View Full Version : School Lunches
Great-Kazoo
11-02-2014, 18:25
For those of use who attended school BEFORE this whole health craze hit America. What 1 or so items do you remember enjoying?
This was also a time when there were no vending machines for snacks, you had to wander off to 7-11 for them,smoking was allowed off school grounds.
For me it was the Hot Buttered Noodles or white rice. The buttered noodles was a side on the roast beef sandwich with brown gravy. The white rice who remembers what that was served with.
I do remember it was always a meatless friday.
I enjoyed whatever my mother packed for me.
I always got veggies for snack, and Braunschweiger sandwiches. In High School, I enjoyed the personal pizzas.
I had the benefit of growing up in a small town/rural school district, and the school lunches were scratch-cooked.
Chili w/ carrot & celery sticks and fresh cinnamon rolls
Beef/chicken &noodles over fresh mashers, with home made rolls (I think the noodles were scratch made, also)
the list goes on.
Very disappointed when we move to a larger town/district.
ETA: Home made chicken noodle soup was awesome.
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jhirsh5280
11-02-2014, 18:46
Pizza on french bread with the little square pepperoni bits....mmmmm
chili-mac and the dryest corn bread that ever left the Sahara.
I remember when the little box of chocolate milk went up from $.04 to a nickel. Dad was pissed. [Coffee]
and I hated the stringbean caserole, but the apple crisp was pretty tolerable.
I ate whatever lunch meat Mom had in the house and made due with PB&J when there weren't no meat in the house.
chili-mac and the dryest corn bread that ever left the Sahara.
I remember when the little box of chocolate milk went up from $.04 to a nickel. Dad was pissed. [Coffee]
Chocolate milk? You must have been one of the rich kids.
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hurley842002
11-02-2014, 18:54
I had the benefit of growing up in a small town/rural school district, and the school lunches were scratch-cooked.
Chili w/ carrot & celery sticks and fresh cinnamon rolls
Another rural school goer, and "frito pie" with cinnamon roll was my favorite also.
Another favorite was salsbury steak and mashed potatoes. The "sailor sandwich" (tuna) was my least favorite.
I enjoyed whatever my mother packed for me.
Same here
SuperiorDG
11-02-2014, 19:08
I enjoyed whatever my mother packed for me.
Never ate a school lunch myself.
beast556
11-02-2014, 19:13
Man you guys were lucky, for the 2 years I went to highschool everything was either from a #10 can or fresh from the microwave to the heat lamps. They had to start out sourcing because no one would eat at school they finaly got pizza hut. Worst food I have ever had was school lunches.
SideShow Bob
11-02-2014, 19:15
I was a military brat, had to make due with hand me down clothes and sack lunches containing wish sandwiches or salty rice balls. - Nowadays it is called sushi...........But I didn't get all the fancy fillings, I did get the dried seaweed wrapped around it most times.
The school lunches were so badly prepared, flu went around school multiple times. Pesticides weren't washed off the veggies, neither were the bugs and dirt.
When there wasn't food at home I wouldn't eat.
Great-Kazoo
11-02-2014, 19:38
Man you guys were lucky, for the 2 years I went to highschool everything was either from a #10 can or fresh from the microwave to the heat lamps. They had to start out sourcing because no one would eat at school they finaly got pizza hut. Worst food I have ever had was school lunches.
High School ? I'm talking elementary & middle school. Who ate lunch in the cafeteria in HS? We took mine or someone elses car and disappeared for 1 maybe 2 other periods. Or never made it back. Sit in a friends basement drink ice cols lowenbrau's or heineken . Slum it with some carlsberg elephant beer. Something to chase down the ring dings and yodels . Unless we went on bread runs around 4-4:40 a.m.
blacklabel
11-02-2014, 19:44
Chili and cinnamon rolls by far. That was the best.
I don't think I ate at school once during high school.
hurley842002
11-02-2014, 19:50
Chili and cinnamon rolls by far. That was the best.
I don't think I ate at school once during high school.
Yeah, no school lunches in high school. Sonic or the Little Caesars "slice slice" was the go to.
