Step Back in Time: Why the School Dinners Exhibition is a Must-Visit for Teachers

by The Food Museum
published 28 September 2025

The smell of warm custard, the clatter of lunch trays, and the anticipation of what's on the menu, school dinners are woven into the fabric of childhood memories. Now, the Food Museum in Stowmarket, Suffolk, is moving into year two of what's thought to be the UK's first exhibition dedicated entirely to school meals, and it offers something truly special for educators.

While the School Dinners exhibition certainly delivers a generous helping of nostalgia - from Turkey Twizzlers to semolina pudding, it goes far deeper than a simple trip down memory lane. This thoughtfully curated exhibition asks profound questions that sit at the heart of education today: Whose responsibility is it to feed children? How does what we serve at lunchtime reflect our values as a society? And critically for teachers: how does the school food experience shape children's lifelong relationship with eating?

The exhibition is packed with learning opportunities across multiple curriculum areas. History comes alive through the evolution of school meals from the 1906 Education Act to present day. Design and Technology teachers will find fascinating insights into food logistics - how 5 million school meals are delivered daily across the UK. PSHE and citizenship themes run throughout, exploring poverty, inequality, and policy debates around free school meals.

Particularly powerful is the youth voice throughout the exhibition. Seven young curators aged 16-24 helped develop the content, and their research and perspectives are prominently featured. This makes it ideal for showing students how their voices matter in important social debates.

For those involved in school food decisions, the exhibition offers invaluable insights. A detailed "day in the life" from Norse Catering staff reveals the extraordinary complexity behind serving hundreds of meals daily - balancing nutrition, allergies, cultural requirements, and budget constraints.

Visitors can taste authentic school dinner recipes (prepare for both delight and disgust!), listen to oral histories from dinner ladies and students, and watch archive footage spanning decades.

With childhood obesity rising, holiday hunger a persistent issue, and ongoing debates about free school meal eligibility, school food has never been more politically charged. The exhibition doesn't shy away from difficult questions about poverty, stigma, and inequality. It celebrates campaigners like Marcus Rashford and Jeanette Orrey MBE while asking visitors to consider: what should the future of school food look like?

Running until February 2027, the exhibition is open Tuesday to Sunday, 10am-5pm.