Eking out an existence two centuries ago required much more effort than it does for most of us today, and far fewer amenities were available. Most of the population had a diet of beans and grains, and had meat, fowl, or fish perhaps once a week—and these were often dependent on one’s hunting skills.
In this environment, the fact that the Navy guaranteed a man a regular diet, one that included meat or fish almost every day, was a major inducement to enlist. Never mind that the pay was lower than that in the merchant service, or that one might have to face combat on a rare occasion—you got to eat!
On board ship, breakfast and supper usually consisted of bread and leftovers, perhaps some cheese, and coffee. The one hot meal of the day came at noon, when each mess received a “kid” (pot) containing most of the food items listed by regulation for issue that day stewed together in a single concoction. The senior member of each mess then oversaw the equal sharing of whatever there was, and the men settled down with their meals around a piece of old canvas on the berth deck, picnic fashion.
The utensils issued to each sailor included a mug, a tin plate, and a spoon. Earlier on, of course, the plate had been nothing more than a piece of light board on which the food was piled and from which the juices ran in all directions. Over time, this dining from a board and the fact that regular meals were a feature of service came together in references to sailors benefiting from having “square meals.” The use of aluminum trays in the 20th century Navy is a descendant of the board, and “square meals” are still a part of this man’s service.
