The workweek can be long — very, very long — and arduous. It doesn’t help that it’s directly in opposition to what the body wants and needs, which includes proper freaking lunch breaks as well a mental and physical rest, which can actually help us be more productive in the long run.
Lunch breaks look pretty different the world over – whether it’s because of their length of time or the food (and how much of it) a person eats. One survey of 27 nations found that the average lunch break the world over is 35 minutes, with long (or longer) lunch breaks taking place in the Mediterranean and Asia.
The shortest lunch breaks?
That would be Canada, Russia, New Zealand, South Africa, the U.K., Poland, and Australia. And the United States — where our lunch break is abysmal. As Joy Bauer says, “Taking a regular lunch break can have a huge positive impact on your health and wellbeing!”
And it’s not just the lunch break itself — but what it consists of — that matters. Some countries go all out on three-course meals while others eat meat from swords. Then there are the folks who eat a lousy sandwich at their desk (ahem, us).
Here’s what people around the globe are doing for lunch:
Over in the Mediterranean, Southern Europe and North Africa, there are several countries that really take “lunch break” (often referred to as a siesta, even if it’s not Spain) to the next level — and it’s not because they’re lazy. They’re just embracing that aforementioned wellbeing. And just imagine how refreshed they feel after coming back from a well-deserved lunch.
Lunch breaks can really make a huge difference.
But, what really is a siesta?
The siesta is actually a several-hour break that consists of a big lunch, a nap, and then a return to the office to work late into the night. Of course, as modernity takes hold, the siesta mentality has been dying. The siesta also has roots in the hot weather, agricultural work, and social and cultural traditions that emphasize enjoying life and connecting with people. And taking cat naps.
When you hear about siesta, do you think, “That can’t be real?”
Us, too — except that the siesta is very much a real occurrence, mainly taking place in Spain and surrounding Mediterranean countries. The oh-so-dreamy daytime meal break (and nap) is triggered by the balmy, hot weather and the big lunches — which would make us sleepy, too.
The word siesta comes from the Latin “sexta” or “sixth hour.” The sixth hour, of course, is six hours from dawn. The idea is pretty incredible. Up all morning? Eat a big lunch and take a damn nap. This has roots in agricultural history when people worked outside in high temperatures all day and simply needed a rest. That, and the fact that air conditioners weren’t exactly common.
People in Spain will generally take a few hours between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. to nap and enjoy la comida, or lunch.
In fact, there are many places in Spain — especially smaller shops — where between 1:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., you might see “we’re closed” signs in windows. And then there are some cities, like Madrid, where modern life has taken over and the siesta just isn’t all too common, according to The Spruce Eats.
Does the end of the siesta point to the end of the world as we know it?
Sadly, the siesta isn’t all butterflies and sunshine.
In fact, the Catalonian government decided that the long lunch breaks — with employees returning to work around 5 p.m. and staying until 8 p.m. — just weren’t working. So they decided to end workdays around 6 p.m. Unfortunately, there are pros and cons no matter what time you work or take your daily breaks.
If that sounds long to you, just know that a Mediterranean approach to life is about enjoying food and one’s life experience, rather than rushing through everything in an effort to make every single moment a productive moment — as we do here in the U.S. So while they might eat and work late, they are savoring life a bit more intentionally.
This long Spanish siesta might include some wine (jealous!), bread, soup, fresh fish, a salad, some flan (which is a custard dessert), fruit and cheese, or some coffee. Yum!
Italy also partakes in a bit of a break.
In Italy, siesta — known as riposo in the North and pisolino or pennichella in the South — is when many Italians break between 12 p.m. and 4 p.m. According to one blog about Italian culture, “Italy is a world apart from the striving for productivity and efficiency no matter at what cost [to] Western society.”
We appreciate all the countries out there that are setting a good example for the rest of us.
You’ll walk the streets and see shops closed, with shop owners sometimes sitting outside and enjoying long, long lunches and conversations with their friends and family.
An Italian riposo might look like a first course, il primo, which could consist of rice or pasta, and a second course, il secondo, which could include fish or meat. On the side, you’ll have il contorno, like a veggie or fruit. Many Italians will make a meal or pop into a local shop (one that stays open, of course).
