]] of ''lunch'' is uncertain. It may have evolved from ''lump'' in a similar way to ''hunch'', a derivative of ''hump'', and ''bunch'', a derivative of ''bump''. Alternatively, it may have evolved from the [[Spanish language|Spanish]] {{lang|es|lonja}}, meaning {{gloss|slice of ham}}. It was first recorded in 1591 with the meaning {{gloss|thick piece, hunk}} as in "lunch of [[bacon]]".<ref name="cite OED|lunch, n.2">{{cite OED|lunch, n.2}}</ref> The modern definition was in usage from before 21 March 1776.<ref>{{cite book|author=William Marshall|chapter=21 March 1776|chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/bim_eighteenth-century_minutes-of-agriculture-_marshall-mr_1778/page/n197/mode/2up?q=+lunch|date=1778|title=MINUTES OF AGRICULTURE, MADE ON a Farm of 300 Acres of Various Soils, Near CROYDON SURREY.|publisher=Tully's-Head ([[James Dodsley|J. Dodsley]]) in [[Pall Mall, London]]|via=www.[[oed.com]]/dictionary/lunch_n2?tab=meaning_and_use#1473720220|quote=''Oxen'', if worked all day, ſhould not be out of the ſtable more than ''eight'' hours; except they have a ''bait'' in the field, in the middle of the day. Perhaps, a mouthful of hay, and a mouthful of water, while the Ploughman eats his ''lunch'', would be of great ſervice to them.}}</ref>

The word '''''{{vanchor|Luncheon|text=luncheon}}''''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|l|ʌ|n|tʃ|ən}}) has a similarly uncertain origin according to the ''OED'', being "related in some way" to ''lunch''. It is possible ''luncheon'' is an extension of ''lunch'', as with ''[[:wikt:punch|punch]]'' to ''[[:wikt:puncheon|puncheon]]'' and ''[[:wikt:trunch|trunch]]'' to ''[[:wikt:truncheon|truncheon]]''.<ref>{{cite OED|luncheon, n.}}</ref> Originally interchangeable with ''lunch'', it is now used in especially formal circumstances.<ref name="cite OED|lunch, n.2"/> ''[[The Oxford Companion to Food]]'' claims that ''luncheon'' is a [[Northern England English]] word which is derived from the [[Old English]] word {{lang|ang|nuncheon}} or {{lang|ang|nunchin}} meaning {{gloss|noon drink}}.<ref>{{cite book|title= The Oxford Companion to Food|author= Alan Davidson |page= 478|publisher= Oxford University Press|year= 2014|isbn= 9780191040726}}</ref> The ''OED'' records the words "nuncheon" and "nunchion" with the meaning "drink" or "snack" in various forms since the Middle English period.<ref> {{oed | nuncheon}} </ref>

==History== Tastes in food, menu items, and meal periods have changed dramatically over time. During the [[Middle Ages]], the main meal of the day, then called dinner, for almost everyone, took place late in the morning after several hours of work, when there was no need for artificial lighting. In the early to mid-17th century, the meal could be any time between late morning and mid-afternoon.

In England, during the late 17th and 18th centuries, this meal was gradually pushed back into the evening, creating a greater time gap between breakfast and dinner. A meal called ''lunch'' came to fill this gap.<ref name="mc">{{cite web |url=http://www.history-magazine.com/dinner2.html |title=What Time is Dinner? |access-date=11 August 2007 |last=McMillan |first=Sherry |year=2001 |website=www.history-magazine.com |archive-date=8 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171208184059/http://www.history-magazine.com/dinner2.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> The late evening meal, called [[supper]], became squeezed out as dinner advanced into the evening, and often turned into a snack. Formal "supper parties", artificially lit by candles, sometimes with entertainment, persisted as late as the [[Regency era]], and a [[Ball (dance party)|ball]] normally included supper, often served very late.

