What did you dislike about school dinners?

[Shandan35]

I think my only complaint was that the sweetcorn was tasteless

@DenisetheMenace

Semolina and cabbage (I think it was cabbage)

Not together, I hope?

@Littlepond

The drink was tiny. Those little white cups of squash, gone in one mouthful. I remember being so thirsty ALL THE TIME at school.

Yes, the constant thirst! I remember queueing for most of break time just to get a drink at the water fountain. Kids today don't know they're born, constantly swigging from a water bottle!

The ravioli was horrible. I loved all the puddings though - proper 1980s stodgy puds. Mmm.

HoxtonBonnet

You've reminded me of warm mini bottles of milk in my infant's school.

I kept refusing it until one day the teacher insisted. I was crying my eyes out, the teacher stood firmly waiting. I took a single mouthful and gagged, she insisted i drink it, I drank about half, and the end result was I vomited all over the teacher's dress and shoes. She was not amused. I still can't drink a glass of milk seventy years later.

Those bottles were always warm and high cream content ! I too was out off milk by them. And then thatcher the ‘milk snatcher’ brought them to an end (unless my memory fails).

My dh hated the puddings and dumplings and I think there are like a handful of things I'm not allowed to make because of this....

I liked mine. Especially chalupas which I had never had before

Here is an image

www.pinterest.com/pin/377598749984803083/

Littlepond
The drink was tiny. Those little white cups of squash, gone in one mouthful. I remember being so thirsty ALL THE TIME at school.“

At South London Victorian primary in late 60s/early 70s. We had metal jugs and cups with 1940s graffiti etched into them 😁

Came on to say tinned ravioli but I see I’ve been beaten to it. It’s the only memory I have of lunches at primary school. Utterly revolting.

Prunes and custard. Absolutely revolting.

I had school dinners at high school in the 70s and I shudder at the offerings, most of which have already been mentioned ( tapioca, pink custard etc....)
I recall one assembly where we were informed that our school was selected to take part in a food experiment ( with hindsight large amounts of money would probably have been offered to the school!) that involved replacing meat with kelp. I am now shuddering at the memory of replicated liver and onions!

When I was 13 my family moved and I went to a school which had a fantastic cook who made the best pies, shortbread and sponge ever.
I think school salads have always remained the same... heavy on the grated carrot and cress ( with plenty of black seeds in them.)

I'm a TA now and can assure you that school dinners are still a bit grim. The sliced blocks of macaroni cheese that children are offered now, are just too grim for words.

How could I have forgotten about globby, warm, school milk?!

I cannot drink milk of any sort now, not even in tea or coffee. Damaged for life.

@TheOrchidKiller you're right the milk!!!

I will not drink milk (and then very little), unless I'm able to take it out of the fridge. If someone has left it on the side for Eden 2 mins, I cannot have it.

The thought of ever drinking warm milk again makes me 🤮!

I loved school dinners! My only complaint were that the portions weren't big enough 😅

Beat thing was mince meat pie, mash, cabbage and gravy. Food of the gods

Sitting on a big table with kids who chewed with their mouths open and spoke with a mouthful of food, spitting it everywhere.

Same with milk unless a properly made hot chocolate.

Disliked a lot of it. Especially as we were made to eat it all.

I took to sticking the food to the bottom side of the table and in to tissues.

I remember the constant thirst too. Going to the girls toilets at break time to drink from the taps. But people did not carry water with them - I started in the mid-90s prompted by something I read in New Scientist about long-term dehydration.

@WednesdayWoohan

Disliked a lot of it. Especially as we were made to eat it all.

I took to sticking the food to the bottom side of the table and in to tissues.

I used to take a plastic bag to school and have it on my lap at meal times so I could discreetly dispose of the muck.

It was an outrage that anyone was forced to eat something they gagged at. I can remember girls in tears at the table because of that.

Hated the cornflake pudding, the fried fish full of bones, and angel delight type pudding. Loved the vegetable lasagne and the strawberry jelly, though the little whirl of 'cream' on the top tasted like soap and not like cream at all, leading me to believe that I hated cream until I tasted the real thing at age almost 40. Being last in the queue could be both good and bad, good if it was the veg lasagne as not many people liked it so it meant you got a huge portion if you were last in that day, bad if it was baked beans- the last few people always got a big spoonful of sauce with a tiny handful of sad little beans swimming in it. And the faghots in junior school were grim. Meat splatters I used to call them because they looked like they had been thrown on the floor and scraped up again.

Ninkanink

DenisetheMenace
Semolina and cabbage (I think it was cabbage)
Not together, I hope?

Didn’t much matter, both were cold 😁

The plastic tray and stained cutlery. Being forced to eat everything. Being forced to eat food you don’t like. Gross wobbly puddings. Having to use the skip bucket

Slop not skip

WednesdayWoohan

Disliked a lot of it. Especially as we were made to eat it all.
My dad was damaged for life. He didn’t like peas, but the nuns made him eat them. One forced his mouth open whilst another rammed the fork in!

Nothing! I loved my school dinners.
I even loved the skin on the semolina! Trifle, suet puds, doughnuts with milkshake, chocolate concrete with pink custard, manchester tart, cornflake tart, lovely thick really white rice pudding & jam. I loved those days...the 70s