Dinner or tea?

If it has gravy on it, it is dinner.

I’m a southerner so for us it is breakfast, lunch and dinner. Dinner being main meal in the evening between 19.00 and 20.00. Although retired we still eat at the times we would whilst working.

Dinner at 5 pm.

Sometimes earlier in winter, so its late lunch.

Is there a north/south divide in this? One of my daughters calls their evening meal ‘tea’, which to me means bread and butter and cake at 4o’clock, which is what I had during childhood. My own children also had the same.
Daughter’s partner is from Birmingham. Do all midlanders call dinner ‘tea’?

Macadia. Have you still got your grandma knitted teddy. He sounds so sweet. Hooray another supper at sixer.

*warmed milk

I never had dinner my whole life. We had supper around 6 and that was the main cooked meal of the day: beef roast, potatoes and peas or something like that. My dog got my lima beans under the table cloth. Lunch was fresh bread and butter, also fruit, around noon. Mid day - tea and toast or a biscuit. Breakfast - always porridge with cream or a soft boiled egg and toast. Watmed milk with vanilla before bed and sent with a just filled hot water bottle. My grandma-knitted teddy would be waiting for me on his side of the bed with his head on our shared pillow. (Southwest).

My parents were quite posh and to be honest snobbish and we called the midday meal lunch; tea was an afternoon cup of tea with sandwiches and cakes, and the evening meal was supper. Dinner was a 'special' evening meal.

Babs03

My old mum would have sugar sandwiches, not sure if anyone else knows of this, or perhaps was just something she did. Slices of bread spread with margarine and then sprinkled liberally with sugar and eaten.
I preferred jam.

I remember those, bread and hot milk as well. We weren't well off but well fed. Although some would dispute that with the type of food, but it was food and we were grateful for it.

Brought up in the south west of Scotland and we had breakfast, lunch, dinner, tea and supper. Tea was the main meal - two course - around 5pm. My LH who cane from down south could not believe it when we then tucked into sandwiches, biscuits, etc for supper about three hours after tea! We do like our food!

My old mum would have sugar sandwiches, not sure if anyone else knows of this, or perhaps was just something she did. Slices of bread spread with margarine and then sprinkled liberally with sugar and eaten.
I preferred jam.

As someone else said it can cause confusion. My sister invited someone for supper while I was staying , intending a cooked meal . The guests had already eaten a meal and only wanted a cup of tea. We were very hungry!!!!

Yes - after in Lancashire as well. It could be Apple or rhubarb pie/crumble with custard or more often rice pudding cooked with whole milk in the oven long and slow. Real comfort food

We called it the same as the OP here in Birmingham.

SuperTinny

Here in the South West we had dinner at midday and tea at 5pm ish. Pudding/dessert was always referred to as 'afters'!

Yes, we only ever called it 'afters', this would be a bit of tinned fruit with evaporated milk, rice pudding, or something called 'milk jelly' in our house.

Here in the South West we had dinner at midday and tea at 5pm ish. Pudding/dessert was always referred to as 'afters'!

Meant to add - Lancashire life 🌞

In my childhood, Breakfast toast / porridge, then mid day meal was dinner and substantial. We had tea about 6 pm when dad came in from work. A substantial meat \fish and two veg meal. Everyone was in for that. Even playing out we magically knew 5n- 5.30pm and ran home
Supper was toast, biscuits or home made fruit cake with warm milk before bed.

In my children’s childhood, breakfast of cereal/toast, lunch often home made soup or salad. Dinner/tea the main meal served at 6pm by whichever parent cooked it. Teenagers had to be in for tea/dinner at six if they hadn’t pre-arranged or phoned by 5pm.

👍🏻 good info

Oreo

Breakfast, dinner, tea, supper if you were lucky.
Just to further confuse, any wedding spread is called breakfast no matter at what time of day.

Apparently couples back before the 17th century, pre-reformation, would fast before getting married because the wedding service was seen as a form of holy communion and they wanted to receive the sacrament. Therefore after the wedding they could break their fast.

tattygran14

Breakfast, lunch, tea or dinner interchangeable.
I really dislike the word supper.

Sing for your supper?😄

Breakfast, dinner, tea, supper if you were lucky.
Just to further confuse, any wedding spread is called breakfast no matter at what time of day.

Breakfast, lunch, tea or dinner interchangeable.
I really dislike the word supper.

As a southerner, in the evening it was tea, if it was a tea meal( bread etc) and dinner if it was the main meal.

It’s definitely a north south divide I’m from south and had my dinner at 6oc. My partner is from Durham and has tea at 6oc.
We’ve had many a discussion over it so we all agree to disagree now.