Until the early 19th century, luncheon was generally reserved for the ladies, who would often have lunch with one another when their husbands were out. The meal was relatively light, and typically included left-overs from the previous night's dinner, which were often plentiful. As late as 1945, [[Emily Post]] wrote in the magazine ''Etiquette'' that luncheon is "generally given by and for women, but it is not unusual, especially in summer places or in town on Saturday or Sunday, to include an equal number of men"{{snds}}hence the mildly disparaging phrase, "the [[ladies who lunch]]". Lunch was a ladies' light meal; when the [[George IV of the United Kingdom|Prince of Wales]] stopped to eat a dainty luncheon with lady friends, he was laughed at for this effeminacy.<ref name="mc"/>

[[File:Isabella Beeton - Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management - title page.jpg|thumbnail|''[[Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management]]'', a guide to all aspects of running a household in Victorian Britain]] Beginning in the 1840s, [[afternoon tea]] supplemented this luncheon at four o'clock.<ref name="mc"/> ''[[Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management]]'' (1861){{snds}}a guide to all aspects of running a household in Victorian Britain, edited by [[Isabella Beeton]]{{snds}}had much less to explain about luncheon than about dinners or ball suppers:

{{blockquote|quote=The remains of cold joints, nicely garnished, a few sweets, or a little hashed meat, poultry, or game, are the usual articles placed on the table for luncheon, with bread and cheese, biscuits, butter, etc. If a substantial meal is desired, [[rump steak|rump-steaks]] or [[mutton chop (meat)|mutton chops]] may be served, as also veal cutlets, kidneys... In families where there is a nursery, the mistress of the house often partakes of the meal with the children and makes it her luncheon. In the summer, a few dishes of fresh fruit should be added to the luncheon, or, instead of this, a [[compote]] of fruit or fruit tart or pudding.<ref name="Farrar, Straus, and Giroux 1861 p. 959">{{cite book | title=The Book of Household Management | publisher=Farrar, Straus, and Giroux | year=1861 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NgPhAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA959 | page=959}}</ref>}}

===Modern=== With the growth of [[industrialisation]] in the 19th century, male workers began to work long shifts at the factory, severely disrupting the age-old eating habits of rural life. Initially, workers were sent home for a quick dinner provided by their wives, but as the workplace was moved further from home, working men took to giving themselves something portable to eat during a break in the middle of the day.

The lunch meal slowly became institutionalized in England when workers with long and fixed-hour jobs at the factory were eventually given an hour off work to eat lunch and thus gain strength for the afternoon shift. Stalls and later [[steakhouse|chop houses]] near the factories began to provide mass-produced food for the working class, and the meal soon became an established part of the daily routine, remaining so to this day.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-20243692|title=Breakfast, lunch and dinner: Have we always eaten them?|work=BBC News|date=15 November 2012|access-date=15 March 2016}}</ref>

In many countries and regions, lunch is the dinner or main meal.<ref name="Crotty 1997">{{cite book | last=Crotty | first=Jim | title=How to Talk American: A Guide to Our Native Tongues|url=https://archive.org/details/howtotalkamerica00crot | url-access=registration | access-date=13 March 2016 | year=1997 | publisher=Houghton Mifflin Harcourt | isbn=0-395-78032-2 | pages=[https://archive.org/details/howtotalkamerica00crot/page/190 190]–}}</ref> Prescribed lunchtimes allow workers to return to their homes to eat with their families. Consequently, businesses close during lunchtime when lunch is the customary main meal of the day. Lunch also becomes dinner on special days, such as holidays or events, including, for example, [[Christmas dinner]] and harvest dinners like [[Thanksgiving dinner|Thanksgiving]]; on these special days, dinner is usually served in the early afternoon. The main meal on Sunday, whether at a restaurant or home, is called "[[Sunday dinner]]", and for Christians is served after morning church services.{{citation needed|date=November 2015}}

==Asia == A traditional Bengali lunch is a seven-[[Course (food)|course]] meal. [[Bengali cuisine]] is a culinary style originating in [[Bengal]], a region in the eastern part of the [[Indian subcontinent]], which is now divided between [[Bangladesh]] and [[Indian states]] of [[West Bengal]], [[Tripura]], [[Assam]]'s [[Barak Valley]]. The first course is ''[[shukto]]'', which is a mix of vegetables cooked with few spices and topped with a [[coconut]] sauce. The second course consists of [[rice]], [[dal]], and a vegetable [[curry]]. The third course consists of rice and [[fish]] curry. The fourth course is that of rice and [[meat]] curry (generally [[chevon]], [[mutton]], chicken or lamb). The fifth course contains sweet preparations like [[rasgulla]], [[pantua]], rajbhog, [[sandesh (confectionery)|sandesh]], etc. The sixth course consists of [[payesh]] or [[mishti doi]] (sweet yogurt). The seventh course is that of [[paan]], which acts as a mouth freshener.

