What children ate in school canteens in the USSR: top 12 popular dishes

Those whose childhood was spent in the USSR will never forget the taste of cutlets, pies, or pasta from the school cafeteria. The children were divided into those who adored such dishes and those who could not even stand their smell.

Although the chefs cooked according to GOST, the approach to the recipes could be different, Travel Ask writes. The publication named the dishes that were most often prepared for children in Soviet canteens.

• Pancakes

They were served with condensed milk, honey, or jam.

• Pasta with sausages

This meal was the most desirable for many children in the USSR, who preferred sausages to chicken or other meat.

• Cottage cheese casserole

Served with condensed milk or jam, the casserole was a nutritious breakfast and a delicious dessert in one dish.

• Cheesecakes

Cheesecakes were also a popular cottage cheese dish, but it was much more difficult to make them for the whole school than to bake a casserole, so they were prepared less often.

• Omelet

The school omelet tasted great hot and cold, and attempts to make it as high as at home usually failed.

• Braised fish with marinade

Stewed fish fillet with onions and carrots was not a favorite dish among children, but for many years it remained an integral part of the school menu.

• Mashed potatoes with cutlet

All the kitchens in school canteens were equipped with special machines that mashed boiled potatoes so hard that they left no chance for lumps. Mashed potatoes were usually supplemented with cutlets stewed in meat gravy.

• Vinaigrette

This budget-friendly vegetable salad was popular in both school and factory canteens in the USSR.

• Milk noodles

Noodles with milk were offered to children for breakfast, just like cereals. Because of the milk foam, it was one of the least favorite dishes among children.

• Tea and compote

Many people remember sweet black tea with a citrus flavor from their childhood (cooks added lemon or orange zest to it). It was often replaced with dried fruit compote, which was considered good for digestion.

• Kissel

A thick berry kissel with a bun was given to schoolchildren as a dessert in the afternoon.

• Pies

Pies in Soviet canteens were baked or fried, and cabbage, potatoes, jam, or liver were used as fillings.