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Lunch, Dinner, Tea, Supper?

(104 Posts)
Calendargirl Tue 07-Feb-23 09:28:36

When did ‘Dinner’ become ‘Lunch’?

‘Tea’ become ‘Dinner’?

‘Dinner’ become ‘Supper’?

I was brought up on breakfast, dinner, tea, supper, and so did most people I knew.

If you were posh, you said ‘lunch’ instead of ‘dinner’.

All changed nowadays.

But why do we still have ‘dinner ladies’ then?

Aveline Tue 07-Feb-23 18:43:17

Obviously I'm 'awfully posh'!

BlueBelle Tue 07-Feb-23 18:49:15

Breakfast, dinner, tea and a couple of biscuits and warm drink for supper for me I still like it that way
We had school dinners school dinner ladies

Yes it’s very Poesh to have a lunch

Doodledog Tue 07-Feb-23 18:59:59

I think properly posh is to have 'luncheon'.

(and never to say 'posh' grin).

I didn't watch Downton Abbey for fun, you know.

mokryna Tue 07-Feb-23 19:01:29

I was at a late hairdresser’s appointment last time in GB and was asked if I had had my tea. Thinking everyone was offered a cup, I replied ‘No, but I have had a coffee before coming here.’

GrannyGravy13 Tue 07-Feb-23 19:11:52

My parents were publicans, always served bar food along with a separate restaurant in one location hence meals were as and when.

Both sets of Grandparents had their dinner in the evening apart from Sunday when it was always a roast lunch then salad and cake for tea

Germanshepherdsmum Tue 07-Feb-23 19:19:54

We had breakfast, dinner and tea. Tea was a cooked meal around 6pm. When I stayed with my maternal grandmother tea was a lighter meal of sandwiches, cake or scones followed by a light supper usually of something on toast. At some point after I married meals morphed into breakfast, lunch and dinner. Dinner being called supper signifies, to me, a higher class thing. I have never invited anyone to supper, only to dinner (or lunch of course).

silverlining48 Tue 07-Feb-23 19:32:46

We had high tea at the Savoy pre covid which began with beautifully cooked samon before the usual sandwiches, cake and pattiserie.
A wonderful gift for a special birthday from a great friend.

silverlining48 Tue 07-Feb-23 19:33:05

Salmon

choughdancer Tue 07-Feb-23 19:41:17

During my childhood it was breakfast, lunch, tea (toast or crumpets, biscuits, cake). Supper was soup, cheese and fruit.

Dad insisted on all these. Since he died, Mum has a much less regulated eating pattern! I have breakfast, lunch and supper (or dinner if invited to, or hosting, a dinner party or in a restaurant.

rubysong Tue 07-Feb-23 20:10:05

If there is gravy on it, it is dinner, regardless of the time of day.

mokryna Tue 07-Feb-23 20:40:46

Simple 😂

M0nica Tue 07-Feb-23 20:54:30

What the meals were called when I was a child - and now, all depended on what was being eaten.

Breakfast was breakfast and remains unchanged

The midday meal was lunch, if it was the secondary meal of the day, but dinner if it was the main meal.

The evening meal was tea if it was a bread, butter and cake meal, dinner if it was the main meal and supper if it was a light savoury meal - soup, something on toast etc.

AussieGran59 Tue 07-Feb-23 21:53:02

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Hetty58 Tue 07-Feb-23 22:22:57

I came from a 'comfortable' old fashioned family. We ate an awful lot but were as thin as rakes. School 'dinner' always puzzled me - as it was our lunch - after school snack and dinner was our evening meal at about 7 pm. We'd usually have a little supper later in the evening, too. We only ever had 'tea' on Sundays, when dinner was earlier in the day.

When I grew up a little, as a teenager in friends' houses, I was pretty horrified to discover that they had only tea - but no dinner.

On weekends, they didn't have elevenses. What I thought was an after school snack was all they got - and they went to bed so early! We were the odd ones out. My first husband only got 'tea' at home - and was amazed by all our meals.

Fleurpepper Tue 07-Feb-23 22:29:22

Allsorts

Ps a cream tea, any time please.

Y E S smile

Caleo Tue 07-Feb-23 22:48:27

In my own mind I call my main meal dinner usually about mid afternoon, and certainly the dog has dinner for his main meal. When people come to my house to eat around mid afternoon, when I have made mince and potatoes, or fish fingers and chips, I say "Food's ready. Come on it's on the table".

Callistemon21 Tue 07-Feb-23 23:00:24

rubysong

If there is gravy on it, it is dinner, regardless of the time of day.

😂

When I was in hospital having just had DC1, I was served burgers, cabbage, a fried egg and thin greasy gravy all over it. Just the thing for a new Mum.
I can't remember if it was breakfast, lunch or dinner but it was awful.

HannahLoisLuke Thu 09-Feb-23 11:12:49

Breakfast, lunch and dinner for me.

Blinko Thu 09-Feb-23 11:15:14

rubysong

If there is gravy on it, it is dinner, regardless of the time of day.

Excellent !

Scottiebear Thu 09-Feb-23 11:16:22

Think it depends where you were brought up. I was brought up in Scotland with breakfast, lunch, tea and maybe a little supper.

Blinko Thu 09-Feb-23 11:17:11

M0nica

What the meals were called when I was a child - and now, all depended on what was being eaten.

Breakfast was breakfast and remains unchanged

The midday meal was lunch, if it was the secondary meal of the day, but dinner if it was the main meal.

The evening meal was tea if it was a bread, butter and cake meal, dinner if it was the main meal and supper if it was a light savoury meal - soup, something on toast etc.

This.

Juicylucy Thu 09-Feb-23 11:47:21

Breakfast lunch dinner here

esgt1967 Thu 09-Feb-23 11:51:04

When I was growing up we had dinner (around mid-day) and tea but when I started working and had a "lunch" break, started calling them lunch and dinner and it's stuck. In my world, only "posh" people had supper but I guess that relates to dinner ie evening meal. If I talk about "tea time" to my children they have no idea what I am talking about!

suelld Thu 09-Feb-23 12:03:40

When young I (plus family) had breakfast … generally cereal IF I remember correctly.
We had Dinner at midday weekdays and weekends.
Tea was c. 4 pm with sandwiches and cake:
and
Supper was a milky drink and cheese and biscuits.
I didn’t have a cooked meal in the evenings until I left home!

Nowadays (aged 76) I have ‘breakfast around midday and a fullish meal at anytime between c. 7 and 9 pm . I don’t sleep well so an insomniacs routine! hmm

She777 Thu 09-Feb-23 12:36:44

We have Breakfast, Dinner and Tea. My husband has steadily been promoted through his jobs and has gone from calling it dinner to Lunch and Dinner for tea. He’s been told to calm down with his airs and graces lol 😂