In Japan, {{Nihongo|lunch|[[wikt:昼食|昼食]]|chūshoku}} often consists of rice or [[noodle]] dishes such as [[ramen]], [[soba]] and [[udon]] bowls. Many Japanese people will also take a boxed lunch, known as a ''[[bentō]]'', to class or to work with them. Sushi, [[donburi]] and [[teishoku]] are also common. Additionally, other Japanese lunch options include quick and convenient foods like ''[[onigiri]]'' (rice balls), [[sandwich]]es, and [[instant noodles]], catering to busy individuals.

In China today, lunch is not nearly as complicated as it was before industrialisation. Rice, [[noodles]] and other mixed hot foods are often eaten, either at a [[restaurant]] or brought in a container. Western cuisine is not uncommon. It is called ''午餐'' or ''午饭'' in most areas.

==Australia== In Australia, a light meal eaten in the period between 10:30{{nbsp}}am and noon is considered [[morning tea]]; an actual lunch will be consumed between noon and 2:00{{nbsp}}pm.{{Citation needed|date=December 2013}} While usually consisting of fruit or a [[cereal]] product, a typical Australian brunch may include other foods as well such as [[Hamburger|burgers]], sandwiches, other light food items, and hot dishes.{{Citation needed|date=December 2013}} Sometimes, a meal during the late afternoon is referred to as "[[tea (meal)|afternoon tea]]",{{Citation needed|date=December 2013}} a meal in which food portions are usually significantly smaller than at lunch, sometimes consisting of nothing more than coffee or other beverages.{{Citation needed|date=December 2013}}

==Europe== ===Western=== [[File:Bornholm lunch.jpg|thumb|A lunch on the Danish island of [[Bornholm]]]] [[File:Seafood Rice, Arroz de Marisco (2).jpg|thumb|An ''arroz de marisco'' (shellfish-rice) lunch dish in Portugal]] [[File:Nieuw-Scheemda-Schaftende landarbeiders ca. 1955.jpg|thumb|Farmworkers taking a [[lunch break]] at [[:nl:Nieuw-Scheemda|Nieuw-Scheemda]], [[Oldambt (municipality)|Oldambt]], [[Groningen (province)|Groningen]], Netherlands, {{circa|1955}}]] [[File:Visums lunch menu.jpg|thumb|A lunch menu at a restaurant in [[Riga]], Latvia.]] Lunch in Denmark, referred to as ''frokost'',<ref>{{cite book | author=Hansen, Anders Oreby | title=Denmark in International Tax Planning | publisher=IBFD Publications | year=2005 | isbn=978-90-76078-73-1 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XiK8qw2xQXIC&pg=PA27 | page=27 | access-date=15 March 2016}}</ref> is a light meal. It often includes rye bread with different toppings such as liver [[pâté]], [[herring]], and cheese.<ref name="Albala2011">{{cite book|author=Ken Albala|title=Food Cultures of the World Encyclopedia|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NTo6c_PJWRgC&pg=RA3-PA98|year=2011|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=978-0-313-37626-9|page=98|access-date=15 March 2016}}</ref><ref name="Sale2007">{{cite book|author=Richard Sale|title=Copenhagen and Denmark|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vY9skFF71YIC&pg=PA29|date=February 2007|publisher=New Holland Publishers|isbn=978-1-84537-634-5|page=29}}</ref><ref name="Jr.2010">{{cite book|author=R. W. Apple Jr. |title=Far Flung and Well Fed: The Food Writing of R.W. Apple, Jr.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=e3nuxGFxsbAC&pg=PT347|date=7 December 2010|publisher=St. Martin's Press|isbn=978-1-4299-2902-8|page=347}}</ref> [[Smørrebrød]] is a Danish lunch delicacy that is typically used for business meetings or special events.

