School Dinner Memory

[LatteLady]

I was having a mooch looking at tableware and spotted seersucker tablecloths and napkins, and was immediately transported back to school dinners in the 1960s. We had tables of eight with two Yr 6 pupils serving the other six children their meals, on tables with striped seersucker cloths, each place was laid with knife, fork, dessert spoon and dessert fork together with a water tumbler and a jug of water passed around to each child. Our teachers used to join the tables where there was a child missing. Our lunchtimes lasted 90 mins.

I know that it does not happen now as I occasionally join school lunches at the schools where I am a governor and have to admit that my heart sinks when I see the compartmentalised plastic trays.

Before anyone says it must have been a posh school, it wasn't, it was an RC primary school and for my time there, we had between 44 - 48 pupils in my class. Looking back now, I would love to take a look at the 1960s school budgets...

It definitely wasn't! I'm not in Kent and none of my ancestors were from Kent. My mum still makes it, although rarely. My dad says it's the only thing he misses about her (they've been divorced a very long time)

Edited to add that Google says it originated in Kent. But my Berkshire family were eating it at least 50 years ago.

The roast potatoes were amazing. Me and my friend would always try to be the last ones left in the hall so when the call for seconds went up we were first in queue. They were best served dry with loads of salt. My mouth is watering at the thought.
And I’d give a lot of money for cooks recipie for Melting Moments. I have no clue what was in them but they really did melt.
It was most probably lard because my mum used lard in her pastry and that always melted in your mouth too.

Infant/junior school had a delivery of beetroot.
I believe there was a mix up and 6 months supply was sent.
Every meal had beetroot put on the plate.
No chance of not eating it. Otherwise you couldn't go out to play.
Hate it now.

I remember 90 min dinner time in the early 70s - lots of us 5 and 6 year olds would go home for lunch. This involved a 10 min walk to the bus stop, 10 min bus ride on standard bus ( not school bus) and 5 min walk the other end. Our mums would have a cooked lunch ready which we ate and the reversed the journey back to school all unsupervised apart from our 7 or 8 year old neighbours. Felt normal at the time but with hindsight…..School did not end until 4.30pm though which feels late.
We did sometimes stay and had the properly cooked lunch in our basement canteen which had been a bomb shelter in the war. Sometimes pudding was rice pudding with chocolate buttons. If you could persuade the dinner ladies that you did not like rice pudding you got a bowl of chocolate buttons - result!

Sounds like my old primary school except that we didn't have tablecloths and napkins and every child had to collect their own plate of food, and then went up again for pudding. All the food was cooked on the premises.

I remember being very depressed when my children started school that instead of proper plates they had to eat from plastic trays. In my 7 years at primary school I don't remember a single plate or glass being broken.

Some things are better now, though. School dinners offered no choice. We had to eat everything we were given and were not allowed to ask not to be given things we didn't like. Fortunately I wasn't fussy but I still have memories of a particular child sitting crying over a congealing plate of custard.

We also had to go outside onto the playground whatever the weather. There was a covered area against a wall (but open on three sides) and we all crowded in there if it was raining or snowing! No "wet play" for us!

I think I've got a recipe for melting moments. I'd offer to take a photo and upload it, but we can't do that anymore. I can probably type it out when I'm not so sleep if you'd like.

I went to school in the /969s/70s. I don't recall as far back as the 60s. But in the 70s definitely get your own on a tray. Those it lie cartons of milk! It was either one meal choice or a sandwich. In high school (this is USA do 13-18 year olds) much more choice and we even had a salad bar! But it was again go up get a tray get served from the counter.
My kids went to private school here and in the first school kids were served by the teachers, they had cut up veg on each table to help themselves to. Second school was line up to get served.
Do not recall any tablecloths or cutlery other than basic fork knife spoon ever.

I'm still traumatised from my primary school dinner hall. The smell of it used to make me retch (I may have some sensory issues lol) and I refused to eat in there. My poor mum eventually had to come home from work at lunchtime so I could eat at home.

I still can't look at egg custard or any type of dessert with custard without shuddering 🤢

fridaynight1 Coincidentally, I made some melting moments yesterday from the BeRo book, but I didn't have any lard. Although they are nice, it is indeed the lard that makes them melt. I shall have another attempt next week.

I always went home for lunch when I was in primary school (mid70s).
At high school I remember queuing up with a tray to be served then putting our own plates and trays away when finished. Certainly no tablecloths.

No tablecloths at my schools! No choice, you had what you were given. At my first school you were allowed one fad - mine was meat fat, it would make me gag. Still does!

Loads of schools on my area do 'family dining' where the food is served at the table and isn't on prison trays. The children sit anywhere, all mixed up, not necessarily with people from their class.

I loved gypsy tart! (Kent) And the steak pie with mash and cabbage. Cheese flan. And all the puddings. I loved school dinners in general. They were all cooked in house. No tablecloths though.