19 things we had for school dinners that were loved or loathed

For generations, a number of school dinner items have been staples, from hot school meals to sweet treats.

For years, whether it be in primary school or secondary school, we ate them on a regular basis. Some were arguably beige beauties that wouldn't live up to todays nutritional standards, whereas others are still staple favourites in and out of school, the ECHO previously reported.

Earlier today, the ECHO revealed that an inspection of LIPA Primary and High School in Liverpool City Centre had seen it downgraded by Ofsted from 'good' to 'requires improvement.' The latest inspection report by Ofsted, released to parents initially and seen by the ECHO, highlights a number of concerns at the school, but other concerns have since been raised with the ECHO by a parent at a school, including around the standard of some school dinners being served to pupils.

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Following the report, the ECHO has taken a look back at school food items many of us will know. Here are 19 things we ate as part of our Merseyside school dinners that we loved or loathed.

This list isn't intended to be comprehensive, we've included a number of items from past school menus you may remember. But, if you feel there is something we should have included, let us know in the comments section below.

1. School cake

Still referred to as 'school cake,' nothing could beat a square slice of sponge cake with white icing and multi-coloured sprinkles on top. Many people still have fond memories of this retro cake or excitement of seeing dinner ladies begin to serve it as you queued up at lunchtime.

It never really became unpopular, but in recent years many of us have tried our hands at creating our own tray school cake at home, or buying a slice from a local bakery. Earlier this year, we gave it a go ourselves.

2. Turkey Twizzlers

A controversial corkscrew-shaped treat - the Turkey Twizzlers are still remembered today not only for their taste, but the frenzy when they were banned from schools. After years of being loved by school children, in 2005 Turkey Twizzlers disappeared from school canteens and off our supermarket shelves thanks in part to celebrity chef, Jamie Oliver.

Fatty and processed, they weren't as good for us as they tasted, but that didn't stop the uproar from youngsters when they were removed from the lunch menu. Back in 2020, the ECHO reported how Bernard Matthews had relaunched the controversial product with supermarket chain Iceland stocking them in store - with the lunchtime meat said to be much healthier - with double the turkey meat compared to the original.

3. Pasta King

Pasta King was a top-tier edition to the lunch time menu and still exists in a number of local schools. If you went to secondary school in the 00s - you'll probably remember queueing to get a Pasta King in the canteen.

Dished into their signature red pots, you'd be unlucky to get a batch of pasta that was particularly watery. But for many, the meatballs were favourites on the menu.

4. Pink custard

Pink custard was paired with many retro school desserts. Thick skinned in many cases, the pink added a little bit more fun as opposed to using your standard yellow custard.

Many thought the recipe was simply adding food colouring to normal custard. But some people feel nostalgic and still make it today, adding hot milk to Angel Delight or a packet of pink blancmange mix.

5. Square pizza

Forget about your triangle slices, square or rectangle shaped pizza was everywhere during our school days and usually served with chunky chips. Sometimes as thick as the pan it was cooked in, you knew it was pizza day when the smell would waft through the dinner hall.

Do these awaken any memories for you? Let us know in the comments section below.

6. Crinkle cut carrots

A lot of our school meals were paired with the vegetable combo of peas, sweetcorn combo - and crinkle cut carrots. They didn't taste any different and were likely bought like that in the packet.

And many only associated them with school dinners. Vegetables weren't always the favourite part of a school dish, but we'd eat them up if dessert was on the cards.

7. Cheese pie

Certain generations will remember being served some form of cheese pie, or even cheese flan. Cooked in a deep tin, the massive dish would be cut up into squares and often served with chips.

8. Mashed potato 'from an ice-cream scoop'

This doesn't need much more explanation - but a lot of school served the perfect ball of mashed potato which was like something from an ice-cream scoop. Lumps and consistency may have been a problem on some days, but they were usually served with meat like sausages and gravy and vegetables.

9. Jam and coconut sponge

Another sweet treat to rival the school cake - many of us opted for a jam and coconut cake whenever it appeared on the menu. A classic in the school dinner halls, the light sponge topped with jam and coconut shavings would be baked as a massive traybake and cut up into pieces.

10. Fish fingers

Not restricted to the school premises, sometimes you can't been fish fingers, chips and beans. A wholesome dish during lunchtime, it's still a go to for generations of families today.

11. Rice pudding

You either loved it or loathed it - but for generations, rice pudding was the only dessert on offer in school. There are so many variations of it today in the supermarket, with many not leaving rice pudding behind with their school days.

12. Spam fritters

The thought of a spam fritter is not particularly appetising for youngsters of today, but generations ago it was a staple in our local schools. Usually served with mash and some form of vegetable, the spam would be deep-fried in batter and is thought to have been introduced around the First World War.

13. Arctic roll

In school, you knew it was a good day when Arctic Roll was on the menu. A classic still sold in restaurants and supermarkets, you couldn't beat the ice-cream encased in a thin layer of sponge with jam spread.

14. Semolina and jam

The thought of semolina and jam may still send shivers down some ex-pupils spines - but other children absolutely loved it. The milky-porridge like dessert came in a bowl with a dollop of jam in the middle to sweeten it.

15. Chicken supreme

A bit different to a lot of the treats and dishes on our list, a school chicken supreme was usually served with chips or rice. Many kids looked forward to it, but in some schools it could be a bit gelatinous.

16. Turkey Dinosaurs

They never received as much controversy as their distant cousins the Turkey Twizzlers, but the Turkey Dinosaurs cemented themselves as another classic school dinner, served up with the likes of potato smiley faces or beans or spaghetti hoops. They’re still made by manufacturers Bernard Matthews to this day, but they don’t make their way onto school dinner plates quite as often today.

17. Tin fruit cocktail

Not the most adventurous, but many of us will remember having a bowl of tin fruit cocktail ready to eat next to our hot main meal. This dessert was usually paired with a little bit of whipped cream.

18. Tapioca

Tapioca is loathed by many from older generations and arguably unknown by school children of today. The milky pudding is still associated with our lost school days and was sometimes known as 'frogspawn pudding' because of its texture.

19. Iced buns

Sometimes known simply as school buns or iced finger buns, you can still buy these treats in many chain and independent bakeries. Served at dinner or even sold during break time, they weren't as elaborate as other desserts, but many loved them all the same.

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