Bonkers, like so much of what happened during lockdown.
In spite of the fact that the regulations made no use of the term, the press showed substantial interest in the definition of “substantial meal”…..
Although ministers had no legal authority to define a “substantial meal”, definitions offered by various politicians included one “you would expect to have as a midday meal or an evening meal”, disregarding snacks such as crisps and chips; but not a Cornish pasty on its own, the PM’s spokesman insisting that “bar snacks do not count”…..
Newspapers published articles on whether a scotch egg constituted a substantial meal.[12] On 30 November 2020, the Environment and Food Secretary George Eustice stated that they “probably would count”.
Absolutely nonsensical, although this is funny:
For example, “high-end crisps” served in “substantial portions accompanied with various elaborate dips” were considered a substantial meal in a 2017 Westminster City Council hearing, with the council congratulating the owner on “[creating] a ‘non-Walkers’ crisp offer and the desire to celebrate the great British potato at its peak and most hip”.