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Argentina -

At lunchtime, Argentinians love to eat empanadas, which are pastries filled with meat, seafood, or vegetables.

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Germany -

A traditional German lunch consists of meat, potatoes, and vegetables. Another popular option is a baked sausage meat called leberkäse–or sausage with bread.

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Austria -

An Austrian can't say no to a traditional schnitzel, even during lunch. It's typically made with either veal, chicken, or pork, and served with a salad and potatoes. 

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Japan -

Aesthetically-pleasing bento boxes and ramen are the most common lunches in Japan. Bento boxes usually consist of sushi, rice, tempura, and a hot or cold dish.

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Portugal -

A traditional Portuguese lunch would start with a soup and could follow with a traditional cod dish, bacalhau, with vegetables and potatoes.

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Spain -

A traditional Spanish lunch starts with soup or salad, followed perhaps by paella, cod in tomato sauce, or a meat stew. Tapas is generally eaten between work and dinner.

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Hungary -

Like many Eastern European countries, lunch in Hungary usually begins with a soup. A main dish could either be their traditional goulash or a lángos, a deep-fried flat bread typically served with shredded cheese and sour cream.

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Senegal -

A traditional lunchtime meal in Senegal is a dish called thiéboudienne. It features fish, vegetables, and rice in a tomato sauce. Other versions exist as well with chicken, peanuts, or lamb.

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Vietnam -

Noodles and soups are common Vietnamese lunch meals, as well as spring rolls with dipping sauce. The Vietnamese baguette, known as banh mi, is also highly popular.

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Iceland -

A typical Icelandic lunch consists of potatoes and meat, followed by a fruit soup. Some unique options would be shark, whale, or puffin meat.

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Morocco -

In Morocco, lunch is the main meal of the day and commonly consists of salads and olives alongside their typical dish, tagine and couscous. To drink, they go for a mint tea.

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India -

Tiffin boxes have a long history in India. They are round with three to four stacking compartments. They usually come with rice, bread, vegetable curry, pickles, and dal.

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Nigeria -

Jollof rice with spiced meat called suya is a must during Nigerian lunchtime. It's commonly served with yams, cassava, and plantain on the side.

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Kenya -

Stews are big when it comes to Kenyan lunches. They are usually made with meat, potatoes, and vegetables, and served with ugali, chapatis, or rice.

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France -

The French usually go for a lighter lunch, like a baguette. They are typically filled with cheese and ham. Omelettes are also a popular option.

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Turkey -

A typical lunch in Turkey consists of meze, kofte, kebabs, or pide, which is like a Turkish pizza. More specifically, pide is an oval-shaped flatbread baked with different types of toppings, like minced meat or spinach.

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Thailand -

Thai dishes are not usually tied to a particular time of day. However, common lunches include pad thai, curries, and tom yum soup.

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Greece -

For a heavier meal, a moussaka is a popular Greek lunch option. The dish is potato-based with either eggplant or ground meat. A lighter lunch would be a salad or sandwich.

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United Kingdom -

Grab-and-go sandwiches are super popular in the UK and can be found everywhere from supermarkets to gas stations. Popular fillings are egg and cress or cucumber and salmon.

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Sweden -

A popular Swedish lunch dish, with all generations, are meatballs with mashed potatoes and lingonberry sauce. If you're eager to try this dish, just pop into your local IKEA!

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Italy -

A typical Italian lunch consists of carbs and tons of fresh ingredients. Pasta is an obvious choice, with a salad or side of bread. To finish, an espresso, of course.

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Mexico -

For people on the go, tacos are a popular lunchtime choice. Otherwise, salad or soup followed by rice and beans with meat, fish, or vegetables and tortillas are commonly eaten.

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Denmark -

A popular Danish lunch is smørrebrød, an open-faced sandwich. It's usually made with rye bread, topped with fish, seafood, or meat, and pickled vegetables.

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Iran -

In Iran, a popular lunchtime dish is khoresh, a generic term for stew, and rice. Saffron is often used in the stew and adds a distinctive flavor. It's usually enjoyed with meat, but vegetarian versions do exist.

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China -

In China, the lunch menu is simple. It'll always contain rice or noodles, with meat or vegetables mixed in. If it's a quick lunch, then some quick dumplings are a must.

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Brazil -

A popular lunchtime place in Brazil are buffet by the pound restaurants. As lunch there is the biggest meal, this type of restaurant makes total sense. It usually offers a wide option of food like salad, meats, and rice.

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Russia -

A typical Russian lunch consists of soup, like the beetroot soup borscht, and a main course with meat and potatoes, like a beef stroganoff.

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Costa Rica -

Casado is a popular lunch option in Costa Rica. The dish consists of rice and beans, plantain, meat, and vegetables. Gallo pinto is also a popular rice and beans dish.

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Jamaica -

A common Jamaican lunch typically consists of a patty and coco bread, which is made with coconut milk. A Jamaican patty is a pastry that contains various fillings, often tinted golden yellow with an egg yolk mixture or turmeric.

Sources: (Insider) (Delish) (Thistle)

See also: Food coma: what it is, and how to prevent it

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