Three Squares

You are likely reading this email in the comfort of your home, thinking about the delicious meal yesterday, and also trying to decide just how much and when you are going to jump into the leftovers. If you follow my blog posts, you know by now I’m a big “foodie.” To be honest, I’m not sure what that really means – but for me, it means “I love to eat” – pretty much everything. And I’m guessing, like you, we all follow the traditional “three meals a day” cycle – a good breakfast, a filling lunch, and an exceptional dinner. (unless of course there is a fridge full of yesterday’s food. With my often unpredictable schedule, I don’t always have time to “sit and eat”, but for the most part, I do my best to stay hydrated and fed to keep up. I checked into the “3 a day” habits of people and learned three meals a day is not universal even today. How many times have you skipped a formal lunch, and “snacked your way” through the day? (I propose 4 a day, especially on Black Friday!) Even now, we might eat just two meals and call them brunch and dinner. So, I did some research and found some info to share. Thanks to Wikipedia, runnersworld.com, phrases.com, and youtube.com for the info. Enjoy!

Awesome music to enjoy while reading

The earliest records of three distinct meals a day are Roman and Ancient Chinese. The Ancient Greeks, the Biblical Hebrews, and the Babylonians seem to have eaten twice a day only on a regular basis.

The Ancient Chinese other than the noble/ruling classes ate only twice a day, due to lack of food until the Han dynasty ( dated from 206 BC to 220 AD) This is close in time but still later than the Roman Republic.

Roman meals were called: Morning meal, ientaculum midday meal prandium; and they ate their biggest meal late, called cena.

Rome was a bit different from Greece, especially its urban culture. Plebes often worked for others, the poor didn’t have their own kitchens (tenements were wood and fire-traps.) and didn’t grow their food (the wealthy had their own gardens/villas.) So, they often ate food purchased from stalls and restaurants, usually eaten there. Their grain dole would be baked at bakery ovens around the city, or made into porridge. So, without kitchens, they’d eat cheese, fruit, bread, vinegar, and fare from stalls around the city. Light fare and get family together for a big meal late in the day.

By 1600 AD, a three-meal pattern became more common in all classes among the towns & cities of Northern Europe. Physicians advised to eat 3 meals a day until age 40. The Industrial Revolution set the custom of having a meal before leaving for work among all classes; by then 3 meals pattern was now the norm.

But it wasn’t always so. The Catholic church has Fridays as fast days where only one full meal was supposed to be eaten, anyway, with up to 2 smaller meatless meals (which did not make one full meal together) permitted. Lent was a fuller fasting period. 

Swedish farmers found working in the cold on such slim fare tough and developed a custom of carbo-loading Thursday nights with Ärtsoppa (yellow split pea soup) and pancakes. With so much information today about food and nutrition, carb-loading is a very real habit, especially for athletes.

As the colonies expanded and life became more settled, the wealthier class adopted the English custom of having three meals a day, with breakfast in the morning, a midday dinner, and a lighter evening meal called supper. Breakfast was often simple, consisting of porridge, bread, or leftovers, while supper was a smaller meal than dinner.

The Industrial Revolution, which took hold in America during the early 19th century, dramatically altered meal patterns. As more people began working outside the home, the timing of meals shifted to accommodate the new workday structure. Workers needed a substantial meal in the morning before leaving for factories or fields, thus solidifying breakfast as an essential part of the daily routine. Dinner, traditionally eaten in the early afternoon, was often moved to the evening when workers returned home, especially among urban families.

The term “three square meals a day” refers to the idea of having three solid, balanced meals—breakfast, lunch, and dinner—each day. The phrase itself is thought to have originated in the maritime world, particularly in the British and American naval or military contexts during the 19th century. It’s believed that the phrase may have originated aboard ships in the British and American navies. Sailors were often served their meals on square wooden plates or trays. This practical shape made it easier to store and handle meals during voyages. Over time, the concept of having “three square meals” came to represent regular, hearty, and dependable sustenance for sailors. (now you know!) Today, the phrase is often used in a general sense to imply that someone is receiving adequate nutrition through their daily meals, and it sometimes has a nostalgic or colloquial feel, harkening back to more structured eating habits.

By the 20th century, the three-meal structure of breakfast, lunch, and dinner became firmly established in American culture, largely due to the growing influence of industrialized work schedules and school systems, which followed a structured daily routine. Breakfast became a hearty morning meal to start the day, often consisting of eggs, bacon, cereal, or toast. This meal was strongly promoted by food industries, particularly the cereal industry, which marketed breakfast cereals as healthy and convenient options. (I remember Anita Bryant telling me how important a glass of orange juice was in the morning too!)

Lunch, by now, had evolved into a lighter midday meal, with many Americans eating sandwiches, soup, or salads during a lunch break, particularly in schools and offices. Dinner became the largest and most important meal of the day, consumed in the evening after work and school, allowing families to gather and share a more substantial meal together. The concept of a “family dinner” gained cultural importance during the 20th century, symbolizing family togetherness and domestic stability.

While the three-meal pattern remains the norm for most Americans, contemporary society has seen variations emerge, driven by factors like busy lifestyles, dieting trends, and changing work environments. Fast food, meal prepping, and snacking throughout the day have become more common, leading some to replace traditional meals with smaller, more frequent eating occasions. Additionally, brunch—a hybrid of breakfast and lunch—has become a popular social meal, especially on weekends. (I am the “king of brunch” and know those restaurants who allow me multiple visits to the buffet FOR SURE lose $$$).

The 21st century has also seen a growing awareness of health and wellness, influencing meal patterns. Some people opt for intermittent fasting, where they skip breakfast or limit their meals to certain windows of the day. Despite these trends, the basic structure of breakfast, lunch, and dinner remains deeply ingrained in American culture.