A ploughman's lunch is a midday meal often served in an English pub (as distinct from a Scottish pub). The first citation in the Oxford English Dictionary of this phrase dates from 1837, in the book Memoirs of the life of Sir Walter Scott by John G. Lockhart . The OED's next citation, however, is only from 1970, indicating a long period of time when the meal was virtually unknown in its native land. It is this long disuse and recent rediscovery that has lead some people, such as Richard Eyre, to portray the dish as being a recent invention dressed up as a traditional meal.

A ploughman's lunch usually consists of a lump of cheese (usually Cheddar or Stilton), pickle and salad, accompanied by crusty bread and butter.

Sometimes the lunch is also served with different types of pate, but this method of delivery isn't known for it's tradition.

The high profile of the ploughman's lunch has lead to many catering companies referring to a sandwich containing Cheddar, pickle and salad as a ploughman's sandwich.

Metaphorical reference

The Ploughman's Lunch was a 1984 British film directed by Richard Eyre. The film's title was ironic, Ian McEwan's script using the metaphor of a supposedly faux traditional dish in order to represent Thatcherite and media spin and inauthenticity in the aftermath of the Falklands War.