Who remembers these this school meal

I have fond memories of both pink and yellow custard with cake. I really enjoyed school food and it was free.

Tears_before_bedtime said:

"made with at least 50% real potatoes"

and the other 50% boiling hot water no doubt

Our school announced in a letter to parents reassuring them about the quality of their onsite catering that the mashed potato was "made with at least 50% real potatoes"

We were sure our lumpy mash was actually instant mash, it was so gluey. Like wise school stews seemed to be soya chunks with lumps of gristle.

I used to love gypsy tart, I think we all did, even though you could practically feel your teeth disolving as you ate it.

We didn't get a choice and the limited different meals cycled round so you get a lot of the same things. Mash in an icecream scoop, lovely lumpy gravy, crumbly liver etc. We also had lunch-monitors who'd send you back to the dining room if you hadn't eaten enough.

There was no choice when I was at school, you ate what was put in front of you or went hungry, if you were lucky, at primary school we had to eat everything.

I've literally just realised that the fact our infant/junior school only had about a dozen different meal options, and you only had to see which it was to know exactly what it was going to be like, was tremendously comforting. There wasn't any choice and you knew exactly what each thing was like.

The unpredictability of the secondary school canteen meant I couldn't eat there and took in sandwiches or went to the chippy instead.

I don’t like pineapple either the texture and everything just no thank you. 

Roy said:

We are all different with how we tolerate the different textures of food

Yes, but the experiences of how the foods are presented to us often sticks in the minds forever more.

These broad beans are fine if cooked properly, and don't go 'squishy' but if overcooked, they probably would.  I can't stand a stringy bean so I'd agree on that one, and I'd also agree with your wife that perfume has no place in food.  However, I used to like dates, but I seem to have gone right off them. Too sweet for me these days. 

We are all different with how we tolerate the different textures of food, I find broad beans horrible but French beans fine. It must be the actual bean inside a broad bean that’s unacceptable, it’s squishy, also one stringy bean and that’s them finished with. I love Turkish delight, my wife thinks it’s like eating perfume, the plus side is I get to eat all of it. She then punishes me by eating dates. Yuk.

To be honest, Roy, most of the other things mentioned in this thread I'd agree with - but pineapple, and broad beans (someone mentioned) seem fine to me

It must just be me.

I dont like pineapple either, the texture is all wrong for me....tastes ok as a juice or something

Oh, yes!  That gritty, pink, milky, Blancmange stuff (shudders).

First time I've heard of someone disliking pineapple...

I don’t think I ever ate a whole school dinner, it was all vile, I remember that one day everyone was given a pineapple ring as a special treat, I couldn’t eat it, I was forced to, I was retching all the time I was eating it. Afterwards I was given a metal beaker of metallic tasting water to wash it down. This was an infant school in the 70’s.

I love liver and onions, especially with bacon, gravy and mash, but I very much doubt I could manage the school dinner version. I have no confidence in them to do a decent job of it. As for the rest....agreed! Yuk!

Liver and onions followed by Blancmange or tapioca pudding, just vile.

There were some nice school meals ...however, there were some utter horror show dishes too ...Ox tongue anyone?  Me neither!  (Forced me to eat it anyway).

One of the very few things in this entire thread I'd happily eat

However.  This might be because I've not had them in ages.  I may well revise my opinion once tasted.