If you grew up in Britain in 1979, tea time was not just about what was on the plate. It was about what was in the glass, and it was rarely water.
In most homes, children sat down to tea between 4:30pm and 5:30pm, often straight after being called in from the street. The drink placed beside the plate was usually squash, pop, or milk, depending on the household and the day of the week.
Orange squash was the everyday staple. Robinsons and Kia-Ora were common, mixed strong and poured into plastic beakers or thick ribbed glasses. There were no measuring caps. Parents judged it by colour. Too pale meant weak. Too dark meant you had used too much. In many homes, especially in the Midlands and North, squash was considered sensible and economical. A large bottle could last a week and cost far less than fizzy drinks.
Pop was a treat, but it was not rare. Panda Pops, Tizer, Cherryade and Cream Soda were widely available and cost around 8p to 12p a bottle. Some families kept them for Fridays. Others allowed one midweek if money stretched. In seaside towns and parts of London, kids often brought home a bottle from the corner shop to drink with their tea, the glass bottle clinking in their coat pocket.
Milk was still common too. Many children drank full-fat milk with their evening meal, especially if tea was something simple like egg and chips or sausages and mash. In some homes, milk was believed to help children sleep better. It was poured straight from the glass pint bottle, sometimes still cold from the doorstep delivery that morning.
What did not feature much was choice. Children drank what they were given. There were no flavoured waters, no sugar-free options, no debates about additives. If you complained, you were told to drink it or leave it.
Tea time drinks in 1979 were sweet, familiar and routine. They matched the rhythm of the day. Played out, called in, washed hands, sat down. The same glass. The same drink. Night after night.
And somehow, everyone remembers exactly how it tasted…
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