[[File:Salad as starter at restaurant Vltava.jpg|thumb|right|Lunch in Finland usually includes a small salad as a starter.]] [[File:Lunch at Pihka Lintulahti.jpg|thumb|right|Many restaurants serve lunch from a [[buffet]] rather than fixed portions.]] In Finland, lunch is a full hot meal,{{efn|name=Fogelholm1|"In Norway and Denmark the common lunch is based on sandwiches, whereas in Finland and Sweden the hot lunch is the norm."<ref>{{cite book | last=Fogelholm | first=M. | title=Physical Activity: a Part of Healthy Eating?: Report from a Nordic Seminar, Lahti, Finland, February 2000 | publisher=Nordic Council of Ministers | series=TemaNord: Food | year=2001 | isbn=978-92-893-0658-4 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Nf_gDoEMIQEC&pg=PA52 | page=52 | access-date=15 March 2016}}</ref>}} served as one course, sometimes with small salads and desserts. Dishes are diverse, ranging from meat or fish courses to soups that are heavy enough to constitute a meal.<ref name="Albyn1993">{{cite book|author=Carole Lisa Albyn|title=The Multicultural Cookbook for Students|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gcxqvnsIPeMC&pg=PA142|date=January 1993|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=978-0-89774-735-6|page=142}}</ref>

In France, the midday meal is taken between noon and 2:00{{nbsp}}p.m.<ref name="Abramson2007">{{cite book|author=Julia Abramson|title=Food Culture in France|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZTaACjUFh4wC&pg=PA108|year=2007|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|isbn=978-0-313-32797-1|page=108|access-date=15 March 2016}}</ref>

In Italy, lunch is taken around 30 minutes past noon in the north and at 2:00 p.m. in the center south; it is a full meal, but is lighter than supper.

In Germany, lunch was traditionally the main meal of the day.{{efn|"Traditionally, lunch would be the main meal of the day. In the domestic arena, modern working practices have changed this considerably, although many restaurants still tout lunchtime dishes or a fixed lunch menu ''Gedeck'' or ''Tagesmenü''."<ref>{{cite book | last1=Schulte-Peevers | first1=A. | last2=Gray | first2=J. | title=Germany | publisher=Lonely Planet | series=Country Guides | year=2007 | isbn=978-1-74059-988-7 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Z5t5mZE_s5YC&pg=PA84 | page=84 | access-date=15 March 2016}}</ref>}} It is traditionally a substantial hot meal, sometimes with additional courses like soup and dessert. It is usually a savoury dish consisting of protein (e.g., meat), starchy foods (e.g., [[potato]]es), and vegetables or salad. [[Casserole]]s and [[stew]]s are popular as well. There are a few sweet dishes like [[Germknödel]] or [[rice pudding]] that can also serve as a main course. Lunch is called ''Mittagessen''{{snds}}literally, "midday's food".

In the Netherlands, Belgium, and Norway, it is common to eat [[sandwiches]] for lunch: slices of bread that people usually carry to work or school and eat in the [[Cafeteria|canteen]]. The slices of bread are normally filled with sweet or savoury foodstuffs such as chocolate sprinkles (hagelslag), apple syrup, [[peanut butter]], slices of meat, [[cheese]] or [[kroket]]. The meal typically includes [[coffee]], [[milk]] or [[juice]], and sometimes [[yogurt]], fruit or soup. It is eaten around noon, during a lunch break.

In Portugal, lunch (''almoço'' in Portuguese) consists of a full hot meal, similar to dinner, usually with soup, meat or fish course, and dessert. It is served between noon and 2:00{{nbsp}}pm It is the main meal of the day throughout the country. The Portuguese word ''lanches'' derives from the English word "lunch", but it refers to a lighter meal or snack taken during the afternoon (around 5{{nbsp}}pm) due to the fact that, traditionally, Portuguese dinner is served at a later hour than in English-speaking countries.

In Spain, the midday meal, "lunch" takes place between 1:00{{nbsp}}pm and 3:00{{nbsp}}pm and is effectively dinner, (the main meal of the day); in contrast, supper normally begins between 8:30{{nbsp}}pm and 10:00{{nbsp}}pm Being the main meal of the day everywhere, it usually consists of a three-course meal: the first course typically consists of an appetizer; the main course of a more elaborate dish, usually meat- or fish-based; the dessert of something sweet, often accompanied by a coffee or small amounts of spirits. Most places of work have a complete restaurant with a lunch break of at least an hour. Spanish schools also have a full restaurant, and students have a one-hour break. Three courses are standard practice at home, workplace, and schools. Most small shops close for between two and four hours{{snds}}usually between 1:30{{nbsp}}pm to 4:30{{nbsp}}pm{{snds}}to allow to go home for a full lunch.

