‘I usually bolt it down as quickly as possible’ – when did lunch get so crunched?

Endlessly curious about the nation’s eating habits, Heinz surveyed more than 2,000 people across the UK to get the lowdown on our lunch habits – and discovered a nation craving a Great British lunch revival

When did lunch become just another item on our to-do list? Once, the middle of the day was a restorative pause: a time to sit, enjoy a meal and catch up with those around us. Today, lunch can often feel more like a task to squeeze in between jobs, life admin and getting from A to B.

But are we really happy with that time-squeezed approach to arguably the best bit of the day? To find out what Britain actually wants from lunch, Heinz commissioned a nationwide survey of Britons’ eating habits, with YouGov. The results suggest that, despite our increasingly frenetic lives, we’re far from ready to give up on the idea of lunch as a moment to stop, rest and savour something delicious.

Perhaps surprisingly, the survey found that only 4% of people always skip lunch, suggesting that eating at this time of day is still firmly on the agenda. But the rest of the results show we’re not always giving lunchtime the prominence that it – and we – deserve.

With so many demands on our time, finding a window for a proper break can feel tricky. While 42% of people say lunch is a meaningful moment in their day to slow down and reset, 38% regularly rush or neglect it because of work, chores or caring responsibilities, and 37% of those who say they might skip the meal altogether cite lack of time as a reason.

Diane Hughes, 68, from Knaresborough in North Yorkshire, looks after her three-year-old grandson two days a week to help out her son and daughter-in-law, who both work full-time. On those days, finding a moment to sit down and eat something nourishing often feels impossible.

“We’re on the go all day, visiting stay-and-plays and the park, and when lunchtime comes I’m busy trying to make sure Freddie eats something – my own lunch goes on the backburner,” she says. “And when I do manage to grab something, I usually bolt it down as quickly as possible.”

Even when we do find time for lunch, the survey suggests we’re often not using it as a chance to switch off and reset. Most people surveyed who eat lunch – 59% – do so at home, with 52% eating alone, but we’re not giving the meal our full attention: over a third (35%) admit to scrolling social media or browsing online as they eat and almost as many (31%) watch television. For many of us, lunch has become about refuelling rather than rest; less a moment to stop than one to catch up on everything else.

That tendency to grab a quick bite while doing other things is reflected in our choice of what to eat, too. Unsurprisingly, speed and ease of preparation are cited by 51% as important, followed by value for money at 46%. But 40% also want their lunch to be filling and satisfying.

So what are we really looking for? The ideal, it seems, is something that doesn’t demand a huge amount of time, money and effort but still feels like a proper meal.

Comfort is also a major draw when it comes to deciding between lunch options, particularly as the days get colder and cosy season begins. And when asked which lunches they would typically choose during autumn and winter, one option came out on top: a bowl of soup, chosen by 51% of those surveyed. Soup is up there for comfort, too: 41% named it their ultimate lunchtime comfort food.

A cold sandwich, roll or wrap was the runner-up lunch choice for autumn and winter, at 49%, while 41% opted for a toastie, panini or something on toast. But soup has something those other options don’t: its preparation is quick and easy enough for a busy day, yet it still feels like a warming meal. And unlike the others, it’s not quite so easy to eat on the move, so it offers the perfect excuse to sit down and take a breather.

Since retiring, John Mohan, 68, from Hitchin, Hertfordshire, has chosen soup for most of his lunches. “I used to eat a sandwich at my desk every day, but I’m enjoying having more time to sit down for a proper lunch,” he says.

“I love a hot meal, but I don’t want to cook anything fancy at lunchtime. That’s why soup’s perfect. All I have to do is heat it, and there are so many flavours, I never get bored, although my favourite is chicken and vegetable with crusty bread and butter to dunk in it. I try not to have the TV on or even read the paper, but just focus on eating and enjoying my wife’s company.”

So perhaps reclaiming lunch isn’t about preparing an elaborate meal from scratch. It might simply mean recognising that it deserves a little more attention – and choosing food that gives something worth pausing for.

For all our rushing, scrolling and multitasking, the survey suggests Britain hasn’t actually fallen out of love with lunch. We still want something tasty, affordable and easy, which gives us that small moment of comfort in the middle of the day.

As the days get shorter and darker, let’s make the case for switching off our screens and embracing a simple pleasure: sitting down with a hot bowl of soup and taking the time to enjoy it.

^{All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2065 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 9th - 10th September 2026. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all UK adults (aged 18+).}

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