Meaning
Meat and two vegetables, that is, meat with potatoes and another vegetable, is a traditional English meal.
The term, in an allusion to the commonplace nature of this type of meal, has also been used metaphorically to denote an ordinary, run-of-the-mill offering. In the 20th century it has also been a jokey reference to male genitalia.
Historical trend
Source: Google Books Ngrams (1960–2020).
Cited as a source
Backlink data verified June 2026 via Ahrefs (live index). These sources cite Phrase Finder as a reference for the meaning and origin of this expression.