Meanings
- idiomaticpluralplural onlyThree square meals, understood as a complete, satisfying, and nourishing regimen of food taken over the course of a day.
Out there in Breughel, N.D., surrounded by an ocean of durum wheat, we got three squares a day, piled our plates and cried Yes! to seconds.
1983 February 2, Garrison Keillor, “A Return to Basics: Mealtime without Guilt”, in New York Times, retrieved 04 Jan 20212 more examples
"We have a more than 50 per cent market share in the US and there is room to grow, especially internationally," said Frito-Lay Vice President, Lynn Markley. "People are beginning to snack more instead of having their old three squares a day."
1999 July 20, David Usborne, “Corporate Profile: The Pepsi regeneration”, in Independent, retrieved 04 Jan 2021Kay, 79, who lives in Philadelphia's Society Hill Towers, has completely forsaken the conventional three squares a day. Instead, he eats 15 to 20 times a day, grazing and nibbling in the manner of our ancestors.
2010 October 25, Art Carey, “Constant eating helps senior lose weight”, in The Star, retrieved 04 Jan 2021
Cite this entry
three squares. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/three%20squares
“three squares.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/three%20squares. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “three squares,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/three%20squares.
Source: three squares on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.