In the Philippines, “merienda” refers to a light snack or simple meal consumed between main meals, typically in mid-morning and mid-afternoon. Much more than a mere coffee break, it is a tradition unfamiliar to residents of North America and Northern Europe.
Borrowed from Spanish colonial times, the Filipino version has evolved into a daily ritual that fills the gaps between main meals — breakfast, lunch and dinner. Dinner in the Philippines usually is served around 7 or 7:30 p.m., later than in most North American households.
The word “merienda” does not take an article – as in “the” merienda – and there is no plural form. The word is used like “breakfast” in English.
“Merienda” comes from the Latin verb “merere”, meaning “to deserve” or “to earn”, referring to a snack earned after work.
The Philippine merienda has been examined in cultural studies by Filipino scholars as a lens on Spanish colonialism.
North Americans accustomed to quick coffee breaks, or Europeans accustomed to afternoon tea, will recognize merienda as a structured pause in the workday that combines nourishment with social interaction, but merienda is more structured and nuanced.
For example, if workmen are doing maintenance in a private home in the Philippines, the homeowner is expected to provide coffee, juices and snacks for merienda as a sign of respect for their workmanship.
Merienda occurs twice daily — around 9:30 a.m. for a morning snack and around 3 p.m. for the afternoon version, which is sometimes called “merienda cena” if extended to evening because dinner is expected to be served late.
Merienda lasts up to 30 minutes and is built into workdays, school schedules, and home routines.
These breaks are informal and employee-driven in workplaces, with no legal requirement for employers to provide food or space — unlike mandatory lunch periods.
The foods include savory and sweet options suited to the tropical climate.
Common savory choices for merienda include pancit canton; stir-fried noodles with vegetables and meat; siopao, which are steamed buns filled with pork or chicken; and street foods like empanadas or “kwek-kwek”.
Kwek-kwek are hard-boiled quail eggs coated in a bright orange batter and deep-fried until crispy.
Sweet staples for merienda include turon, which are spring rolls filled with bananas or jackfruit; kakanin, which is sticky rice cakes with coconut; and halo-halo, a shaved ice dessert layered with fruits, beans, jellies, and condensed milk.
Beverages for merienda include strong coffee, tsokolate – hot chocolate – or soft drinks and fresh fruit juices from local vendors.
The most popular juice from street vendors is calamansi juice, made from small, squeezed calamansi limes blended with sugar and served ice cold for 30-50 pesos in plastic cups or in plastic bags with straws.
Merienda plays a key social role, strengthening family and community ties. At home, it brings neighbors and relatives together for shared snacks and conversation.
In offices and schools, colleagues gather in pantries, often bringing homemade food or buying from the ubiquitous street vendors, public markets and “sari-sari” stores, which are akin to the bodegas of New York City.
The practice of merienda reflects and preserves “bayanihan”, the Filipino value of communal support, turning 30-minute breaks into moments for personal connection, times deliberately set aside for fellowship.
Bayanihan is a core Filipino cultural value embodying communal unity, cooperation, and selfless mutual aid within a community or “bayan” – a barangay, municipality or province.
A closely related concept is “kapwa”, meaning “shared identity”, or recognizing the humanity in others. Kapwa forms the philosophical foundation for bayanihan — communal cooperation where people unite selflessly for collective good, like helping repair a home damaged by a typhoon. Kapwa provides the emotional “why” — seeing others as extensions of self — while bayanihan manifests it through action.
Merienda, while not legally mandated anywhere — including the Philippines, Spain, or Latin American countries with similar traditions — nevertheless persists as a cultural mainstay.
Labor laws require only standard breaks like a one-hour unpaid lunch break and short rests of 15-20 minutes in the workday, leaving snacks to personal initiative.
In regions of Southern Luzon like Bicol, local snacks for merienda incorporate pili nuts and ever-present bananas, papayas, mangos and coconuts. A popular prepared snack is binagol, which is glutinous rice and taro pudding wrapped in banana leaves.
For international visitors and expatriates, merienda provides an accessible entry point into Filipino daily life. Street carts and markets make it easy to participate, offering cheap snacks with fresh, bold flavors.
This tradition also underscores the Philippine emphasis on life balance amid busy schedules, inviting a mindful break in school and the workplace.
Bryce McIntyre, PhD, resides in San Andres. He holds a doctoral degree from Stanford University,
Palo Alto, California, USA.