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A "square meal" was the term used years ago on ships - it referred to a hollowed out square in a wooden table, from which meals would have been eaten out of - an individual square per person. Nowadays meals are eaten from plates. And plates are usually round since corners or china/porclain crockery would be prone to chipping and being broken off. Thus circles have no corners (or are one big corner, depending on how you look at it).
You wouldn't want it the same shape, it just looks weird. Plus it's part of tradition.
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∙ 13y ago
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What is a traditional phrase?
'A Square Meal' The saying having a square meal comes from the English Royal Navy during the time of Nelson. In order to stop the plates/ dishes slipping around on the table when the ship was at sea, four pieces of wood were nailed to the benches in the shape of a square to stop the plates from slipping... hence 'having a square meal'.
What is the origin of the phrase 'square meal'?
In Medieval times and later periods meals were often served on square wooden plates called Trenchers or platters, commonly known as a board. They were usually made out of a hardwood like maplewood so they didn't absorb the gravy & taint the next meal. There was a round groove lathe-cut into the centre of the board to hold the stew or gravy & often a small round groove drilled at the side of the platter to hold salt. You ate your meal with a knife & spoon, dipping meat into the salt. Where poor people may go without a meal often, sitting down to a proper meal on a board, (or 'square meal'), was a good thing - if you were getting your 3 square meals a day, you were doing very well for yourself. Just to confuse things, board also meant the dining table. There are naval links as well, square wooden trencher plates were used on-board ships as they didn't slide around as easily as circular plates, for sailors & press-ganged men they would have looked forward to a good square meal between their watches. If you went to an Inn for somewhere to sleep and food, you'd ask for 'bed & board'. Trencher is thought to originate from the French language where 'trancher' meant to cut, you'd cut the meat on your board. Before wooden trenchers came into common use, the trencher was made of bread, so that gravy soaked into the bread & you ate the plate as well, certainly saved on the washing up! See what they looked like at; http://www.keeleyhire.co.uk/item.php?id=3582
What are charger plates?
A charger plate is a large, decorative plate that is used as a placeholder before the meal. Sometimes, the soup or salad course is served on top of the charger plate. They are generally removed when the main course is served.
What is Four course meal?
A four course meal is a meal served in four quantities, including an appetizer; normally served in a restaurant.
What is the configuration of a square meal?
A square meal is a sustainable, satisfying and balanced meal. A square meal is typically meant to be a meal someone eats three times a day. A square meal can consist of vegetables, dairy and meats.
What was Served with every Tudor meal?
The Tudors served bread with every meal. Since clean water was not available for drinking, they also often served ale.
Should A meal be prepared and then served by its maker?
Yes a proper meal should be created and served by the same person, unless the meal is being served buffet style. However, if the guest(s) offers to help, it is acceptable for them to assist the maker of meal serve it.
If a meal was ordered and the wrong meal was served but the customer sampled the meal is the customer obligated to pay for it?
=NO=
When a meal is served by waiters?
In a restaurant
What is the list of dishes to be served at a meal called?
I am not too sure of what you are asking but there is a Menu which is a list of foods served at a resturaunt and there is also a banquet which is a large amount of food served as one meal.
How pasta may be served?
Pasta can be served as a salad, a snack or a whole meal.
What was served in a Medieval meal?
poo and wee
