It's something I still cannot handle in The North – the reference to lucnh as dinner.

However, since all of them (even the posh ones) consider themselves to be working class or at the very least one step removed from the pit, then I will allow them "tea".

Low tea – what the landed gentry have at around 4pm after a hard afternoon shooting peasants.

High tea – what working class people who don't have time for sandwiches without their crusts at 4pm would eat after returning from work.

More information on "tea" here.

So, roughly speaking, the use of lunch, tea and dinner largely refers to one's class or class aspirations.

Breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, supper – artistocrats
Breakfast, lunch, dinner – middle class
Breakfast, dinner, tea – working class

I am a suthener who has moved tup north and i finaly understand this.

Dinner is traditonaly the hot/main meal of the day.

Up north the main meal was eaten at mid day as they spent a hard day doing hard work. Then they would come home to a smaller meal a exactly 5:00 and supper later.

Down south as we did less phisical work we had a light lunch at mid day then dinner in the evening with the family traditionaly later than 5:00

us kool kids like to get our eat on, all the rest of you are old, my gran used the word supper.

willard – Member
Supper. Unless it involves putting on a Dinner Jacket or mess dress, in which case it is a dinner.

Tea is a drink, of which the act of drinking maywill involve biscuits.
That's better isn't it 😉

Oblique is correct:

Breakfast.

Luncheon.

High Tea at 1630. (Cake and biccies)

Supper.

Dinner is by definition the main meal of the day, so for many it could be eaten at lunch time.

I have evening Dinner at formal occasions or when out.

I've never had a packed dinner though…

The Flying Ox – Member
I think it depends on where you're eating. At our house:

Lunch is at midday, and is eaten out.
Dinner is at midday, and is eaten at home.
Dinner is in the evening, and is eaten out.
Tea is in the evening, and is eaten at home.

Slight variation, I use these terms depending whether i'm in work or at home…

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Tiffin…

Tiffin is lunch, or any light meal. It originated in British India, and is today found primarily in Indian English.[1] The word originated when Indian custom superseded the British practice of an afternoon dinner, leading to a new word for the afternoon meal

Breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, supper – artistocrats
Breakfast, lunch, dinner – middle class
Breakfast, dinner, tea – working class

Wrong.
Breakfast, lunch, supper/dinner = aristos + southern England
Breakfast, dinner, tea = non aristos + northern England and Scotland

For us its breakfast, lunch, supper unless we are eating out in which case it's dinner.

Edit – tea is something you have around 3:30 and is a cup/mug of tea plus an appropriate sweet commestible

How many restaurants, sandwich bars etc advertise a dinner menu when they mean lunch? It's always lunch menu

I'm throwing another one in here – is it:

Pudding
Sweet
Dessert

?

I'm throwing another one in here – is it:

Pudding
Sweet
Dessert

That's easy. The answer is dessert, because the final course might not be either sweet or a pudding

Beaten to tiffin by 18 mins. 😆

Breakfast.
Lunch.
Dinner.

Tea is a drink.

Pudding is hot and baked and has custard.

Dessert is cold.

Sweet is what is on the menu in restaurants, or the trolley even.

No class indicators there !

Pudding is hot and baked and has custard.

Dessert is cold.

Sweet is what is on the menu in restaurants, or the trolley even.

So when you ask "what's for pudding?" is "a yoghourt" a correct answer? (Even if apple crumble and custard would of course be a better one 🙂 )

No.

For a start, it's yoghurt. The correct reply is "we are having dessert today dear not pudding now take this yoghurt and enjoy it".

Tea (Cuppa)
Breakfast
2nd breakfast
Early moning snack (cake)
Mid-morining snack (Possibly cake)
Elevenses (To include cake)
Lunch or dinner (Depending on the type of meal)
Desert
Tea & Cake
Early afternoon snack (Cake)
Afternoon tea (possible cake, or scones depending on location and availability)
High tea (Sarnies and cake)
Tea (Definate cake)
Dinner or tea, depending on the type of meal (possible desert)
Early evening snack (Maybe a bun)
Supper (Usually the same as breakfast)
Late evening snack (Bedtime cake)
Midnight snack (Cake if any left)

This leaves time for cake baking in the PM, with the mandatory licking out of the mixing bowl.

Is there ANYTHING better than cake? I suspect not. 😀

So when you ask "what's for pudding?" is "a yoghourt" a correct answer?

No. Not on your nelly. Yoghurt is for washing desert down. Desert is something like pie, crumble or steamed sponge pudding. ALWAYS with custard. 🙂

Cake does not count as desert.

Cake exists purely in it's own right, as a revered thing of beauty and tastyness. Fact.

Is there ANYTHING better than cake? I suspect not

The aforementioned apple crumble and custard, for starters. Though cake is pretty good.

I see your apple crumbe and custard and raise you steamed ginger and golden syrup sponge pudding. With custard.

Beware. I haven't played my ace card yet…. 8)

PS

Mrs PP has a secret crumble recipe. It remains undefeated.

Pudding !!!! <keels over at other choices>