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Eating in the 50's in the UK....

Andy From Sligo

True this - Eating in the 50's - I am sure it was the same in Ireland too...

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sbsquarepants

igCorcaigh wrote: »

I just want good bread again

I just never got the love for bread. I'd scarcely care if I never ate it again

My daughter was recently diagnosed a coeliac, so we had to change her diet, we decided to all change so she wouldn't feel left out (she's only 5)

A friend of mine is coeliac and he gave me tips and pointers on what was nice and what to avoid, his exact words were "Jesus the bread, even the fúcking seagulls won't eat it"

I honestly can not tell the difference - bread pretty much just tastes like bread to me!

Peregrinus

Graces7 wrote: »

Yep .and we all had bad teeth as the War took out our young dentists

But disagree with your first para. We had no processed junk.

Britain was a world leader in the production of processed food from the late nineteenth century, with brands like Reckitts, Tate & Lyle, Oxo, etc selling concentrated, dried, bottled and canned food all over the world, but of course also selling strongly into the home market. And foreign visitors to the UK noted the domination of the national cuisine with all kinds of sauces and pickles - Branstons, Worcester sauce, brown sauce, chutneys and various combinations of salt, vinegar and concentrated fruit. The domination of the national cuisine by highly-flavoured prepared and processed foods was in fact the defining characteristic of the British diet, as far as overseas observers were concerned. In the last few decades this has expanded into a taste for curries, etc, but this is just a development of a preference which was already strongly entrenched.

Try_harder

Wasnt the UK still in rationing into the 50s?

Peregrinus

Try_harder wrote: »

Wasnt the UK still in rationing into the 50s?

Rationing in the UK actually intensified after the war ended, with bread being rationed from 1946, and potatoes from early 1947 (following the loss of much of the crop in a hard winter). Bread came off ration in 1948, but food rationing was otherwise maintained, and this was a major issue in the 1950 election, with the Conservatives promising to end rationing quickly. However the Conservatives lost the election.

They won the election of 1951, and set about dismantling the rationing system, but it took a few years. Confectionery came off the ration in February 1953 and sugar in October of the same year, but meat, cheese, eggs, butter, tea, etc rationing continued until mid-1954.

It has to be said, though, that rationing did not contribute to hunger, malnutrition or poor diet in the UK - rather the reverse. The system was designed to ensure that everybody could access a nutritionally adequate (if sometimes dull) diet, and on the whole it succeeded pretty well. And things like the rationing of sugar and confectionery were positively beneficial to health (if not always to morale).

[Deleted User]

sbsquarepants wrote: »

I just never got the love for bread. I'd scarcely care if I never ate it again

My daughter was recently diagnosed a coeliac, so we had to change her diet, we decided to all change so she wouldn't feel left out (she's only 5)

A friend of mine is coeliac and he gave me tips and pointers on what was nice and what to avoid, his exact words were "Jesus the bread, even the fúcking seagulls won't eat it"

I honestly can not tell the difference - bread pretty much just tastes like bread to me!

There's good bread to be had but i do miss a crusty roll with squidgy white bread in the middle!

moonage

looksee

I have what must have been my last ration card as a child, much of it is not used, mostly the meat ration was taken. My memory of food as a child was a roast (round roast) of beef with spuds and veg on Sundays, minced or reheated left overs on Monday (I still love bubble and squeak), then on other days sausages, offal (usually liver and onions but sometimes tripe, both of which I enjoyed), fish occasionally, things called ******s which are now struggling to hold onto their name, but were and are delicious. Always a cooked dinner. We would have been working class in a poorer area of northern England at the time. Children were given milk, orange juice (gloopy bottled stuff you had by the spoonful, okish) and rose hip syrup (nice) by the government, and very good school meals were introduced.

I totally agree with everything on that list. I never went hungry and never felt hard done by. We got our 3d (three pence, 240 pennies to the £) bar of chocolate sometimes - a mars bar was 6d and not an option - from Kate's shop, a wooden hut of a place but they sold sweets so it was magic!

