India - Household Consumer Expenditure: NSS 38th Round, Schedule 1, January - December 1983

A 'meal' is composed of one or more readily eatable (generally cooked) items of food, the usual major constituent of which is cereal food. The meals consumed by a person twice or thrice a day provide him/her the required energy (calorie) and other nutrients for living and for pursuing his/her normal a vocations. A 'meal'. As opposed to 'snacks,, 'nasta' or 'high tea'. Contains larger quantum and variety or food. In rare cases, a full meal may contain larger quantity or non-cereal food. Even then, if the total quantum of food in plate is as heavy as a meal, the contents of the food plate will also be considered as a 'meal'. Sometimes the contents of a 'nasta' may not be very different from the contents of a 'meal'. The difference in quantity will there be the guiding factor for deciding whether the plate is to be labeled as a 'meal' or a 'nasta'.

the number of meals taken at home by each member of the household during the period of 30 days preceding the date of survey will be recorded. A meal will be considered to be taken at home if, the meal is prepared at home irrespective of the place where it is consumed.