High School was my first introduction to the standard menu side and fast food side. They charged more for the fast food side because it did better business. Closed campus at the Catholic High School, so we didn't leave for lunch.
I drank chocolate milk in elementary school because the white milk always tasted a day or two old. At least the sugar in the chocolate milk hid the sour taste. I hate drinking water and the orange juice was too expensive. We shopped at Sears, so yeah, I was a rich kid [Flower]
High School was my first introduction to the standard menu side and fast food side. They charged more for the fast food side because it did better business. Closed campus at the Catholic High School, so we didn't leave for lunch.
I drank chocolate milk in elementary school because the white milk always tasted a day or two old. At least the sugar in the chocolate milk hid the sour taste. I hate drinking water and the orange juice was too expensive. We shopped at Sears, so yeah, I was a rich kid [Flower]
Braggart [Coffee][Flower]
beast556
11-02-2014, 20:09
Middle and elementary school lunch were no different. Yea I didnt spend much time at school. Would meet up with everyone and figure out whose house we were going to party at that day.
High School ? I'm talking elementary & middle school. Who ate lunch in the cafeteria in HS? We took mine or someone elses car and disappeared for 1 maybe 2 other periods. Or never made it back. Sit in a friends basement drink ice cols lowenbrau's or heineken . Slum it with some carlsberg elephant beer. Something to chase down the ring dings and yodels . Unless we went on bread runs around 4-4:40 a.m.
Elementary and middle school lunches were canned or frozen foods nuked to hell and back. They even made pizza taste terrible to an 80's kid who loved TMNT. I had to eat at school as even with my dad working two jobs I got free breakfasts and lunches K-12. My high school had closed campus for 9th and 10th grades so I ate their nuked food. 11th and 12th grade I went to Wendy's a lot as it was the only fast food place you could get to and back in the 30 minutes we had for lunch. Too far to drive home and back for me as well.
clodhopper
11-02-2014, 21:09
When did this thread turn into "who had the poorest family growing up" challenge? Don't need the one-upsmanship battle for who ate shoe leather cause that was all Mama could afford.
Elementary. Tater tots. Lunch lady would let you skip what other schlock she was serving and let you have a triple helping of tots if you asked. Fricken lunch tray just covered with those crispy potato gems.
I'll go with whatever that meat stuff they put on the mashed potatoes was. I just keep telling myself it was beef.
On a side note, what's with letting kids order multiple entrees and multiple chocolate milks. I know it's up to us as parents but I was really surprised to learn that a kid can get two entrees and a few chocolate milks to chase it down with. At least the lunch site lets us see exactly what's ordered.
I actually had pretty decent lunches. Once I got to high school, there wasn't much I wouldn't eat. By far the best were "Pasta Fridays" during football season. Moms of varsity players would bring spaghetti or lasagna and desserts.
jerrymrc
11-02-2014, 21:20
Do not remember the grade school stuff. I do remember i took my sack lunch most days. HS was the white rice and gravy. 15 cents. I remember that very well.
Great-Kazoo
11-02-2014, 21:27
When did this thread turn into "who had the poorest family growing up" challenge? Don't need the one-upsmanship battle for who ate shoe leather cause that was all Mama could afford.
Elementary. Tater tots. Lunch lady would let you skip what other schlock she was serving and let you have a triple helping of tots if you asked. Fricken lunch tray just covered with those crispy potato gems.
Oh man i completely forgot Tater Tots.
theGinsue
11-02-2014, 21:44
I graduated from a rural HS in '83. Back then, we weren't allowed "off campus" so you either bought the school lunch, brought your lunch, or went without. I brought my lunch 98% of the time. I didn't get to taste most of the fine cuisine offered by our "lunch ladies" because $1.65 (cost of our HS lunches) each per day for my brother and I would have been too much for my folks.
The one food that I remember fondly was the rolls. When they'd make these, the smell would permeate through the entire school and make my mouth water. They'd always make so many extra rolls that they'd put out trays of rolls for all of the students to partake. I loved those rolls.
buffalobo
11-02-2014, 22:09
I was pretty much a garbage disposal as a kid. Ate most everything in sight. Don't remember ever really having a complaint about school lunches. Not like the good food we got at home but filled in between.
