Meals

A selection of different foods, possibly complementary, eaten together comprises a meal. People often choose to eat meals together with other family members or friends and this is seen as an important social occasion. Food is not just used for nutrition or as a reward, but is a method of communication. It can have symbolic meaning, and can be used to affect personal behavior, or enforce protocol. Food can signify a certain situation or event. Meals play an important role in the celebration of many key cultural and religious festivals. Food eaten in smaller quantities between meals is regarded as snack food, which can be attributed to over-nutrition.

The number of meals in a day, their size, composition, when and how they are prepared and eaten varies greatly around the world. This diversity can be attributed to a number of local factors, including climate, ecology, economy, cultural traditions and industrialisation.

In societies where the availability of food has risen above subsistence levels and beyond staple foods, food is also sold pre-prepared for immediate consumption in restaurants and other similar retail premises. In industrial societies, meals often contain a higher proportion of food of animal origin.