The 7 most nostalgic school dinner classics that you’ll remember if you grew up in the 1980s

By Holly Allton

Food and drink writer

Published 28th Jan 2025, 17:27 GMT

Updated 28th Jan 2025, 17:30 GMT

These foods take us right back to the good ol’ days 🍴

If you grew up in the 1980s, you either loved or hated the school dinners.

Whatever your feelings towards the meals provided by school, we all can’t help feeling nostalgic for it.

Lets take a trip down memory lane by revisiting the food we’d enjoy (or not) in the school cafeteria at lunch time.

This list includes foods that are long gone, and others that we can still rustle up today.

Here are the 7 most nostalgic school dinner classics that you will remember if you grew up in the 1980s.

A personalised morning news round-up with UK Today - sign up here.

Fish Fingers were a staple of the 1980s, especially as a school lunch time option. The small pieces of fish covered in batter are still enjoyed by little ones today, and are usually paired with chips.

1. Fish Fingers

Fish Fingers were a staple of the 1980s, especially as a school lunch time option. The small pieces of fish covered in batter are still enjoyed by little ones today, and are usually paired with chips. | exclusive-design - stock.adobe.com

Hamburgers were a new thing of the 1980s, and kids were very excited by them being included on the dinner time menu. They were usually served plain, as cheeseburgers didn’t become as commonplace until a few years later.

2. Hamburger

Hamburgers were a new thing of the 1980s, and kids were very excited by them being included on the dinner time menu. They were usually served plain, as cheeseburgers didn’t become as commonplace until a few years later. | bigacis - stock.adobe.com

There is no other British classic meal as good as mince and dumplings. It was always a good day when mince and dumplings were served either at school or at home. The meal is still regarded as a traditional British meal.

3. Mince and Dumplings

There is no other British classic meal as good as mince and dumplings. It was always a good day when mince and dumplings were served either at school or at home. The meal is still regarded as a traditional British meal. | Joshua Resnick - stock.adobe.com

Toad In The Hole was a very filling meal that some people loved, and others hated. The traditional British classic was made up of sausages wrapped in a Yorkshire pudding batter. Obviously Toad In The Hole can still be made, but not many people choose to do so.

4. Toad In The Hole

Toad In The Hole was a very filling meal that some people loved, and others hated. The traditional British classic was made up of sausages wrapped in a Yorkshire pudding batter. Obviously Toad In The Hole can still be made, but not many people choose to do so. | FomaA - stock.adobe.com

Boost Food Nostalgia

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.