This, That, and the Other

Maggie, at From Cave Walls, and Lauren, at LSS Attitude of Gratitude, alternate hosting Throwback Thursday. The idea of the prompt is for them to give us a topic and for us to write a post in which we share our own memories or experiences about the given topic. This week, Maggie wants to know what mealtime was like in your home.

Here are Maggie’s questions.

1. Did your family have a sit down breakfast or were you more grab and go? What beverages were served at breakfast? What was your favorite (and/or least favorite) breakfast meal?

My father left for work before most of us were up. Except for weekends, it was pretty informal. I usually had orange juice and milk at breakfast. My most common meal was cold cereal. My favorite breakfast meal was hole in the wall eggs.

2. Did you snack before the mid-day meal?

Most of my midday meals were at school, so no, no snack before that meal.

3. At school, did you buy your lunch from the cafeteria, or did you pack lunch? In high school, were you allowed to leave school grounds during the lunch period?

Mostly, I bought lunch at the cafeteria, but my mother would occasionally pack a lunch for me. Yes, in high school, seniors were allowed to leave the campus for lunch, but I rarely did.

4. For times when you had lunch at home, was it sandwiches, leftovers, or a newly prepared meal?

It was either sandwiches, or something frozen like a chicken pot pie or TV dinner.

5. Did your family sit down together and enjoy the evening meal or were you more of a TV dinner in front of the TV family?

My father often didn’t get home in time for dinner, but my mother and sisters and I would dine together. My father would have leftovers when he got home, usually after 8:00 pm.

6. How did your weekend meals differ from your weekdays?

Lunches were pretty much the same, but my mother typically made French toast or pancakes on Saturday and my father would pick up cold cuts at the deli on Sundays. We usually ate out for dinner on Saturday nights.

7. Who did most of the cooking in your household? Did that person also do the meal planning and grocery shopping? Were you taught to cook or were you shoo’d out of the kitchen?

My mother did the planning, the shopping, and the cooking. I didn’t come into the kitchen until it was time to eat.

8. Did you have dessert served at your meals? If so, what types?

Not directly after dinner, but we would often have some kind of dessert after dinner while watching TV.

9. Who cleaned up after meals? Was it a shared responsibility between men/women, girls/boys or was it delegated based on gender?

Mainly my mom. My father never cleaned up and my mom didn’t want to burden my sisters and me with cleaning up after meals.

10. How about late night snacks? Okay or discouraged?

Discouraged.

11. Were dining manners stressed in your household? No elbows on the table, no hats at the table, no belching, please, thank you, and may I be excused?

We were expected to behave at dinner, but it wasn’t obsessive.

12. Did you have occasions where you had large family gatherings for meals? What occasions?

Holidays, birthdays, anniversaires, etc.

13. Did you say grace or have a blessing before meals?

Not a prayer, so to speak.

14. What dishes are you glad disappeared over the years? What dishes have you carried forward into your own home?

I suppose by “dishes,” Maggie means meals/recipes, and not physical dishes (i.e., plates, cups, saucers). None of those physical dishes survived. As a matter of fact, neither did any of the meals or recipes, either.

BONUS: Care to share any favorite family recipes?

As I mentioned above, none of the recipes survived, either on paper or in my memory.