Lunch. A typical Costa Rican lunch is a casado – a plate of rice, beans, a protein (chicken, pork, beef or fish), salad (usually something with cabbage) and sweet plantains. It can also include tortillas, yucca, avocado, pico de gallo and fresh or fried cheese.

Lunch in Costa Rica, or "almuerzo," is traditionally the most important and substantial meal of the day, typically served between 12:00 PM and 2:00 PM. The quintessential Costa Rican lunch is the Casado. The word "casado" means "married man," stemming from the idea that this is the kind of hearty, complete meal a wife would prepare for her husband. A Casado is not a single dish but a large platter consisting of several components: white rice, black or red beans, a choice of protein (such as grilled chicken, fish, pork chop, or steak), a side of cabbage and tomato salad, and fried sweet plantains ("maduros"). It often includes a side of "picadillo" (minced vegetables) and a slice of fresh white cheese or a fried egg. This meal is incredibly balanced, filling, and affordable, especially when eaten at a "Soda"—a small, family-run local restaurant. To wash it down, Costa Ricans typically enjoy a "refresco" or "natural," which is a fresh fruit juice blended with water or milk, featuring tropical flavors like passion fruit (maracuyá), blackberry (mora), or soursop (guanábana). Unlike the quick "sandwich at the desk" culture in the US, lunch in Costa Rica is a time to slow down and refuel for the afternoon.