Grab your lunch tray: Suffolk museum recreates school dinners through the decades

Why it matters: The shared experience of school meals connects generations, evoking memories from turkey twizzlers to lumpy custard that range from fond to fearful.

The exhibition, which opened this week at the Food Museum in Stowmarket, is thought to be the first in the UK dedicated entirely to school meals.

The details: Visitors can enjoy free tasters based on authentic school dinner recipes that the museum says will "delight and disgust visitors in equal measures".

The on-site café offers a two-course lunch inspired by popular meals from the 1950s, 1970s, and 1990s for £16.50 per person, with discounts for group bookings of over 12 people.

What they're saying: "School dinners are a shared experience that cut across generations, bringing back childhood memories of lunch lines, long tables, lumpy custard, and everything in between," said Jenny Cousins, Director at the Food Museum.

"Our School Dinners exhibition invites visitors to take part in a nostalgic journey, exploring the tastes, smells, and stories of the past."

The bigger picture: The exhibition explores the serious side of school food as well, examining questions about food poverty.

"For some children, school dinners are a matter of choice. For others, they may be their only hot meal of the day," Cousins explained.

Behind the scenes: The exhibition was officially opened by Sharon Hodgson MP, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for School Food, with Jeanette Orrey MBE, former school dinner lady and inspiration to TV chef Jamie Oliver, in attendance.

Developed in partnership with seven young curators, the exhibition features contributions from the Quadram Institute, Norse Catering, the Museum of the Home and the School Meals Service Project at several universities.

For context: Jeanette Orrey MBE started her career as a part-time dinner lady and later became a campaigner for better school food, helping form Food for Life and assisting Jamie Oliver in his campaign to improve school meals.

The bottom line: The School Dinners exhibition runs until February 2027 and is open Tuesday to Sunday, between 10am and 5pm. For more information, visit www.foodmuseum.org.uk/events/school-dinners/.