Skimping out on your lunch break? Here’s how many employed Americans actually stop to eat

More than half of Americans skip luncheon successful bid to activity more, according to a caller survey.

The canvass of 2,000 employed Americans, pinch a quota of 1,000 moving parents pinch school-aged kids, revealed that 55% forgo eating luncheon connected hectic days to beryllium much productive.

Respondents besides admitted to wholly forgetting to eat luncheon 2 days retired of nan activity week, connected average.

In fact, much than 4 successful 10 workers (43%) trust connected reminders to eat a midday meal, pinch women being importantly much apt than men (63% vs. 48%) to request a reminder to eat during nan workday.

Commissioned by Buddig for National Sandwich Month successful August and conducted by Talker Research, nan study recovered that though 63% of moving Americans eat a full, important repast for luncheon astir days, a important number (37%) confessed to eating much of a snack for lunch, aliases grazing connected small snack foods passim nan time successful spot of a meal.

More than 1 successful 10 (13%) besides admitted they’ll typically activity and eat luncheon astatine nan aforesaid clip connected a regular workday, alternatively of taking a break from their tasks to eat.

Looking astatine differences betwixt subgroups, men (91%) are much apt than women (85%) to region their activity to eat lunch, and hybrid workers (94%) are much apt than distant (85%) and in-person labor (87%) to return a existent luncheon break.

A 3rd of employed Americans (33%) besides revealed that they’ll usually eat their midday repast astatine their table aliases workstation, pinch distant workers being much blameworthy of this (41%) than hybrid (38%) and in-person (28%) respondents.

On average, workers eat luncheon astatine 12:48 p.m., and their emblematic luncheon hr is really only 35 minutes, connected average.

For those who measurement distant from their activity to eat, galore (43%) multitask during their downtime, pinch women being much apt than men (51% vs. 33%) to multitask while eating lunch.

And multitaskers astir commonly cheque societal media (70%), matter (64%), and make telephone calls (55%) during their luncheon hours, moreover though astir respondents (84%) agreed that taking offline luncheon breaks, sans screens aliases technology, is bully for their health.

“While it tin beryllium tempting to powerfulness done your workday and skip taking a lunch, it’s important to springiness yourself a break and eat a full, important meal,” said Amy Krider, elder marque head astatine Buddig. “Not only do we request each nan power we tin get from a filling repast to do our champion work, we besides request small breaks from our screens and tasks during nan time arsenic good for our wellness and wellness.”

On a emblematic workday, 62% of employed Americans usually bring luncheon from home, a 3rd (33%) will bargain it, and 5% are fortunate capable to person their repast provided by their employer.

Three-quarters of workers (75%) said that sandwiches are their go-to luncheon meal, and 70% of those pinch school-aged kids said their kids besides see sandwiches among their lunchtime favorites.

Looking person astatine mealtime menus for some parents and kids, moving Americans cited sandwiches (64%), salads (45%) and hamburgers (33%) arsenic their astir communal luncheon staples, and those pinch kids successful schoolhouse said their children will eat sandwiches (58%), pre-made repast kits (36%) and pizza (30%) astir often.

Health-wise, nan value of moving parents’ meals falls a spot down their kids’. While 83% of parents pinch school-aged kids said their children’s lunches are healthy, only 74% could opportunity nan aforesaid for themselves.

The results besides revealed that hybrid workers reported eating nan healthiest lunches (79%) compared to distant (71%) and in-person (65%) workers.

And surprisingly, those whose lunches are catered by their employers reported having healthier lunches (75%) than those who bring homemade lunches (72%) and bargain luncheon (62%).

“Busy activity schedules mean that galore don’t person clip to battalion healthy, protein-filled lunches,” said Krider. “And moving parents person nan added struggle of making judge their kiddos get nutritious, filling meals while astatine school. That’s wherever nan classical sandwich tin travel successful handy. Protein-filled and versatile, it’s included among respondents’ favourite luncheon meals for a reason.”

Survey methodology:

Talker Research surveyed 2,000 employed Americans pinch a quota of 1,000 parents of school-aged children; nan study was commissioned by Buddig and administered and conducted online by Talker Research betwixt July 15 and July 18, 2025.