When processed food started to come in it was horrible - Smash mashed potatoes in I think the 70s - dried curry concoctions in a packet, nasty dry cakes with synthetic cream. Thank goodness we have moved on from that.

looksee

looksee wrote: »

I have what must have been my last ration card as a child, much of it is not used, mostly the meat ration was taken. My memory of food as a child was a roast (round roast) of beef with spuds and veg on Sundays, minced or reheated left overs on Monday (I still love bubble and squeak), then on other days sausages, offal (usually liver and onions but sometimes tripe, both of which I enjoyed), fish occasionally, things called ******s which are now struggling to hold onto their name, but were and are delicious. Always a cooked dinner. We would have been working class in a poorer area of northern England at the time. Children were given milk, orange juice (gloopy bottled stuff you had by the spoonful, okish) and rose hip syrup (nice) by the government, and very good school meals were introduced.

I totally agree with everything on that list. I never went hungry and never felt hard done by. We got our 3d (three pence, 240 pennies to the £) bar of chocolate sometimes - a mars bar was 6d and not an option - from Kate's shop, a wooden hut of a place but they sold sweets so it was magic!

When processed food started to come in it was horrible - Smash mashed potatoes in I think the 70s - dried curry concoctions in a packet, nasty dry cakes with synthetic cream. Thank goodness we have moved on from that.

Edit: lol, the name has been starred out! Never thought my dinner would be censored!

topper75

my3cents wrote: »

1955

...
But hardly anyone had a fridge let alone a freezer so if you bought fish fingers you had to cook them that day.

I wouldn't be buying anything Sonny Jim. I'd be out at work. In t'mines. My Mrs. would have them ready for me when I come home. Then I would chide her for buying that modern rubbish.

It was the 50s after all.

brainfreeze

my3cents wrote: »

Considered bad manners or lazy and American in our household not sure which was supposed to be worse?

No one cares now though.

It's only bad manners if its bad manners. For example "No elbows on the table" isn't a catch all rule, it's only supposed to be applied when the table is full. You putting your elbows on the table takes away space from the people sitting to the left and right of you. It's so your guests have room to eat, nothing more.

If there is plenty of space on the table then enforcing "no elbows on the table" is absolutely pointless and makes no sense. Unfortunately, a lot of people enforce these rules for the sake of enforcing them, many not knowing what they are for in the first place. They just think they are being posh or something.

Suckit

Chinese Chippy?

silverharp

Peregrinus wrote: »

No, I'm looking at the overall picture. People did eat better in rural areas than in the cities, on average, but even in rural areas the picture was not as rosy as you remember it. It's not the case that fruit was available all year round; it was highly seasonal, and many fruits were either unavailable, or prohibitively expensive, in the off-season. The same goes for many vegetables.

There were significantly higher rates of malnutrition than today. Yes, this was concentrated among the poor, but I don't see how that makes it unimportant or irrelevant. If good food is sufficiently expensive or sufficiently scarce that a material sector of society cannot access it, that's a huge problem.

Fruit is probably overrated as a food group , wherever you lived in Europe up to 200 years ago you only had fresh fruit for 3 or 4 months a year although the continentals like the Germans seemed to have pickling and preserving fruit down to an art. What I do find a little puzzling is that farmers here never really took to having fruit trees ? remembering my mother's childhood stories growing up on a Kerry farm, they certainly had it good nutritionally , eggs, milk ,chicken and as they lived near a river they used to get bored of fresh salmon.

the purple tin

Well that only applies to working class really. If you had big bucks in the old days you ate a lot of fancy exotic grub. Charles Haughey et al for instance.

But for the working classes food in Ireland up until maybe the 80's or 90's could be very samey. You would basically be eating the same three or four meals over and over ad naseum.

indioblack

looksee wrote: »

We got our 3d (three pence, 240 pennies to the £) bar of chocolate sometimes - a mars bar was 6d and not an option - from Kate's shop, a wooden hut of a place but they sold sweets so it was magic!

I was in junior school in the next town, so we were given 4d to catch the bus home. We spent our 4d in a little sweet shop, [charmingly called The Dinky], and walked home!

