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Historically Accurate Lunch Facts

On occasion students and teachers participating in our Stuhr Museum H.A.T.S. Program wish to participate in an historically accurate lunch experience. Since the time reference for the Day at the Rural School is 1888 the following information is being made available for those individuals who wish to prepare a common meal that might be found in a student’s lunch pail.

It is important to note the time of year as refrigeration as we know it today was not available and even foods found on this sheet would be available only during certain seasons.

The common lunch would be made of leftovers from the meals of the previous day.

[Sandwiches were not as common as today, however should you desire one, the following ingredients would be acceptable.]

- Whole wheat bread
- Lard
- Butter
- Butter and sugar
- Mustard
- Cheese
- Headcheese or souse
- Cold bacon
- Sausage
- Jelly
- Fried egg
- Lettuce

- Cold fried chicken
- Cold fried wild game
- Chunks of cheese
- Cold cornbread
- Cold Biscuits
- Graham crackers
- Pancakes (rolled with jelly or sugar)
- Hard boiled eggs
- Dried fruit
- Cold sauerkraut
- Cold boiled or baked potato
- Pickles
- Pop corn
- Seasonal fruit
- Applesauce
- Pudding (no plastic storage)
- Cookies
- Cake
- Pie
- Doughnuts
- Apple Turnovers
- Kolaches

- Peanut butter
- Lunch meats
- Lunchables

Storage for these items would be best in a paper sack or a tin pail, such as a sterilized paint can. The food may be wrapped in muslin, a bandanna or even waxed paper which was invented in 1872.

It was common for students to bring potatoes or other items to be roasted on the coals of the stove. However, this is not possible in our Rural School.

School lunches that are accurate are not required, but we hope if you should choose to prepare an accurate meal that you will enjoy the planning as much as the eating of your 1888 school lunch.