Thousands of children across the Isle of Man are preparing to go back to school this week.

And to mark the beginning of another academic year, we took to the streets of Douglas and asked people to share some of their favourite school dinner memories - from nostalgic favorites to culinary nightmares.

The responses we received were filled with memories, humour, and a few less than appetising recollections of what it was like to dine in the school canteen.

John Barlow recalled some of his favourite lunchtime dishes, while his son Jack told us what his favourite dinner currently is.

Jack said: ‘I like school dinners, my favourite is pizza!

‘I’m excited to go back to school.’

John added: ‘I remember my school dinners and they weren’t that good.

‘I remember the Ploughman’s lunch, that was the olden day offering, that’s all I can remember and it wasn’t too bad.

‘It was a bit grown up for the kids.

‘We had bread and butter pudding for desert, I liked that.’

Tom Baggaley and Joel Prior don’t have the best memories from their school dinners.

While Joel mostly went home for dinner, Tom really wasn’t a fan of the offerings at his school canteen.

Tom said: ‘They were horrendous, I remember cottage pie with hash browns on top, it really was horrendous.

‘I probably would go back now because what they offer now looks amazing, but back then it wasn’t.

‘I remember rice pudding for dessert, and getting bread and butter.

‘I hated every second of school.’

Joel added: ‘I had a good English teacher that I liked, but everything I learnt has gone to the back of my mind!’

Jack Smollen and Miguel Costa remember enjoying chip day, but were mostly on packed lunches as it was cheaper.

Jack said: ‘We were fat back in school, so chip day on a Friday lunchtime was great.

‘I remember running for chips, they weren’t going anywhere, but chips and cheese was good.

‘The dinner ladies were lovely, really nice people.

‘I was on packed lunch half the time, it was just cheaper.

‘I remember MacB’s for dessert, they were pretty cool, and the jam muffins with icing on top. They were good them!’

Reanna Nolan and Meisie Germishuys both said they don’t have fond memories of their school lunches.

Meisie said: ‘Some of them were alright, especially my primary school.

‘Big up Ballacottier Primary School, elite chicken pie!

‘I went to Ballakermeen for secondary school and that was questionable food, the cheese pie, I’ve got issues with that in general.

‘The chips on Friday were really good though I must say.’

Reanna added: ‘I don’t remember much about the mains, but the desserts, the brick cake brownies with dusting on top of it, I’d have them everyday they were fab.

‘The school cakes with sprinkles on top and custart were nice.’

Meisie added: ‘The poor vegetarians were forced to have a jacket potato every day, and the pasta salad just had tinned sweetcorn thrown on top!

‘I must add the teachers at Ballacottier will forever have my heart.’