In Sweden, lunch is usually a full hot meal, much like in Finland.{{efn|name=Fogelholm1}}

In the United Kingdom, lunch is typically a small meal designed to stave off hunger until returning home from work and eating dinner. It is usually eaten early in the afternoon.<ref name="Carter2004">{{cite book|author=Holly R. Carter|title=The Essential Guide for Study Abroad in the United Kingdom|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uAFfd_uxzLsC&pg=PA45|date=1 January 2004|publisher=University Press of America|isbn=978-0-7618-2846-4|page=45}}</ref> Lunch is often purveyed and consumed in [[pub]]s.<ref>{{cite book | last=Carter | first=H.R. | title=The Essential Guide for Study Abroad in the United Kingdom | publisher=University Press of America | series=G – Reference, Information and Interdisciplinary Subjects Series | year=2004 | isbn=978-0-7618-2846-4 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uAFfd_uxzLsC&pg=PA45 | page=45 | access-date=15 March 2016}}</ref> Pub lunch dishes include [[fish and chips]], [[ploughman's lunch]] and others.<ref name="Carter2004"/> On Sundays, it is usually the main meal, and typically the largest and most formal meal of the week, to which family or other guests may be invited. It traditionally centres on a [[Sunday roast]] joint of meat. It may be served rather later than a weekday lunch, or not.

===Central=== In Hungary, lunch is traditionally the main meal of the day,<ref>{{cite book | last=Long | first=L.M. | title=Ethnic American Food Today: A Cultural Encyclopedia | publisher=Rowman & Littlefield Publishers | year=2015 | isbn=978-1-4422-2731-6 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DBzYCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA279 | page=279 | access-date=15 March 2016}}</ref> following a ''leves'' (soup).

In Poland, the main meal of the day (called ''obiad'') is traditionally eaten between 1:00{{nbsp}}pm and 5:00{{nbsp}}pm,{{efn|"''Obiad'' is closer to a Western dinner, but the timing is more like lunch. You could say it's a dinner at lunchtime."<ref>{{cite book | last=Bedford | first=N. | title=Poland. Ediz. Inglese | publisher=Lonely Planet | series=Country Guides | year=2008 | isbn=978-1-74104-479-9 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Qe3UzP5I2vsC&pg=PA65 | language=tr | page=65 | access-date=15 March 2016}}</ref>}} and consists of a soup and a main dish. Most Poles equate the English word "lunch" with "obiad" because it is the second of the three main meals of the day; ''śniadanie'' (breakfast), ''obiad'' (lunch/dinner) and ''kolacja'' (dinner/supper). There is another meal eaten by some called ''drugie śniadanie'', which means "[[second breakfast]]". ''Drugie śniadanie'' is eaten around 10:00{{nbsp}}am and is a light snack, usually consisting of sandwiches, salad, or a thin soup.

In [[Romania]], lunch (''prânz'' in [[Romanian language|Romanian]]) is the main hot meal of the day.<ref>{{cite book | last=Oprea | first=T. | title=Romania | publisher=Gareth Stevens Pub. | series=Countries of the World | year=2003 | isbn=978-0-8368-2367-7 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dLSlxgsODdwC&pg=PA40 | language=pl | page=40 | access-date=15 March 2016}}</ref> Lunch normally consists of two dishes: usually, the first course is a soup and the second course, the main course, often consists of meat accompanied by potato, rice or pasta [[garnish (food)|(garnitură)]].{{Citation needed|date=February 2013}} Traditionally, people used to bake and eat desserts, but nowadays it is less common. On Sundays, the lunch is more consistent and is usually accompanied by an appetiser or salad.

===Eastern=== In Russia, the midday meal is taken in the afternoon. lunch is typically the biggest meal{{efn|"Lunch, according to an earlier Russian tradition, was the main meal of the day. A light lunch is usually taken at work."<ref>{{cite book | last=Albala | first=K. | title=Food Cultures of the World Encyclopedia | publisher=Greenwood | issue=v. 1 | year=2011 | isbn=978-0-313-37626-9 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NTo6c_PJWRgC&pg=RA3-PA310 | access-date=15 March 2016 | page=310}}</ref>}} and consists of a first course, usually a soup, and a second course that would be meat and a garnish. Tea is the standard beverage.

