What Office Lunches Look Like Around the World

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Korea


Koreans have their own version of the Japanese bento box, called a dosirak. Although seemingly similar (they both come in a box), the food contained is obviously different, and is packaged and eaten differently as well. In Korea, in addition to rice, workers may choose options like shredded dried seaweed, lotus root, egg, and, of course kimchi, the popular side dish made of fermented cabbage, radish, scallion, or cucumber, seasoned with spices like brine, ginger, garlic, or a seafood sauce. Gochujang, a savory, spicy sauce made from red chiles, is often the condiment of choice. As opposed to its neatly portioned counterpart, dosiraks are picked up and vigorously shaken in order to mix up the contents prior to eating, and the resulting concoction is consumed with a spoon.

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Norway


In Norway, office workers rarely go out to lunch. Instead, they bring meals from home that usually consist of fish, meat, eggs, or vegetables on slices of bread — not in traditional sandwich form, but in the open-faced style, called smørbrød. The drink of choice, curiously, is often milk. Fish is the national dish of choice at lunchtime, since Norway relies on both freshwater and saltwater fish for much of its food supply. Variations include boiled salmon, crayfish, mountain trout (often broiled and served with lemon), and fatty smoked eel. The most common side? Boiled potatoes with parsley and no butter.

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United Arab Emirates

If there’s one thing you’ll probably never find in a lunch in the United Arab Emirates, it’s pork, because of religious dietary laws. Instead, chicken, beef, lamb, and even camel are the meats of choice in Dubai and other cities. Speaking of the region’s most famous city, food is quite expensive there, so many workers opt for cheaper street food selections (like falafel or musakhan — roasted chicken flatbread), sometimes every day. (Note: It is acceptable to haggle over prices at both street stands and brick-and-mortar restaurants in Dubai.) Since many employees work through lunch or eat at their desks, shawarma — spicy roasted and shaved meat wrapped in a pita — is the local fast food of choice.

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Although a sandwich and a piece of fruit will always be the classic American lunch, often with chips on the side, usually transported in a brown paper bag (or in a sweet lunchbox with a picture of Batman on it), Americans have begun to get more creative in recent years. Now workers at their desks will often be seen eating salad (or soup in colder months) or various types of pasta dishes. Since Americans often have long hours, long commutes, and otherwise busy schedules, make-ahead meals are becoming an increasingly popular option as well. In these cases, workers will prepare a large meal at home — usually over the weekend — and portion it out in portable lunches throughout the week. If not, though, they sometimes stray from the office to visit a great restaurant nearby.

GhostBuster

knox1234 Post time: 2018-12-3 17:10
Kenya

In most South-East Asia countries, one gets a wide variety of food for any meal!

Fred9

Liononthehunt

It appears Asians are obssessed with rice, while the Europeans go for backery grub for lunch.