Wiktionary
a. normal, average, typical, unexceptional, or nondescript in description n. 1 (&lit meat and potatoes English) 2 (context US informal English) The essential part or parts of something.
WordNet
n. the fundamental part; "successful negotiation is the meat and potatoes of arbitration"
Usage examples of "meat and potatoes".
Darling, I am also homemade soup, meat and potatoes, hot rolls and butter, and your choice of beverages.
But as I recall, Will here was always something of a meat and potatoes man.
I paced behind her in the kitchen, watching the leftovers bag fill with packets of meat and potatoes, a jar of gravy, half a green-bean casserole, a jar of red cabbage, a pound cake.
Your baby needs plain food, meat and potatoes and maybe a bit of pumpkin and peas.
The table overturned, chairs broke, chunks of meat and potatoes and carrots scattered across the floor.
Or my mother, who called several times a day to ask me what I was doing, when I'd show myself for the daily offering of meat and potatoes, or how I planned to hook a nice man andsettle down before I withered on the vine like Perkin's eldest.
I was planning to wait until you were lulled into complacency by meat and potatoes.
I think we'll heat up the soup and have that and soup meat and potatoes.