In those days, you had to turn in your tray clean of leftovers for a dessert plate. No desert if you had leftovers.
It was amazing what we could stuff in those empty cartons. Once in awhile, there was one of those lunch ladies who was so mean (and so good) she could tell by the thud which milk cartons were stuffed full. She would fish them out of the trash, empty them out and tell you to finish it up if you wanted desert.
Wow! LOL!
I think the cartons might be taller but smaller sides so more cartons fit on a tray from the truck.At least that would make sense.
They hold a cup of milk. They used to look like a chopped off quart but they now have them taller and thinner which makes it easier for kids to open and hold.