Large Fierce Mammal

The way I was raised, “breakfast” was the meal usually eaten between rising from bed and the start of school, work, hunting, fishing, or any other endeavour. I say usually because breakfast could also be eaten after the start of an endeavour and during a pause in its execution if an early start was warranted and time would later permit the required pause for proper consumption while a reasonable amount of morning still persisted.

“Dinner” was the midday meal, but only provided it was eaten at table. In the field or at work it was referred to as one’s “lunch” — one packed a lunch, brought one’s lunch, ate one’s lunch — and any time this was done was “lunch time”. An exception is a meal served at an organized event occurring within the same time period, whereat those attending are made aware that , “a luncheon will be provided”, presumably to increase attendance at funerals and weddings. Dinner, lunch, or luncheon, the proper time frame here lies between 12:00 PM and 2:00 PM.

“Supper” was the evening meal customarily served any time from 5:00 PM onward to 9:00 PM. Anything prepared and consumed after that was called a “snack” or “mug up“, notwithstanding its volume and variety. A mug up may also be prepared and/or consumed during any work break as an equivalent for a lunch.

A variation comes up when British people get involved. During my formative summers visiting my ever so Victorian Granny in Montreal, 2:00 PM was “stout time”, “Tea” was at 4:00 PM, and Supper was at 6:00 PM.

The gathering, preparing, and consumption of food have formed a vital framework for societies going back to their beginning, but it takes development beyond subsistence levels for this kind of structure to emerge, whatever your family called its components.

How is it with you, Goode Reader?