I was in Subsidized lunch since Jr High to High school.
Cafeteria served grilled cheese, fries, handful of salad, milk, burgers, tacos, slice of pizza. etc.
My favorite school meal was always stromboli.
Elementary school lunches were pretty good. The pasta was a bit overcooked, but our lunch lady cooked both breakfast and lunch with the help of lucky assistants in the form of sixth graders that were allowed to miss an hour of class 2 times per week, as long as they kept their grades up. I say lucky because in return for honest work, she would make you anything you wanted on Friday.
Taco day was always delicious. So were the green beans. My favorite was something that was called "spice cake"- yellow cake with cinnamon and nutmeg and ground cloves, topped with brown sugar streusel topping.
Elementary was whatever mom packed. Ate that for so long that I wanted hot lunches in middle school, so I worked in the cafeteria for half the lunch period scraping leftovers into food grade trash cans for pig feed. Got a free lunch if you worked in the cafeteria. Most of the food was pretty good back then since it was scratch made and didn't come out of a can or a box. Beef tips over noodles was one of my faves.
Earliest I can remember is high school when I got a slice of pizza and french fries every day that I didn't bring a sandwich.
How you old guys can remember elementary school is beyond me. I can barely remember college...and that was only a few years ago!
I probably remember more of elementary school than college. I did a lot of drinking in college. [Coffee]
Bailey Guns
11-03-2014, 07:12
Yeah...a lot of brown bag lunches with cornbread to eat with a carton of milk from the cafeteria. When we were rolling in the dough I'd be able to bring a bologna sandwich. I ate so much bologna as a kid that once I moved out I wouldn't touch the stuff for 25 or 30 years. I've finally come to the point I can eat it again. I may not have had what I wanted but I never went hungry.
And, yes...Tater Tots. Still love 'em.
sandman76
11-03-2014, 08:28
I'm with theGinsue on the rolls. I loved those things. The pizza they had wasn't too bad. They would also make these mock drumstick things that had a wooden spike stuck through them. No idea what that meat actually was but it was always pretty tasty. I can remember parts of elementary school like it was yesterday. Weird to think I was in first grade 50 years ago.
Great-Kazoo
11-03-2014, 09:15
Earliest I can remember is high school when I got a slice of pizza and french fries every day that I didn't bring a sandwich.
How you old guys can remember elementary school is beyond me. I can barely remember college...and that was only a few years ago!
Was making some egg noodles to go with left over pot roast. It was one of those remember flashbacks. We didn't have any programs that allowed students to work the cafeteria. There was no subsidized lunch program, etc. Interesting that EVERYONE had a lunch, either from school or from home. I believed our mother excelled making PB&J's. Which is another thread i'll do soon.
BushMasterBoy
11-03-2014, 09:27
I remember eating in a military chow hall, I was 7 years old. I was the only kid and ate alone.
thvigil11
11-03-2014, 09:33
Fired Okra and Salsbury Steak
I'm with theGinsue on the rolls. I loved those things. The pizza they had wasn't too bad. They would also make these mock drumstick things that had a wooden spike stuck through them. No idea what that meat actually was but it was always pretty tasty. I can remember parts of elementary school like it was yesterday. Weird to think I was in first grade 50 years ago.
MOCK CHICKEN LEGS! OMGosh I totally forgot about those I gotta find them somewhere I remember getting them frozen at the store too in the meat counter.
Our elementary principle's family owned the local bread bakery, so we always had dinner rolls. Still remember how they tasted. Salisbury steak and some kind of fried meat patty with gravy is about all I remember.
The first time school offered hamburgers was when I was in the 5th grade. Not like anything I had/ave ever tasted. [Eek3]
For the most part I took my lunch. Lots of deviled ham and vienna sausages.
RblDiver
11-03-2014, 11:52
I enjoyed the pizza dripping in grease and the chocolate milk. Mmmm....
Great-Kazoo
11-03-2014, 12:16
For the most part I took my lunch. Lots of deviled ham and vienna sausages.