In [[Bosnia and Herzegovina]], lunch is the day's main meal. It is traditionally a substantial hot meal, sometimes with additional courses like soup and dessert. It is usually a savoury dish, consisting of protein (such as meat), starchy foods (such as potatoes), and a vegetable or salad. It is normally eaten around 2:00{{nbsp}}pm.

In [[Bulgaria]], lunch is normally eaten between noon and 2:00{{nbsp}}pm. In the capital of [[Sofia]], people usually order takeaway because lunch breaks are too short to go in place. In other areas, Bulgarians often have salad as the first meal and a dish from the [[Bulgarian cuisine|national cuisine]] as the second one.<ref>{{cite book | last=Oprea | first=T. | title= What the Locals Eat: A Typical Day's Food in Bulgaria | publisher=Culture trip. | year=2017 |url= https://theculturetrip.com/europe/bulgaria/articles/what-the-locals-eat-a-typical-days-food-in-bulgaria/ }}</ref>

==Middle East == [[File:Aboard the German cargo ship MS Bernhard Howaldt, Arab port workers during their common lunch - 1958.png|thumb|Arab [[stevedore|port workers]] aboard a [[cargo ship]] during their common lunch, 1958]] In West Asia (Middle East) and in most Arab countries, lunch is eaten after noon, usually between 1:00{{nbsp}}pm and 4:00{{nbsp}}pm and is the main meal of the day. It usually consists of meat, rice, vegetables and sauces and is sometimes but not always followed by dessert. Lunch is also eaten as a light meal at times in the Middle East, such as when children arrive at home from school while the parents are still out working.<ref name="Heine 2004">{{cite book | last=Heine | first=P. | title=Food Culture in the Near East, Middle East, and North Africa | publisher=Greenwood Press | series=Food culture around the world | year=2004 | isbn=978-0-313-32956-2 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1jE5k5qeKbgC&pg=PA105 | pages=105–106 | access-date=15 March 2016}}</ref> Water is commonly served, which may be iced, and other beverages such as soft drinks or yogurt (solid or liquid), other drinks are also consumed.<ref name="Heine 2004"/>

==North America== In the United States and Canada, lunch is usually a moderately sized meal generally eaten between 11:00 am and 1:00 pm. During the [[work week]], options for meal-types in North America could include some type of [[sandwich]], [[soup]], or [[leftovers]] from the previous night's dinner (e.g., [[rice]] or [[pasta]]) or anything at the discretion of the individual on an ''[[ad hoc]]'' basis if in an urban setting choosing from a nearby [[menu]], which could include the [[:wikt:liquid lunch|liquid lunch]]. Children often bring [[packed lunch]]es to school, which might consist of a sandwich such as bologna (or other [[cold cut]]) and cheese, tuna, chicken, or peanut butter and jelly, as well as in Canada, [[savoury pie]], along with some fruit, [[Potato chip|chips]], [[dessert]] and a drink such as juice, milk, or water. They may also buy meals as provided by their school. Adults may leave work to go out for a quick lunch, which might include some type of hot or cold sandwich such as a [[hamburger]] or [[Submarine sandwich|"sub" sandwich]]. Salads and soups are also common, as well as a [[soup and sandwich]], [[taco]]s, [[burrito]]s, [[sushi]], [[bento]] boxes, and [[pizza]]. Lunch may be consumed at various types of restaurants, such as [[Restaurant#Types|formal]], [[fast casual]] and [[fast food]] restaurants. Canadians and Americans generally do not go home for lunch, and lunch rarely lasts more than an hour except for business lunches, which may last longer. In the United States, the [[three-martini lunch]]{{snds}}so called because the meal extends to the amount of time it takes to drink three martinis{{snds}}has been making a comeback since 2010.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2010-09-30/the-return-of-the-three-martini-lunch | title=The Return of the Three-Martini Lunch | author=Staff writer | date=30 September 2010 | work=Bloomberg | access-date=14 March 2016}}</ref> In the United States, businesses could deduct 80% of the cost of these extended lunches until the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. Children generally are given a break in the middle of the school day to eat lunch. Public schools often have a cafeteria where children can buy lunch or eat a packed lunch. [[Boarding school]]s and [[private school]]s, including universities, often have a [[cafeteria]] where lunch is served.