Andy From Sligo

mfceiling wrote: »

One of the reasons I quit facebook was this kind of shìte.

wow! - that's one of those Cut off the nose to spite the face moments i bet ... why could you not stay on facebook whilst scrolling past ignoring the shyte or selecting 'hide post like this' ?

Andy From Sligo

bee06 wrote: »

Statistics would disagree with you. See page 3. Average life expectancy 1950-52 was mid 60’s and now its 81.

Also far less diagnostic tools. Just because people didn’t know they had cancer didn’t mean it didn’t kill them.

https://health.gov.ie/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Health-Statistics-2005-Section-B-Life-Expectancy-and-Vital-Statistics.pdf

maybe it was because they had a tougher life - i cannot see how people can say that cancers these days have nothing to do with additives, pollution, microwave ovens, smoking, and other stuff.

of course food must have been better then back in the day without additives, E numbers, pesticides and all that

mikemac2

igCorcaigh wrote: »

But then we got soda stream too.

Soda Stream disappeared for a long time but it’s back!

Bought one myself earlier this year

Andy From Sligo

looksee wrote: »

Edit: lol, the name has been starred out! Never thought my dinner would be censored!

haha - was it Wínkles you had ? - used to love them on Sundays evening tea lol

Shenshen

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

maybe it was because they had a tougher life - i cannot see how people can say that cancers these days have nothing to do with additives, pollution, microwave ovens, smoking, and other stuff.

of course food must have been better then back in the day without additives, E numbers, pesticides and all that

Today, the additives and E-numbers are listed on the packaging.
In the past, they were not. Food adulteration was a serious issue, from early Victorian times until well into the 20th century.

Tinned fruit and vegetables, spam, evaporated milk, margarine instead of butter, no thank you.

Andy From Sligo

topper75 wrote: »

I wouldn't be buying anything Sonny Jim. I'd be out at work. In t'mines. My Mrs. would have them ready for me when I come home. Then I would chide her for buying that modern rubbish.

It was the 50s after all.

especially giving her all that housekeeping money ... and then she goes out and buys that modern tasteless nutritiousless shyte! - its a wonder you didnt divorce her ... but i suppose you couldnt because divorce hadnt been invented

I wonder what shops / supermarkets were like in them days. Always full of woman (and children in prams) getting the shop for when their man came home from work - all cooked for their man at 6pm or 6.30pm and on the table - hot!

I grew up in the 60's and even then I can remember that when my mum took us into shops and grocers and that you never saw a man shopping - they was all at work . Must have been weird sight the first time men actually started shopping in a food store/grocery store , with a basket in one hand - dont think nothing to it these days when we see blokes out doing the weekly shop

Andy From Sligo

brainfreeze wrote: »

It's only bad manners if its bad manners. For example "No elbows on the table" isn't a catch all rule, it's only supposed to be applied when the table is full. You putting your elbows on the table takes away space from the people sitting to the left and right of you. It's so your guests have room to eat, nothing more.

If there is plenty of space on the table then enforcing "no elbows on the table" is absolutely pointless and makes no sense. Unfortunately, a lot of people enforce these rules for the sake of enforcing them, many not knowing what they are for in the first place. They just think they are being posh or something.

disagree slightly - if you have slaved over cooking and you dish up and your kids have their elbows on the table I think it height of rudeness whether there space or not - sit up straight , look like your enjoying your dinner eat properly , dont pick at it or move it around the plate , eat nicely and dont ram it all in - be thankful that you have food - many other people are starving around the world, be appreciative that someone has taken the time to slave over a hot cooker and made the food for you and put the knife and fork neatly together on the plate at the end of the meal!

Andy From Sligo

indioblack wrote: »

I was in junior school in the next town, so we were given 4d to catch the bus home. We spent our 4d in a little sweet shop, [charmingly called The Dinky], and walked home!

later on in years most kids were given money to catch the bus home and spend it on a packet of fags ..... and walked home lol

Andy From Sligo

Shenshen wrote: »

Today, the additives and E-numbers are listed on the packaging.
In the past, they were not. Food adulteration was a serious issue, from early Victorian times until well into the 20th century.