[ROFL2] Forgot about those, another lunch mom excelled at. Open can drain liquid, hope links didn't drop in trash.
https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTPMvKGXTM9A429uW6GZG3JVI7K_pSBL 786EgT3JFM5qyhMGYAwLg
https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTZfX1ki8t3WjX5-iECWCG-XFYxt5I5cOM402cFCni5h6n9W1jm
eneranch
11-03-2014, 12:23
Salisbury Steak, Sloppy Joes, & Cole Slaw were some of my faves.
Straw hats were my favorite in elementary school, sloppy joe mix on top of frito chips. When my kids were in elementary school I'd stop by for lunch with them on the days they were serving them.
theGinsue
11-03-2014, 22:08
I believed our mother excelled making PB&J's. Which is another thread i'll do soon.
As I recall, I had to make my own lunches since I was in the 4th grade. I didn't get to choose what I got, other than to refuse something I was allowed.
90% of the time my lunches consisted of:
2 - Sandwiches; Crunchy Peanut Butter with grandma's homemade grape jelly. I've always hated crunchy peanut butter but since my dad & brother preferred it, I never got creamy. My grandmothers grape jelly was good, but after 2 sandwiches x 5 days a week my entire life until I was 18...... I hate grape jelly now.
4 - slices of canned peaches (in a reusable container), or 1 piece of fresh fruit
SOMETIMES, and I mean sometimes, we got a snack cake (never brand name like Hostess), or 4 cookies - unless the cookies were homemade, then we only got 2 cookies.
1 - 1/2 pint of school milk. Dad was pissed when they raised the price to $0.12
I envied the kids who got to buy school lunches. I don't know if we were eligible for subsidized lunches or not, but even if we were, my folks were too proud to ever take advantage of that. I graduated HS @ 6'0" and just 138lbs. Within 3 months of graduation, after lots of working out and controlling my diet with 10x the calories I was used to, I'd gained 25lbs of muscle. It appears my body was craving lots more food.
PB&J&Bs! When I got these it was a treat. Liverwurst was a regular staple, as was lunchmeat.
But NOTHING could shake a stick at Grandma's...
Wait for it!
FlufferNutters!
Great-Kazoo
11-03-2014, 22:33
PB&J&Bs! When I got these it was a treat. Liverwurst was a regular staple, as was lunchmeat.
But NOTHING could shake a stick at Grandma's...
Wait for it!
FlufferNutters!
BAM game over. One of favorites. Good thing sugar and canned meat preservatives were not on any ones radar decades ago.
My 3 favorite food groups
ARTIFICIAL Flavoring, coloring and sweeteners.
sellersm
11-03-2014, 22:38
FlufferNutters! Mmmmmmm... PB&J for most days, in the winter it was tuna. I'd always sit with a kid that bought school lunches and 2 ice cream sandwiches. He'd usually only eat 1 and would offer me the other one. Those were good lunch days.
PB & J sandwiches were a favorite for my little brother and myself. It was usually Skippy creamy peanut butter, and because we had plum trees in our yard and at our neighbor's house, it was usually homemade plum jelly. YUM!
I need to make a FlufferNutter Beer.
mcantar18c
11-03-2014, 23:08
I still eat fluffernutters. My wife and 13yo BIL who lives with us both hate fluff, which is really great for me.
I still eat fluffernutters. My wife and 13yo BIL who lives with us both hate fluff, which is really great for me.
It is like gooeyy peanutty crack.
And no matter how many I make and only 3 ingredients, they are NEVER the same as Gramma used to make.
mcantar18c
11-03-2014, 23:12
Sometimes, when I'm really feeling naughty, I'll put some nutella or honey between the fluff and the peanut butter. Holy crap is that good.
It is like gooeyy peanutty crack.
I'm sorry, but that sentence, out of context, is just wrong in so many ways. Someone remove these mental images, please! [panic]
I'm sorry, but that sentence, out of context, is just wrong in so many ways. Someone remove these mental images, please! [panic]
Sounds like you need a fluffer nutter. Then it will all be right in the world.
Sounds like you need a fluffer nutter. Then it will all be right in the world.
