Number of meals per day in the UK

I had a bit of an education when I was camping with my GirlGuides.  It seemed like we were always eating or having a hot drink so I finally asked them to explain meals to me..  See if this makes any sense to anyone, at the very least, it is a topic of conversation!

Breakfast:  usually a big meal - the biggest of the day, hence the term "English Breakfast"
Elevensies (or baggins, in some areas, apparently):  a bun, apple or small snack
Lunch:  (noon -1300) sandwich
Tea:  (1500-1600) cuppa with sweets
High Tea/dinner:  (1800 or so) sandwiches &/or soup (light meal)
Supper: snack before bed  (one woman said her dad had his cereal at supper.  We had hotdogs and hot chocolate with the girls)

They said that it was starting the day with a big meal and then having the meals get smaller and smaller throughout the day.

How does this fit in with everyone's experience.  I can see the sense in it, but I would literally feel like I'm eating all the time.  I found it a little crazy, the kitchen always being open (poor cook!)

That does sound about right, but more often than not I have lunch and dinner and tend to snack an awful lot.  My job really throws out my meal times though!  I think a lot of people pick and choose which meals to go for.  My gran eats constantly because she HAS to have something with her cup of tea, which she drinks by the gallon.. then has the nerve to say she never eats!!

I had a bit of an education when I was camping with my GirlGuides. It seemed like we were always eating or having a hot drink so I finally asked them to explain meals to me.. See if this makes any sense to anyone, at the very least, it is a topic of conversation!

Breakfast: usually a big meal - the biggest of the day, hence the term "English Breakfast"
Elevensies (or baggins, in some areas, apparently): a bun, apple or small snack
Lunch: (noon -1300) sandwich
Tea: (1500-1600) cuppa with sweets
High Tea/dinner: (1800 or so) sandwiches &/or soup (light meal)
Supper: snack before bed (one woman said her dad had his cereal at supper. We had hotdogs and hot chocolate with the girls)

They said that it was starting the day with a big meal and then having the meals get smaller and smaller throughout the day.

How does this fit in with everyone's experience. I can see the sense in it, but I would literally feel like I'm eating all the time. I found it a little crazy, the kitchen always being open (poor cook!)

Maybe for special occasions like camp, but nobody  I know starts the day with a full English.  Who has the time?   Most people follow the same pattern my family in the states does.  Cereal or toast for breakfast, sandwich for lunch, and then a proper dinner.  A snack or elevenses would just be a biscuit or a piece of fruit or something. 

Maybe for special occasions like camp, but nobody  I know starts the day with a full English.  Who has the time?  

We didn't have a full English either, but we HAD to have sausages or bacon with whatever we were eating (cereal and fruit, mostly)

This is how my ILs eat, although they tend to have quite large lunches and huge dinners too. 

I can never eat a full "English".  I barely eat a muffin or something for breakfast.  On the weekend maybe, but getting up at 5 am and eating that much food, i'd be asleep at my desk

We were camping last weekend and my friend Paul did full English breakfasts for all 9 of us every morning! I had the veggie version, but it was great! I'd never ever do that at home, but when you're eating outdoors, somehow your appetite grows!

...and food just tastes better when you are camping! 

It also helps that you're always HUNGRIER when camping!