Tinned fruit and vegetables, spam, evaporated milk, margarine instead of butter, no thank you.

cor, have you ever had Carnation (if they still do it) in a cup of coffee - its bloody lovely (well used to like it years ago, maybe my taste buds have changed)

the fruit salad tinned fruit in syrup is lovely, I have had it with custard the odd time

Shenshen

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

cor, have you ever had Carnation (if they still do it) in a cup of coffee - its bloody lovely (well used to like it years ago, maybe my taste buds have changed)

the fruit salad tinned fruit in syrup is lovely, I have had it with custard the odd time

I'm very much an 80s child, I think - I could never stand that mush they sell as tinned fruit (or veg, for that matter).
My grandparents used to use evaporated milk in their coffee, but I can't really say anything polite about the taste of it.

Andy From Sligo

Shenshen wrote: »

I'm very much an 80s child, I think - I could never stand that mush they sell as tinned fruit (or veg, for that matter).
My grandparents used to use evaporated milk in their coffee, but I can't really say anything polite about the taste of it.

from memory it tasted like you added cream to the coffee (which would have made you seem like you was having a posh cup of coffee back in the day LOL)

I see Tesco still do tin of Carnation evaporated milk for 1.49 - i must get a can next time i am in , see if i still like it in coffee - i used to put evaporated milk on the tinned fruit salad in syrup as well - must try that again now - funny how you stop having this stuff over the years as you grow up isnt it

brainfreeze

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

disagree slightly - if you have slaved over cooking and you dish up and your kids have their elbows on the table I think it height of rudeness

That's just notions on your part though, the rule doesn't exist to feed the ego of the host :pac:

The only reason you take offense to this in the first place is because you've been taught its offensive without understanding why. It's not inherently rude to have your elbows on the table. It's a medieval high society rule so you don't nudge people while eating at a long table, other than that it's complete notions. :pac:

Let your kids lean on the table.

https://youtu.be/_LsBOairw3s?t=9

Andy From Sligo

brainfreeze wrote: »

That's just notions on your part though, the rule doesn't exist to feed the ego of the host :pac:

The only reason you take offense to this in the first place is because you've been taught its offensive without understanding why. It's not inherently rude to have your elbows on the table. It's a medieval high society rule so you don't nudge people while eating at a long table, other than that it's complete notions. :pac:

Let your kids lean on the table.

https://youtu.be/_LsBOairw3s?t=9

haha - one has moved out of home and the other one is 25 LOL

silverharp

Shenshen wrote: »

I'm very much an 80s child, I think - I could never stand that mush they sell as tinned fruit (or veg, for that matter).
My grandparents used to use evaporated milk in their coffee, but I can't really say anything polite about the taste of it.

remember that line from Fawlty Towers about a fruit salad, "chef's already opened the tin!"

Andy From Sligo

if you were really flush and it was a special occasion - so once in a blue moon . the family would go out and eat in a Berni Inn !

The menu was very extensive! :

Starters consisted of melon boat with maraschino cherry, or prawn cocktail,

Mains, steak, gammon steak or plaice with chips, and peas,

Dessert: Black Forest gateau or a choice from the cheese board (Danish Blue, Stilton or Cheddar)

and then Irish coffee and After Eight mints

(dont think there was a vegetarian option

)

Bernie inn's were established in 1955

silverharp

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

if you were really flush and it was a special occasion - so once in a blue moon . the family would go out and eat in a Berni Inn !

The menu was very extensive! :

Starters consisted of melon boat with maraschino cherry, or prawn cocktail,

Mains, steak, gammon steak or plaice with chips, and peas,

Dessert: Black Forest gateau or a choice from the cheese board (Danish Blue, Stilton or Cheddar)

and then Irish coffee and After Eight mints

(dont think there was a vegetarian option )

Bernie inn's were established in 1955

as a kid in the 70's I only remember going to hotels (normally when some yank was over paying the bills) :pac: . but something like Jury's or the grill there. My favourite starter was egg mayonnaise , in hindsight seems odd as there would have been no issue having that at home but seemed like a treat back then.