Perhaps you are right. A good nut fluffer would really hit the spot. [flamingo]
Perhaps you are right. A good nut fluffer would really hit the spot. [flamingo]
I agree. Mine is fast asleep though :-( Sad Days.
theGinsue
11-04-2014, 00:38
Wait, first you say
I'm sorry, but that sentence, out of context, is just wrong in so many ways. Someone remove these mental images, please! [panic]
But then you follow it up with
Perhaps you are right. A good nut fluffer would really hit the spot. [flamingo]
You just made me throw up a little bit in my mouth with the image you created.
That ain't right.
Great-Kazoo
11-04-2014, 02:45
Wait, first you say
But then you follow it up with
You just made me throw up a little bit in my mouth with the image you created.
That ain't right.
Stand up and move around.
MMMMMMM You add marshmallow fluff and have a fluffernutter. Then you enjoy your marshmallow fluff and peanut butter.
Where is the lotion? I don't know how yall do it, but I need lotion before I have some fluffer. Weren't we discussing cafeteria workers?
OK. I admit this needs to stop. I made myself throw up a little in my mouth.
I am sorry. I apologize.
rockhound
11-04-2014, 09:20
we had the school lunch side and the burger joint side of the cafeteria, basically a cheap burger king inside the school,
the food wasn't too bad, junior and senior year we could go off campus for lunch, so we would head out in my truck or a buddies cars for lunch, if you brought the Leroy, parking lot guard, a burger he would let you back on campus when you were late (we were late a lot), I had a job after school and on weekend so I usually had a buck or two to spend on my own lunch.
The school district where I grew up served milk shakes every day, they had milk, but the kids were more likely to drink the shake and get some calcium in them. Michelle O, would have a fit over that one.
We played outside you know, a few extra calories wouldn't hurt us....
Great-Kazoo
11-04-2014, 10:16
We played outside you know, a few extra calories wouldn't hurt us....
ON A PLAYGROUND, with swings seesaws, monkey bars. [panic]THE HORROR. Good thing no one was injured or anyone watched someone get hurt. OH THE TRAUMA . Having to live the rest of your life like that. After seeing someone get their teeth knocked out standing to close to the seesaw or swing. Counseling is > that way.
rockhound
11-04-2014, 17:26
ON A PLAYGROUND, with swings seesaws, monkey bars. [panic]THE HORROR. Good thing no one was injured or anyone watched someone get hurt. OH THE TRAUMA . Having to live the rest of your life like that. After seeing someone get their teeth knocked out standing to close to the seesaw or swing. Counseling is > that way.
yeah, one girl got hit in the head with my aluminum bat one day at recess, the kid swinging it let go and the thing t-boned her square in the forehead. I remember it like it was yesterday.
In middle school, they used to have slushies and stuff to make your own sundaes including chocolate chip cookie chunks to put on the sundae. Slushy and a sundae FTW!
yeah, one girl got hit in the head with my aluminum bat one day at recess, the kid swinging it let go and the thing t-boned her square in the forehead. I remember it like it was yesterday.
I remember my friend was being chased by someone with a handful of gravel ready to throw at him. My friend was running ahead, but looking behind him. He ran full on into a steel ladder. Good times. He grew up to be a D-bag anyway.
sneakerd
11-04-2014, 19:00
Tater Tots were always king at lunch. Maybe because they were served every day. Burger King does good ones these days, but I remember them always being soggy in the caf (what we called the high school cafeteria). Hadn't thought about that for a long, long time. Thanks for the thread!!!
I miss the Mashed potatoes and Yellow (chicken) Gravy. I still have a Punch left on my card, you think they will honor it [Coffee]
Pig-In-A-Blanket...[Hyper]
hurley842002
11-05-2014, 11:13
Pig-In-A-Blanket...[Hyper]
Forgot about these, but definitely top 5.
Great-Kazoo
11-05-2014, 12:16
Pig-In-A-Blanket...[Hyper]
We're talking about school lunches, not dating.
colorider
11-05-2014, 19:44
Creamed chipped beef on Texas toast
That would be shit on a shingle.
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