Comments on: Square meal origin and meaning: Why do we say square meal?

By: Mike A.

Mike A. — Wed, 20 Apr 2022 23:54:26 +0000

In military terms, I always thought it’s a type of indoctrination of the raw meat recruit in being a soldier in command of the himself or the environment, and not the reverse. That you do “go” to your food like an animal, you bring your food to you. And it’s done by sitting in erect posture, back upright, and going through the square motions with the fork. It’s difficult, especially keeping you back upright and not leaning into your food, but it is good training in being a human and not animal!

By: Edith Smith

Edith Smith — Tue, 04 Aug 2015 16:19:16 +0000

‘I beg to differ’, my brother was an Air Cadet in the 1944-45 U.S. Air Force, he described
the “Square Meals” that they were required to eat at that time. Perhaps it was part
of the process of “washing out” of the Pilot Program which also became popular at that
time for the young cadets.

By: shelley penner

shelley penner — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 06:42:29 +0000

Here’s another unsubstantiated theory for you — perhaps a meal was considered square when it included four items on the plate: meat, potatoes, vegetables and bread.