Snack (meal): A snack is a light snack taken between breakfast and dinner (See these words). With the modification of the hours of the latter in the 17th century, the afternoon snack, which was once taken around XNUMX p.m. and was a real meal, usually cold, with cakes, cheese, fruit and wine, was gradually phased out.
In town, it was replaced by the English fashion of five o'clock tea, with tea and cakes, while in the countryside we continued to serve the “afternoon tea” at the end of the afternoon, after the work in the fields; enough copious, this snack could take the place of dinner, a simple soup or milk and bread being taken at night.
Today, the snack, or "four hours", concerns almost exclusively children (biscuits, cereals, chocolate, Juice, milk, pain, spread, jam). Although this term is also used for the late afternoon meal of adults based on pain, delicatessen, wine et cheese.
In Spain, where meal times are staggered, it is at 18 p.m. - mid-afternoon - that we take the picnic (before dinner, which will be around 22 p.m.), usually consisting of a cup of coffee or chocolate and pastries.
Quote by American writer Truman Capote (1924-1984): “Ever since you made me cry at that birthday party when you spilled your ice cream on my sailor suit. Oh you were a dirty brat! " In the novel The crossing of summer published in 2006.