merenda

Merenda is a term in several Romance languages that denotes a light meal or snack consumed between main meals, typically in the late afternoon. While used broadly, its precise meaning and social role vary by country, reflecting local eating patterns and school practices. In everyday language, merenda can refer to a small portion of food eaten at a mid-afternoon break or during leisurely snacking at home or in schools.

Derived from Latin merenda, the word reached Italian and Portuguese with related meanings of a light mid-day or mid-afternoon meal. In Italian, merenda historically referred to a snack for children, sometimes linked to spending time with family after the school day. In Portuguese, merenda is common in Brazil and Portugal, and the verb merendar means to have a snack.

In Portugal, merenda traditionally refers to a mid-afternoon snack, often lighter than lunch and sometimes accompanied by coffee or milk. In Brazil, the term is common in schools as "merenda escolar" but also used at home to describe a snack between meals.

Common merenda foods include fruit, bread or pastries, yogurt, cheese, crackers, and beverages such as milk, juice, or tea. In schools, merenda may be planned as part of daily meals, sometimes replacing a full second meal; in households, it is often a quick, casual break.

Contemporary discussions around merenda focus on nutritional quality, with guidelines encouraging fruit and dairy, whole grains, and limited added sugar. The term remains widely used in everyday speech and in culinary contexts to describe casual, kid-focused snacking.