A Three–course meal  is a meal that consists of three parts served one after the other.  Traditionally, it consists of appetizer, entree and a dessert.

Nigerian meal options for appetizers includes fried plantain, stick meat, nutty chicken skewers, chicken soup, potato soup, shrimp and plantain canape, e.t.c.

A proper table setting still is appropriate for a three-course lunch. When serving only three dishes, which typically are a salad or soup, entree and dessert, keep the number of plates and utensils at the minimum number required to complete the meal.

Basic Table Setting

Place a luncheon plate in the center of the table. Forks go to the left with the main entree fork beside the plate and the salad fork next to it. A knife with the blade facing the plate goes on the right. Spoons for dessert and soup go to the right of the knife. Set drinking glasses above the knife and spoon.

A napkin is a necessity for any meal but a specific placement is not. Try it on top of the plate or to the left of the forks. Other additions you may wish to include are a tablecloth as a backdrop for the place setting and a place mat to provide a cohesive look to the arrangement. Keep the informal nature of the three-course meal in mind when choosing the material of these pieces.