Lunch

Lunch is a meal eaten around midday. It is typically the second major meal of the day, between breakfast and the evening meal, though timing varies by culture and work schedules. Lunch can range from a light snack to a substantial hot dish, and its size often reflects local norms and personal appetite.

The term lunch derives from luncheon, an older word used in parts of the English-speaking world for a light midday repast. Luncheon emerged in early modern English and often denoted a small bite or snack; over time lunch, a shortened form, became the common everyday term for the meal.

Food choices for lunch vary widely. In many Western countries, lunches commonly include sandwiches, soups, salads, or hot entrees. Other cuisines offer different traditions, such as the Japanese bento, the Indian thali, the Mexican comida, or the Middle Eastern mezze, reflecting regional ingredients and customs.

Lunch also has social and policy dimensions. Schools and workplaces organize lunch programs to provide nutrition and convenience, often with guidelines or subsidies. Nutritionally, a balanced midday meal typically combines proteins, carbohydrates, vegetables, and fruit, with attention to portion size and added sugars.