Home Meal of the Planet: When and How Different Cultures Have Lunch Lunch is not just about satisfying hunger in the middle of the day. It's a cultural code, a social ritual, a mirror reflecting a people's attitude towards time, family, work, and even life itself. While in one country lunch might be a quick bite on the go, in another, it's a two-hour feast with changing dishes and a mandatory change of plates. In some cultures, lunch is a time for socializing, in others, for silent enjoyment. How and when we have lunch tells us more about us than any passport. Let's embark on a gastronomic journey around the world and see how the main meal of the day looks like in different countries and cultures. South Europe: When Lunch Becomes an Art Let's start with Italy, Spain, and Greece — countries where lunch turns into a true ritual. In Italy, lunch (pranzo) is a sacred time, usually around 13:00 to 14:30. It's a full meal consisting of several courses: antipasti (appetizers), primo (pasta or rice), secondo (meat or fish with a garnish), and of course, dessert or espresso. All of this is accompanied by wine or water. Lunch is eaten leisurely in Italy, the whole family gathers at the table, and no one checks their phone. In work collectives, it's also common to have lunch together — it's a time for communication, not just for eating. In Spain, lunch starts even later — around 14:00–15:00. Spaniards do not recognize light snacks: their lunch includes soup, a second course, salad, and dessert. The tradition of the siesta — a short post-lunch rest — still exists in Spain, although it is gradually giving way to a more dense work schedule in big cities. Nevertheless, the Spanish lunch is a time when shops close and offices empty for two to three hours. In Greece, lunch is also from 14 to 16 hours, and it often continues from the morning coffee with friends — Greeks love to sit at the table for a long time, discussing news and politics. North Europe: Functionality and Punctuality ... Read more