It’s been 29 years since Jamie Oliver’s campaigning saw a myriad of beloved but unhealthy options – including Turkey Twizzlers and chocolate concrete cake – scrapped from dinner menus.
And now, in the biggest shake-up in years, battered fish and chips, fried chicken nuggets and jam doughnuts are set to be banned too.
New food standards for schools in England will introduce a ban on deep fried foods from September next year – in an attempt to curb the UK’s childhood obesity crisis.
The move is set to take pupils away from the lunch canteens of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, which featured fish fingers, potato smiley faces, spam fritters and cowboy pie.
And for dessert, students could enjoy everything from a jam roly-poly – lathered in custard – to a frosty Arctic Roll.
Read on to take a trip down memory lane…
FISH FINGERS AND SMILEY FACES
An easy British classic, fish fingers on a Friday with potato smiley faces never got old.
Occasionally combined with bake beans or peas (that were placed in the eyes of the faces for good measure), there is no doubt that this meal holds a special place in Brits’ hearts.
CHOCOLATE CONCRETE AND PINK CUSTARD
Why have normal custard when you could make it pink? A popular addition to a school desert, pink custard, also known as tubby or tellytubby custard, dominated the school menus for decades.
Made by heating up milk, sugar and strawberry blancmange powder, the bright pink sauce was often served over chocolate concrete.
It was often combined with a so-called chocolate concrete – a crisp, chocolate-layered traybake that soared to popularity in the 1970s and 1980s across the UK.
Made from just flour, sugar, butter and cocoa powder, it can be served warm or cold and was often accompanied by pink or mint custard.
SPAM FRITTERS
Dubbed a ‘British classic’, spam fritters were not only a staple in school canteens but also chippies and supermarkets.
Thought to have come about in the UK during the Second World War – when there was a shortage of fish – it consists of spam deep fried in a batter.
JAM ROLY-POLY
A jam roly-poly was bound to cause excitement when it hit the school menu – comprising of steamed suet pastry swirled with sticky raspberry jam.
It was washed down, of course, with a bowlful of warm custard.
COWBOY PIE
Another nostalgic school dinner option, cowboy pie is a reimagining of a cottage pie – but with pork sausages, baked beans, BBQ sauce and onions.
Topped with mashed potatoes and cheese, this savoury, ingredient packed meal certainly kept you full for the day.
ARCTIC ROLL
Another retro dessert, the Arctic Roll is the warm, steamed jam roly-poly’s frosty cousin, consisting of a vanilla ice cream wrapped in a sponge layer.
Much like other sweet treats from the era – including Viennetta – they are enjoying a comeback in supermarkets.
TURKEY TWIZZLERS
Adored by school children across the nation, the corkscrew-shaped turkey sausage creations were a key feature on most lunchtime menus.
Yet they were axed from schools in 2005 after Jamie Oliver’s healthy-eating ‘Feed Me Better’ campaign to ban them in schools shamed the classic food item for containing just 34 per cent meat.
The move sparked outrage among schoolchildren across the country, who, even 20 years later, still declare that Jamie will ‘never be forgiven’ for it.
In 2020, a new, healthier version of the beloved Turkey Twizzler was relaunched. However, it was to be short-lived – with the rebrand discontinued in 2025.
FAIRY CAKE
A sprinkle-topped sponge cake will almost instantly take you down memory lane to school bake sales and afternoon picnics with your friends.
The retro snack is also incredibly easy to make, featuring a light vanilla sponge topped with white icing and rainbow sprinkles.
TikTok account Jane’s Patisserie shared her top tips for recreating the childhood classic, which she fondly described as a ‘nostalgic and classic bake’ that is ‘delicious, easy to make and looks great’.
‘Nostalgia in a bake,’ commented one viewer, while another praised: ‘My favourite too! That looks incredible’.
LIVER AND ONIONS
A popular school dinner staple between the 1960s and 1980s, liver and onions have a divisive legacy. Whereas it was a gory meal for some, others remember it fondly.
Usually served with mashed potatoes, the tart liver (usually beef or lamb) was slightly seasoned and served with slow-cooked onions.
TURKEY DINOSAURS
Canteen regulars more than 20 years ago, breadcrumbed Turkey dinosaurs were a key staple for children in the early 1970s and 1980s but are less common today.
Sadly, according to research from food experts, a quarter of UK households have removed the freezer staples from their supermarket shop, with Brits typically opting for classic meals over frozen goods.
The possibility that the turkey dinosaur could soon be going extinct is bound to disappoint many across the nation – with the treat adored by many and also very simple to make – with just a few ingredients required.
CORNFLAKE TART
A charming sweet treat bound to delight your taste buds, the cornflake tart combined short-crust, strawberry pastry jam and cornflakes with a delicious golden syrup.
Providing a touch of nostalgia to your dinner table, it was typically enjoyed with a generous helping of custard in the mid-afternoon.
Simple and easy to bake, several social media users have attempted to recreate the classic snack – with one avid baker describing the school staple as the perfect thing to ‘brighten up your Friday night’.
CHEESE FLAN
Cheese flan, also known as cheese pie, was often served up as a lunchtime classic in the 1970s and 1980s and consisted of savoury custard in a shortcrust pastry bake.
With just four ingredients and not to be confused with quiche, it delighted school children across the nation and has often been cited as a comforting option during the winter months.
Served up into squares, it often came with a side of chips and a scoop of potato ice cream – a smart incentive to encourage youngsters to eat vegetables.
PASTA KING
While Pasta King pots are still served across schools, they no longer have the glossy cult status they held in the 2000s, when first being introduced into canteens.
Many complained of the watery nature of the dishes – with everything from Arrabbiata to carbonara on offer – but it was still a satisfying bite after a long morning of lessons.
BLANCMANGE
A 1970s favourite, blancmange is usually made with milk, cream and sugar that is thickened into a moulded jelly, which is sometimes flavoured with almonds.
Known for being a dinner party staple – usually served in the shape of a rabbit – it made its way into school dinners too.
SPAGHETTI HOOPS ON TOAST
Perfectly warming for a rainy autumn day or a frosty winter lunchtime, spaghetti hoops on toast offered the perfect switch up from beans on toast.
Often – to add extra flavour – pupils added grated cheese on top.
