What do people eat on their lunch break around the world, and how do these options compare in terms of price and calories? AI career tool Kickresume has put together new research that ranks some of the most popular lunch dishes around the world by the calorie content, daily cost and percentage of the country’s average salary it would cost to eat every working day for a year.
Kickresume selected one representative dish for each country based on research from travel and tourism websites, as well as food blogs. The company found out that the top three countries where you can enjoy a healthy lunch at the lowest cost were all in Latin America.
The US ranked in twelfth place just outside of the top ten, with a hamburger costing $8.41. This is higher in cost than many of the other countries’ lunches, but having one every working day for lunch for a year works out at 4% of the average American salary. That’s in line with the rest of the ranking, as in just over half the countries, lunch costs are 5% or below. The calorie content is 471 kcal.
In first place is Colombia, where arepas for lunch would cost $0.24 for each arepa (a small stuffed flatbread). The calorie content for one arepa is 215 kcal, and lunch for a whole year would cost 1% of the average salary. Of course, several arepas would have a higher calorie count as well as cost.
Mexico was in second place with tacos working out at $.025 a piece, and 221 kcal per taco – however, it’s likely that many people will enjoy more than one at lunch time. This was the only country in the list where it costs less than 1% of the average salary to have lunch every day.
In third place, one empanada in Argentina would cost $0.21, and the calorie count is 263 kcal. Like in Colombia, this would cost 1% of the average salary. This is another lunchtime dish where a serving might contain several empanadas, depending on the size.
Germany was in fourth place, where a serving of bratwurst would cost $3.28 (3% of the national salary) and would have 283 calories.
An Australian meat pie would cost $4.95 and contains 285 calories. To have this dish for lunch every day would cost Australians 2% of the average salary.
The rest of the top ten work lunches were ramen in Japan; bansh, a type of traditional dumpling in Mongolia; a tiffin box in India; jollof rice in Niger; and a sandwich ‘meal deal’ from a shop in the UK.
Kickresume has also teamed up with Kristina Victoria D’Antonio Román, a nutritionist who analyzed the results and made a selection of the healthiest lunches, based on more in-depth information than calories only.
Román said an ideal work lunch should be “light but satiating, with an appropriate balance of whole grains, lean protein and healthy fats, as well as fruit and vegetables and adequate hydration.” The nutritionist said that the meal should contain “a balanced ratio of micronutrients (carbohydrates, protein and fats”, in order to keep blood sugar levels stable and avoid a blood sugar crash, which is when you experience a sudden drop in energy after eating a large amount of carbohydrates.
She emphasized the importance of vegetables and fruits as part of a healthy diet, to ensure that you get enough vitamins and minerals, as well as antioxidants. These compounds have multiple health benefits including boosting mood and limiting inflammation. They are most known for neutralizing free radicals, chemicals in the body that cause cell damage increasing the risk of cancer.
The nutritionist concluded that “overall, nutrient-rich foods help with brain health, mental health, and even stress management.”
Here were the countries that had the healthiest lunches according to them. The nutritionist also included recommendations on how to maximize the nutritional value of each dish.
| Country | Food | Recommendations |
| India | Tiffin Box | Include whole grains, lean proteins, healthy fats and vegetables. |
| Saudi Arabia | Kabsa | Include whole grains and lean meats. Prepare with little added fat. Serve with salad as a side dish. |
| Mexico | Taco | Use whole grain or corn tortillas. Include lean protein, vegetables and avocado. Avoid excess cheese, sour cream, condiments and sauces. |
| Norway, Sweden, Greenland | Open-Faced Sandwiches | Use whole grain bread and lean protein. Avoid processed meats. Include vegetables. Avoid condiments and sauces. |
| Colombia | Arepas | Use lean meats, beans or eggs as protein. Add avocado and vegetables. Avoid high-fat spreads. |
As well as the countries where workers could grab a healthy lunch for less, Kickresume also looked at the countries where lunch cost more and had a higher calorie count. The lunches that were most expensive and had the highest calories were a kebap in Turkey; traditional beshbarmak in Kazakhstan; open-faced sandwiches in Greenland; poutine in Canada; and a sandwich in Italy.
Peter Duris, CEO and Co-Founder of Kickresume, said:
“These results were really interesting (and made us hungry)! While there were plenty of differences between popular dishes around the world, one lunch option kept coming up in our research again and again. In seven countries (France, Italy, Greenland, Norway, Sweden, New Zealand, and the UK) the most popular dish was a sandwich.
“As well as time to enjoy a bite to eat, lunch is an important part of the working day. Even if you’re having a busy day working on something urgent, taking a break will boost your well being, reduce stress, and even help you feel more productive when you come back to work.”
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This post was previously published on kickresume.com.
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The post Study: How Healthy Are US Workers’ Lunches Compared to the Rest of the World appeared first on The Good Men Project.