I guess with school starting again, and thinking about those "good olde days" when I went to school, way back then, the subject crossed my mind. Of course then, we didn't have all the nice things to put a lunch together with and in. I can't remember when 'waxed paper' was introduced, but I was pretty young. Before that was a house hold item, we used paper napkins to wrap a sandwich. You can imagin how fresh and delectible it was by lunch time! When wax paper came upon the scene, things got a bit better. However the wrapping wasn't all that neat, as I recall. You would fold then try to make things tight by folding the ends again then wrap them over the folded side. That didn't help too much because air would get in through the open folded side. Then we learned how to make the paper long enough so we could do a double fold on the edge so it was air tight. That made a big difference. In fact I don't remember when waxed paper went out and the baggy came in. Long after my kids had finished with school I believe.
Then there were the Cafeteria lunches. I didn't get to have such a luxury until I was in Junior High School. Lunch then was .25 cents. We use to take our 'lunch money' and tie it in the corner of our 'hankie'. Oh yes, we
didn't have kleenex back then. Everyone carried a fabric 'hankie' to take care of their nose and 'lunch money' of course. In fact, come to think of it, that was one of the first things Mom trusted me to iron. Really got a lot of practice on all those 'hankies' the family used. No respectable man would leave the house without a 'hankie' in his back pocket. Every lady of course prided herself on the selection of 'hankies' she had in her dresser drawer. Of course they were actually Handkerchiefs, but you can see why they got reduced to an easier name.
Well back to the School Lunch Drama. I didn't 'buy' my lunch often. It was just not one of those things our family did. I am not sure if it was due to the amount of money we had, or just that Mom was always baking and we would always have a lot of fruit in the house, so it was just normal to take the things we had at hand and put a lunch together. Each of us had our own 'lunch box'. They were always our pride and joy at the beginning of a school year, but I have to admit they got a bit beat up before the year was over. That and the inside would begin to get smelly. We would scrub them when we did the dishes, but it seemed they would take on a life of their own after so many lunches, with crumbs and apple cores or orange peels were left in them all day. Then there was always the dripping from the thermos bottles and cups. Now with bottled drinks and fabric bags, things don't have that kind of problem, or I don't think they do.
I don't recall taking lunch to school very often in a paper sack. I may have a time or two, but it wasn't often, like I said, the Lunch Box was a pretty BIG thing back in my day.
When I went to High School of course, I could walk home for lunch it was right next door. On rare occasions I would buy lunch in the Cafeteria. It wasn't all that big of a deal. Mostly it was to socialize with friends. I was never very fond of the Menu they had. Of course when they had something I liked, I might decide to stay on Campus and eat rather than walk the short distance to the house.
I don't recall Mom being so envolved in the kitchen when I was in High School as she was when Ron was there. He always had a group of friends who would hit the front door after their last class was over and raid our kitchen. Mom was pretty good about having something, just out of the oven, for them with the Milk and glasses ready as well. Those guys could put about a couple of Cherry, or Apple pies in the wink of an eye. Apple was usually decorated with a wedge of cheese. Hot Apple Pie with Cheese was a favorite. However, I would have to admit that Mom couldn't be beat in the Cherry Pie department. Those were the days when she would bake 4 pies. If she baked less, there would not be any for our dinner. That would never do.
Oh, I wanted to tell you about the 'sandwich' didn't I?! Well my Mom was a very plain cook, and lunch packer. It wasn't until I was in about the 5th or 6th grade that I noticed that some of the girls had sandiches that were cut in half cross wise. Mine were always cut right down the middle. Two equal halfs like the others, but they just did not look at good. Then one day I found a girl who had a sandwich with the crust cut off. I couldn't understand why she would have her sandwich like that. She told me it was because she didn't like the crust. Strange I thought, I had always liked the crust on my bread. But, I thought that must be really snazzey. Mom, however didn't care for the idea, or the waste. So I had to settle for her cutting it crosswise, so my sandwiches were 'neat looking'.
What was my favorite sandwich? I believe it was Tuna. Back then the spread of choice was Miracle Whip. I didn't know how good Tuna could taste until I married Jay. His family were use to Mayonaise, Hellman or Best Foods brand that is! After I got married, there was never another bottle of Miracle Whip in my house. I ate a lot of cheese sandwiches as I recall. Once in awhile p-nut butter and jelly. Not really a favorite of mine
back then, but I will eat one occasionally now and then. I don't recall our family having a lot of roast beef, but we sure ate up the Turkey when the Holidays came around. We always had Ham for Easter which made for some great sandwiches in the spring. You know come to think of it, we never worried about leaving our lunches in the 'cloak closet' until lunch time. I never recall being sick from eating lunch at school. I guess we were just a lot more hardy back then, or we didn't know about all the problems. Who knows. We used to make Potato Salad and take it on a picnic and not have it on ice, and never have problems. Then and now seems so different. The more cultured we become the more in jeopardy we seem to be with the things we eat. Well I guess that is just the way things are.
Silly I know, caring wether a sandwich is cut one way or another. If the crust is on or cut off the bread. If the spread is one kind or another and if you like or don't like mustard. I made it through school with out giving most of it a great deal of thought until I noticed that someone else did things differently than what I was used to. My Mom wasn't less of a Mom than the other kids Moms. I guess it boils down to the fact that I wasn't as spoiled as everyone thought I was. It may have been that ignorance was bliss, or my home and family were not as fussy about such simple things. We always had food on our table. We had clean clothes to wear and Mom was quick to tell us "it is clean and paid for". I don't think I even knew there was such a thing as Credit back then. Mom and Dad never brought anything, and I mean anything into the house that was not paid for. I wish I had learned that lesson better. We seem to live in a time when Credit is more the norm.
Well I guess I have rambled on enough for this time. It is best to set down and write about something while you are thinking about it. Otherwise the moment is lost, and with my 'senior moments' longer these days, I can't let any opportunity slip away. Enjoy your lunch kids.
Written this 23rd day of September 2010
by: Eileen Rosenberg
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