I have had the most amazing couple of weeks when it comes to finding vintage Ladybird treasure. So much so that I have a pile of six new titles sat here on my desk waiting to be written about, and that’s in addition to the shelves full upstairs. The book that caused the biggest response when I posted a picture of it on Instagram is the one I’m going to feature though – Packed Lunches.
Forget your modern day Bento Box lunch that everyone’s busy posting photos of all over social media – we’re very much talking 1980s packed lunches here as this book was published in 1983. It’s part of series 824 which featured several coking books. I’ve already found a copy of Cooking with Mother, but I’m desperate to get my hands on Making and Decorating Cakes and Party Food. All the books just have a glorious 80s feel to them and they remind me so much of my own childhood food.
Packed Lunches is equally practical and hilarious if you know what I mean. There’s a page of “exciting” sandwich fillings which today all look rather dated and also suggestions of some 80s style garnishes too. Whilst I fully appreciate the value of a Thermos flask so I can have a cup of decent tea when out and about I also had to smile at how the book embraces what was then I think quite a new thing. I’ve seen plenty of people putting soup or sometimes pasta in them before, but the idea of using one for a baked potato or ice cream was completely new to me!
There are loads of recipes inside and I think I’m actually going to try out some of them – cowboy pies, shortcake whirls and bran loaf for sure – and I’ve actually taken away a bit of inspiration for packed lunches to take on days out with us over the summer too. Maybe I’ll try a whole picnic based on the book. The kids aren’t quite old enough to disown me quite yet!
If you have a collection of old Ladybird books then please feel free to join in with Ladybird Tuesday. There are no formal rules to follow, just leave a link to any post you write in the comments below and if you’re feeling kind link back to my Ladybird Tuesday category here on Being Mrs C. Thanks!
Fantastic! You should definitely do a themed picnic based on the book, I’d love to read about it!
I’m starting to plan one…
Ahh I remember the days when a thermos was the ‘in’ thing, I would never have thought to put a baked potato in there though
I’m now wondering if it’s a trend that should be revived, or just left well alone.
BRILLIANT! I’m rolling at the thought of putting a jacket potato in a thermos!
Me too. Did people really do that???
I love this series of posts – it is interesting to compare the then and now. I never knew that there was a packed lunches book.
Ooh – you are BRILLIANT! Love that you find these gems! *head off to put ice cream in a thermos! x
I love it! I was an eighties girl so I can so relate to that and the garnish too. What a great find and I look forward to hearing about how you get on with the recipes
I so nearly bought some retro Ladybird books today.One was about food but I proper snorted in the Oxfam looking at the photos.I would of found it hard to keep a straight face buying them.But I have been buying a few and if I get my finger out I’ll post one next week.
what a fantastic find!
Ooo this is one I’ve not seen before! Back in the day before the nanny state banned things like Twix and crisps in their lunchboxes!
I love old cookbooks. My mum has a couple of old books from East Germany and the foods range from revolting to delicious. The best thing about them is the food styling though. It’s hilarious what people found aesthetically pleasing back then 😀
… I remember reading these books in school!!!
Definitely a revival theme to start, such fun.