This is an interesting topic and one like many affecting the safety, health & sanity of aircrew that have been largely ignored by airlines, the CAA and other regulators. However, considering the human factors angle re. flight safety as well as the health & safety angle re. crew welfare it is amazing that so little has been done to address the question. All employers have a common law duty of care for their employees while at work. This duty of care extends to cover their safety, health (both physical and mental) and welfare. Clearly if the employer is an airline it also has a duty of care to all the pax and anybody else who could be affected by the airline's operations, such as those in the ground. It is well known that the human brain works best when supplied with sufficient oxygen, energy and rest. It is also well known if the brain is not functioning at its best during a critical stage of flight due to fatigue and hunger on the part of the brain's owner, then bad decisions can be made and flight safety compromised. Therefore it would be a wise, far-sighted and safety conscious employer that factored meal/rest breaks into the daily flight duties. If your employer is not so enlightened then try threatening them with section 2 of the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974. Also does JAR-OPS 1 not include any reference to the need for consmption of food and drink by aircrew during flying duties?