In [[Mexico]], lunch (''comida'') is usually the main meal of the day and normally takes place between 2:00{{nbsp}}pm and 4:00{{nbsp}}pm. It usually includes three or four courses: the first is an [[entrée]] of rice, noodles or pasta, but also may include a soup or salad. The second consists of a main dish, called a ''guisado'', served with one or two side dishes such as [[refried beans]], cooked vegetables, rice or salad. The main dish is accompanied by [[tortillas]] or a bread called ''[[bolillo]]''. The third course is a combination of a traditional dessert or sweet, ''[[café de olla]]'', and a [[Apéritif and digestif|digestif]]. During the meal, it is usual to drink ''[[aguas frescas]]'', although soft drinks have gained ground in recent years.

==South America== In [[Argentina]], lunch is usually the main meal of the day, and normally takes place between noon and 2:00 p.m. People usually eat a wide variety of foods,<ref>{{cite book | last=Whittle | first=J. | title=Argentina Business: The Portable Encyclopedia for Doing Business with Argentina | publisher=World Trade Press | series=Country Business Guide Series | year=1998 | isbn=978-1-885073-75-4 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sVTprsgH0SEC&pg=PA162 | page=162}}</ref>{{efn|"Lunch and dinner are both hearty and for prosperous urban families may include a soup, an order of cold meat, a main course of meat with potatoes and green vegetables, a salad, and a dessert."<ref>{{cite book | last1=Weil | first1=T.E. | last2=Munson | first2=F.P. | title=Area handbook for Argentina | publisher=Supt. of Docs., U.S. Govt. Print. Off. | series=Pamphlet | year=1974 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3u_nZBAY4zoC&q=lunch+in+argentina | page=135}}</ref>}} such as chicken, beef, pasta, salads, and a drink like water, soda or wine, and some dessert. Although at work, people usually take a fast meal which can consist of a sandwich brought from home or purchased as [[fast food]].

In [[Brazil]], lunch is the main meal of the day,{{efn|"In most of Brazil, the big meal of the day is served at noon."<ref>{{cite book | last1=Klepper | first1=N. | last2=Edmonds | first2=A.C. | title=Our Global Village – Brazil: Brazil | publisher=Milliken Publishing Company | year=1992 | isbn=978-1-55863-265-3 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qV5GZ-hAVwcC&pg=PA14 | page=14}}</ref>}} taking place between 11:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Brazilians usually eat rice with beans, salad, french fries, some kind of meat or pasta dishes, with juice or soft drinks. The kind of food may vary from region to region. Fast and simpler meals (sandwich, etc.) are common during weekdays. After the meal, some kind of dessert or coffee are also common.

==Workdays== Since lunch typically falls in the early-middle of the [[working day]], it can either be eaten on a break from work, or as part of the workday. The difference between those who work through lunch and those who take it off could be a matter of cultural, social class, bargaining power, or the nature of the work. Also, to simplify matters, some cultures refer to meal breaks at work as "lunch" no matter when they occur{{spaced ndash}}even in the middle of the night. This is especially true for jobs that have employees who rotate shifts.

==See also== {{div col|colwidth=30em}} * [[Break (work)]] * [[Free lunch]] * [[Lunch box]] * [[Lunch counter]] * [[Lunch lady]] * [[Lunch meat]] * ''[[Mahlzeit]]'' (German salutation) * [[National School Lunch Act]] * [[Plate lunch]] * [[No such thing as a free lunch]] {{div col end}} {{Portal bar|Beer|Drink|Food|Liquor|Wine|Society}}

==Notes== {{Notelist}}

==References== {{Reflist|30em}}

==External links== {{sister project links|wikt=lunch#English|collapsible=true|c=Category:Lunch|d=y}} * {{cite EB1911|wstitle=Luncheon}} * [http://wikibooks.org/wiki/Cookbook Cookbook] – [[Wikibooks]]

[[Category:Lunch| ]]