håltiderna

Håltiderna is a Swedish term that broadly refers to periods set aside for eating or resting within a day, or to breaks in a timetable between activities. The singular håltid can denote either a meal or a gap in a schedule, depending on context; the plural håltiderna refers to a collection of such periods. In contemporary Swedish, the preferred word for a scheduled meal is måltid, while håltid is more often found in older texts, specialized contexts, or when emphasizing a break in time rather than a specific menu.

In culinary language, håltid can indicate a simple or informal meal, typically contrasted with the more formal term måltid. In scheduling or institutional contexts, håltider are the breaks in a work- or school-day timetable, such as lunch breaks or other recesses. The expression håltiderna may appear in descriptions of daily routines, school schedules, or workplace plans, usually pointing to the moments when activity pauses for eating or resting.

Etymology: hål meaning "hole" or "gap" and tid meaning "time," reflecting the idea of a gap in the day allocated for a meal or rest.

See also: måltid, rast, fika, lunch, school schedule.