A former Soviet dining room worker explained why the dishes tasted so bad

It is often said that in Soviet times people ate better. Like, there was no chemistry, everything was exceptionally real and delicious. That's why Soviet They were on both sides with great pleasure. But was that really the case?

The canteens, in which Soviet citizens regularly had to eat, did not always offer delicious food. Although the dishes themselves were quite successful, and many housewives later often cooked them at home. However, in the canteens, no one wanted to ask for supplements. Why is that?



To free workers from the need to idle at home at the stove, the Soviet catering offered many options: eateries, cafes, restaurants and, of course, dining rooms. The latter option was the most popular. It was here that kindergarteners, schoolchildren, students, workers, and even bachelors ate...

Women could not stand at the stove, and simply took a ready lunch in the dining room and brought home to feed the family. It is also worth saying that a snack in a spacious hall, where it smells delicious, is much more interesting than cooking and eating food in a cramped communal room or barracks.



You could have breakfast and lunch in the dining room. Dinner was not possible because the dining rooms were already closed by the evening. Strong drinks were not sold here either, so fans of hot drinks had to look for other establishments.

And although in the dining room it was quite possible to get enough, having eaten a complex lunch, but not all dishes were tasty. This is largely due to the constant desire to save money by replacing expensive products with cheaper ones. The freshness of some ingredients was questionable. The main principle was “people should be full, the rest is secondary”.



Not very good Soviet food

1. Milk soup
   In kindergarten, this dish was not complete. And if some children liked such a milk soup, others could not stand it. It doesn't look too appetizing, but that's half the trouble. Often the milk burned, which made the dish unsuitable for consumption. But, of course, it was put on the table without any doubt. Although with proper preparation, with the addition of sugar and butter, this soup is quite tasty.
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. Mashed potatoes
   To make puree moderately liquid, not milk or liquid sour cream was added here, but simply water, in which this potato was cooked. Not the best way to make a popular dish. However, workers who had to work hard for many hours ate such a watery barbecue without question.
3. Cutlets
   Someone today with nostalgia remembers Soviet cutlets. They even try to make the same dish in their kitchen. Although the secret of those cutlets is quite simple - it was necessary to add more bread to the mince, and onions. If the mince was not the first freshness, then added a lot of garlic to beat the smell. The price of 11 kopecks apiece here seems to speak for itself.
   
   
   
   
4. omelet
   Everyone wanted to taste French cuisine. But in the Soviet canteens it was easy to do without spices, but they emphasized the pomp of the omelet. A couple of eggs were sold with a mixer, milk was added. And although the final dish was high, dense and resembled a sponge for washing dishes, but it saturated even a hungry adult. Although such a delicious omelet is difficult to call.
5. A sprat in a tomato
   These canned food became a symbol of the era. Even in the most difficult times, the sprat remained on sale (and was inexpensive). It could be eaten simply with bread, and could be added to a variety of dishes. For example, boiled some potatoes and added a sprat in tomatoes. A hearty snack was ready.
   
   
   
   

Of course, some people remember with tenderness. Sovietprepared according to strict GOST. Others about sprat or milk soup can not even think without shuddering. Write in the comments what dishes you remember the most.