In every country there are different ways of doing things but Spain…
There is a saying that goes “In Spain, people live to eat and drink.“ In Spanish it is, “En España la gente vive para comer y beber.“
And I would say this is quite true!
Whether you find yourself in big cities or small towns, are young or old, are out late at night or in the middle of the day, you can always find people getting together at a tapas bar, sitting outside the restaurant and in plazas to eat. It is a social experience and people will want to meet up with friends after work all the time to sit and eat.
People are spontaneous meaning you might not know you have dinner plans until the same day. People can still be tired after a day of work, but it typically does not matter because it is just part of the culture.
Young adults might go out in the middle of the week to a bar or night club, which Spain’s major cities and islands are known for around the world. However, Spain’s nightlife is much more than that!
The sun, first of all tends to set quite late in Spain on average around 9pm in the spring and summer, sometimes later because of the time zone. This works out great for those accustomed to Spanish dinner culture, which means eating dinner past 10pm.
This is often a shock to anyone else who did not grow up in Spain, because they likely did not go out to eat dinner with their friends past 10pm at a sit-down restaurant.
Eating late past 10pm is ingrained in Spanish culture and not just on the weekends. It is part of what I think is a healthy work-life balance as it is something that brings people joy, reminds them that there is more to life than work everyday, and the laughter is surely one of the best parts of it all. Laughing throughout the week and having a good time with your friends over food is for a lot of people here the best way to destress and reset your nervous system before bed.
If any other nutritionist is reading this, you might be wondering but isn’t eating late terrible for your digestion? Shouldn’t we be telling people to eat a few hours earlier than their bed time? Or to practice mindfulness meditation, journaling, peace and quiet before bed to unwind?
Well, this too is what I learned in school. But it’s funny how your experience living in a different country can begin to make you question everything you were ever taught. I don’t think there is anything wrong with questioning what you were initially told. On the contrary, I think it is important and one of the best things you can do especially when you are dealing with chronic symptoms, health conditions, or a dysregulated nervous system. When your nutritionist or doctor has also been exposed to different beliefs, ways of doing things, ways of living, and questioned why things are the way they are, then they too will be better detectives, helping to uncover the root causes of your symptoms. It is impossible to have a holistic, culturally sensitive integrative healing approach otherwise. Don’t you agree?
Whether you are in Spanish cities or residential areas, there are popular places to go at depending on the time of day. Just like there are tapas bars and restaurants catered to tourists, there are also those more locals go to. Las ramblas or la rambla, for example, are typically main streets in cities where tourists will go to eat food in the evenings, but this is not where locals will go to after work for dinner. Sometimes you will find jam sessions in parks, people singing a long to live music in cafes or restaurants, a tapas crawl, or a group watching a football match at a bar. And every now and then friends going to a rooftop bar after a work day. The best neighborhoods for food where locals gather, however, are outside of the tourist historic centers and often in narrow windy streets or more residential areas.
So, if people eat dinner later does that mean they get less sleep? Do they still have to wake up in early hours of the morning? How do they do it? Are their bodies just wired differently to digest quicker?
These are all valid questions I have gotten from people wanting to learn more about the cultural differences, especially between the United States and Spain.
The Spanish schedule is certainly different from the rest and it revolves heavily around food and sleep actually. People will eat dinner later sure. Most will also wake up early as well to start work in the early morning, but many small businesses will close most days for “siesta.” This is a time between 2-5pm usually where people will take a break and nap. For those who are employees with ”regular working hours,” they might not get this siesta but they typically get on average more lunch time (it can be more than an hour for some) to take a break from the long working day. In the United States, sometimes 30 minutes is all you get, so even an hour is a long time to sit down and eat or rest.
When people get back from work they might have a merienda or snack between 5-7pm but wait to eat a lighter meal for dinner after 9 or 10pm. Instead of having a big meal for dinner then around 5-7pm, people living in Spain will have smaller lighter portions of food in the evening after work. If people go out for tapas, then they are definitely not eating an entire plate of food on their own. Rather, they are sharing little portions of food with their friends.
The eating schedule and customs in Spain or the country where you live are something to consider and learn from. Just because you might not be experiencing this kind of Spanish nightlife every day after work, there are some lessons to learn from their way of doing life. Their quantities of food later at night, for example, are typically not as much as what you would get at an American restaurant.
Spanish peoples relationship with food and their friends is beautiful to see. They appreciate the food they are eating a lot! The time spent with friends and sharing over tapas as well. There is no rush to eat. Employers also don’t want to see everyone finishing their food and lunch in 15 minutes. And when it comes to eating meals or even drinking coffee with friends as well. There are no waiters bringing you the bill after you finish. There is no pressure to pay right away or even hours later. It is one of the great things about Spanish restaurants, bars, and cafes.
Spanish time you could say then is running on a much slower clock. Some might call it lazy, but others might call it trying to live as much in the present as possible.
When it comes to eating out in Spain as well, the season usually does not have much of a say on whether people eat outside or not. In Spain, you will find people eating outside year round. Restaurants will continue to let people sit on their terraces even if it is raining, quite cold, and dark outside. People love to be outside, it does not matter if they are in a small town or in one of the large cities in Spain, with some the busiest streets. You will always see people eating outside and areas full of children playing on a nearby play structure. Eating and playing outside is something that scientists and nutritionists are learning more about in recent years. We are just beginning to see all the ways it can help heal the nervous system and digestive process.
So, that is in summary what Spanish dinner culture and nightlife is like, as well as eating customs and schedules. I hope you found some of this information useful and as a way to reflect on your own eating schedule, beliefs, and relationships.
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Disclaimer: The information and education provided here is not intended or implied to supplement or replace professional medical treatment, advice, and/or diagnosis. Always check with your own physician or medical professional before trying or implementing any information on here.