We imagine it might be difficult to figure out stores hours in places that honor the siesta.
Do you wish you had a two-course lunch?
In Morocco, lunch, or el ghda, is traditionally the biggest meal of the day, according to Lonely Planet. It’s also followed by a nap — and the whole thing can take three or four hours. You might eat cous cous, merguez (lamb), or tajine (a stew), which definitely sounds filling enough to warrant a nap. I mean, who doesn’t feel a little sleepy after a big lunch?
Greek lunch breaks might also surprise people around the world.
In Greece, the long lunch break may last about three hours. Lunch is their biggest meal of the day, consisting of meze, or small plates. These include feta cheese, olives, veggies, and souvlaki, according to Reader’s Digest. This sounds like a well-balanced meal that hopefully leaves Greeks feeling refreshed after chowing down.
Though, long lunch breaks may soon become a thing of the past in Greece.
However, according to Olive Tomato, a Mediterranean blog, the Greeks are more and more now mirroring a western approach, which means the longer breaks are diminishing. The same is true for most of the Mediterranean. Now, even though the break time is decreasing, we truly hope that the delicious food stays the same.
Please, don’t take away the meze!
Please, America, stop influencing everyone!
Over in China, employees get a lunch break around noon and 2 p.m., just as we do. However, it’s a bit shorter and more rushed — BUT they take a nap as well, which is commonly built into the lunch break experience. In fact, China just started putting stock into the power of a nap, according to NBC. Some people nap right at their desks, too, depending on the office culture.
As for food, the Chinese will eat noodles, rice, or meat.
In Brazil, lunch and dinner are important — not only as times to refuel, but to enjoy a nice, meaningful food experience. The Brazilians view food as sacred. And they make a great point. Eating lunch isn’t solely about taking a break and eating. Our lunch breaks can provide us with time to have meaningful conversations with friends and coworkers.
It’s also about the power of human connection.
According to The Brazil Business, “This is so strongly intricate in the Brazilian popular culture as a whole that it is extended to the business environment: on a Friday after work, most Brazilians would rather meet their colleagues at a bar, a pizzeria or a ‘churrascaria’ than inviting them to go golfing or playing soccer.” Honestly, we’d also prefer pizza over golf any day.
As for where Brazilians go for lunch…
When people want to have a working lunch, they’ll often go to a “rodízio,” which is a Brazilian restaurant where waiters bring a variety of foods to the table — like meat on swords — and you eat as much as you want for one price. If this sounds intense, just know that many Brazilians eat this for lunch!
Rushed lunches still happen all over the world.
There are still many, many people who eat rushed working at their desks — despite the growing evidence that this doesn’t make a person work harder or happier. Just take a look at Japan: Male workers eat meals prepared by their wives at their desks pretty often, according to a study done by Asahi Aoyama Happy Research Group.
Many male employees also often buy a bentō or bento box (as we refer to it).
As for the women…
Interestingly, many of the female employees went home for lunch. They’d also buy a bentō nearby — if they couldn’t go home. A bentō provides full nutrition with a portion of carbs, like rice or noodles, a meat or fish, and some sort of veggie. This bento box looks so good:
Fun fact: The bentō used to be hand-carved in wood! It also goes all the way back to 1185.
And then there’s the rest of the world — you know, the people who are eating sad, store-bought or leftover-made lunches at their desks. The #SadDeskLunch hashtag exists for a reason. These might include carrots…. and peanut butter?
And pasta with….chips? This just doesn’t look good.
Sadness truly abounds during lunch breaks.
According to a global survey of lunch breaks, people also bring food that saddens the rest of the office as well. The most disgusting and overwhelming food aromas come from “fish, curry, burnt popcorn, boiled eggs, and pig’s feet.” Or, you know, you can eat two hot dogs at your desk and gross everyone out. That pack of fake cheese really seals the deal of grossness here:
Yeah, we hear you saying WTF.
During your next lunch break, try to take a few hints from countries around the world. If that means allowing yourself to get up and walk around for 20 minutes, do it. If that means eating lunch outside under a tree, do it! And if it means convincing your boss to let you take a nap — definitely do it.
