Readers' thoughts on what they miss about school dinners

1 Puddings

Stef Byerley said: "School cake with the sprinkles on top and teletubbie custard."

Carol Robson said: "The lovely puddings and the pink custard lush."

Lyn Murray said: "Loved my school dinners in the 1950's and 1960's."

Amy Stanley added: "I use to love school dinners. Loved the mashed potatoes and the fish fingers. Not to forget cake and custard."

Chef cooking in kitchen (Image: Pixabay)

Alec Jackson said: "Chocolate pudding and pink custard."

Sandra Austin said: "Choc cake and choc sauce," as Jeanette Thirlwell replied: "My absolute favourite too."

Sarah Hallberg said: "Coconut sponge with pink custard or chocolate concrete and custard. It's a close-run thing."

Barbara Malcolmson said: "Sponge pudding with sprinkles and pink custard."

Derek Scott said: "Manchester tart and crumble’s. Always had seconds."

2 Skin on custard

Shelly Newton said: "The Sele school always had the best custard even more so the skin. I was always the only kid that could get five helpings of skin," as Barbara McMillan added: "Arguing over whose turn it was for the skin off the top of the jug of custard. Don't remember meals, just puddings and custard."

Chef cutting vegetables (Image: Pixabay)

3 Homemade food

Christine Lake said: "Loved my Aunty Cath's homemade chips, they were lush and she always gave me seconds. Best ever school cook."

Lisa Halliday said: "Being thankful my Mam always gave me a packed lunch."

Maria Skerritt said: "Everything they were so tasty we had proper meat and veg. Every thing was cooked from scratch fresh each day. They did amazing steam pudding and proper custard. Think that's the only reason I went to school."

Ann Healey 'Liddell' said: "Everything was lush my Nan and other cooks made them all from scratch. Delicious."

4 Dinner ladies

Robin Sumsion said: "The head cook lived a few doors down from us and was good friends with my mum. I always seemed to be be first in line for seconds. Proper good old fashioned food, lovely."

Craig Bramley said: "Elsie Murphy saying I was too skinny so she gave me extra."

Paddy Doherty said: "The dinner ladies, they were all so nice. I still see some if them around town."

Brian McVeigh said: "My grannie was the canteen cook extra helpings."

5 Friends

MmZahir Toba said: "Eating with my friends that to this date some of them are my best friends."

6 Being Free

Katrin Auld said: "The fact that it was free (Sweden). Perhaps it was here too? Too many kids go hungry."

Johnny Graham also said: "They were free."

7 Not cooking it 

Viki Murray said: "Any of it since I didn't have to cook it but probably the custard when it got the skin on."

8 Growing up 

Helen Rudge said: "Being allowed to take sandwiches instead in the sixth form."

9 Less time in school

David Holland said the best thing he remembered about school dinners was that half the day had gone.

10 Nothing 

Luke Storey said: "Scraping the plate into the bin," while Heather Jackson said: "Nothing don’t miss them at all," and Jackie Kellie said: "Not having them."