Three Square Meals a Day Is a Western Culture, We Ate Once Daily in the Provinces – Alpha Kanu

Presidential Spokesman Dr. Alpha Kanu has stated that the culture of eating three meals a day is largely a Western practice that was introduced during the colonial era, noting that many people in Sierra Leone’s provinces traditionally ate only one main meal each day.

Dr. Kanu made the remarks during a recent media engagement while discussing food culture and traditional lifestyles in Sierra Leone.

According to him, the practice of having breakfast, lunch, and dinner as daily meals was adopted from Western societies and did not form part of the traditional eating habits of many rural communities in the country.

“The culture of three square meals, for us, is something we copied from the colonial masters. I came from the provinces, and from my childhood we ate once a day, at 12:00,” Dr. Kanu said.

He explained that growing up in the provinces, many families depended on a single major meal during the day, a practice that he suggested reflected the traditional lifestyle and economic realities of rural communities at the time.

Dr. Kanu’s remarks come amid ongoing national conversations surrounding the cost of living, food security, and household consumption patterns in Sierra Leone.

Although his comments reflected personal experiences growing up in the provinces, they have also reopened discussions on the influence of colonial culture on local lifestyles and the evolution of eating habits across generations.

According to the 2024 Global Hunger Index (GHI), Sierra Leone is rated among countries with the highest hunger levels. The GHI places the West African country in 117th out of 127 countries globally. The report indicates that Sierra Leone is only better than 10 countries and is placed in the serious hunger category.