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Original poster

Extravagant Pack Lunches

535 replies

Diadrie · 02/09/2025 14:27

I am a TA in a primary school in the middle of a town, real mixed background from families who are mortgage free making well into 6 figures and families living in council homes, earning minimum wage.

As part of my job I supervise the infants half at lunchtime and I have seen the more absurd pack lunches recently from one child. It’s a bento box format, very normal fruit and veg, then greek yogurt and compote, a dip (guacamole/tzatziki/hummus). The main is really star of the show though with: salmon and cream cheese bagel, steak and onion focaccia sandwich, quiche Lorraine etc.

I’m now sat thinking what a totally over the top pack lunches recently for a 5 year old, admittedly the child does finish it, but salmon and steak in children’s pack lunches??

AIBU thinking this is totally over the top, extravagant and slightly absurd.

OP posts:
UpUpAwayz · 02/09/2025 14:57

Sorry OP I think YABVU and you’re going to get your arse handed to you on here. Sounds like you’re being an inverse snob, are you maybe jealous that these kids eat things that yours never would have? Or at the money these lunches must cost?

InMyShowgirlEra · 02/09/2025 14:56

I saw something a while ago about how somewhere in South East Asia there was a joke trend to make a "Western lunch" because they think it's tragic how awful our packed lunches are.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with a child having a decent meal for lunch instead of a sad ham sandwich.

Unfortunately, my child will only eat sad ham sandwiches so I am stuck giving her those.

HelenaWaiting · 02/09/2025 14:56

YABU for calling a packed lunch "a pack lunch".

JambonetFromage · 02/09/2025 14:56

What is exactly is the issue if the parent has the resources (time, money) to make a decent packed lunch, and the child is happy to eat it.

Mine will only eat the cheapest packet ham on the cheapest white bread with a side order of wotsits. I'd cry with joy if they'd eat a steak and onion focaccia and guacamole.

PosiePetal · 02/09/2025 14:56

Parents can't win, can they? Put the tiniest biscuit known to man in a child's packed lunch and receive a note home yet salmon in a bagel is too 'extravagant'.

I think it's no-one else's business except the child and their family.

Also it isn't 'absurd'; it's commendable.

IfHeWantedToHeWould · 02/09/2025 14:55

I would quite frankly love it if my children ate those in their lunch box.

You clearly haven’t seen some of the bonkers bento boxes on tik tok or instagram.

MyMilchick · 02/09/2025 14:55

Sounds delicious Judgy McJudgerson

SaladAndChipsForTea · 02/09/2025 14:54

As opposed to what? The processed, reconstituted Billy Bear ham we grew up with?

I think its absurd for you to bash parents feeding a healthy diet because you think the parents have ideas above their station.

Apfelkuchen · 02/09/2025 14:52

Normal here. I’d be judgemental if a 5yr old rocked up with a £1 bag of Tesco doughnuts for their school lunch (true story)

And it’s a ‘packed’ lunch, not ‘pack’ lunch 🥪

LilacRos · 02/09/2025 14:52

The idea of someone "supervising" my child's packed lunch or pack up would fill me with rage.
It all sounds perfectly fine to me though my child would not have eaten it.
There is absolutely no point in any parent sending food that will not be eaten.

ForLoveNotMoney · 02/09/2025 14:51

What was your lunch @Diadrie?

jettisoned · 02/09/2025 14:51

Mine would have eaten any of that although they weren't fans of sandwiches so would have gone with the quiche. They also had pasta, arancini, felafel, homemade chicken nuggets, salad, berries etc.

Any of your examples are better than processed ham or a jam sandwich. What do you think would be an ideal lunch box?

Complet · 02/09/2025 14:51

I can’t see what’s odd about a sandwich and some yoghurt or a slice of quiche?!! They sound like pretty standard packed lunches, even back in the 80s/90s when I used to bring one to school!

FamBae · 02/09/2025 14:51

I think you're jealouse op.

Nowdontmakeamess · 02/09/2025 14:51

LeopardPrintLipstick · 02/09/2025 14:44

When I was a TA I saw children sent in with some sorry looking lunches, mint sauce on mouldy bread, a single fromage frais and a half eaten burger were among the worst ones. A child being sent to school with a healthy, filling lunch shouldn’t be seen as over the top or extravagant it should be the norm!

Why on earth wouldn’t the parents let them have a FSM instead??

BluntPlumHam · 02/09/2025 14:50

Op this is a normal packed lunch and sounds like left overs from dinner which is fine. If I saw that I’d smile because you know the child most likely has a loving parent behind the scenes. Feeding your children home cooked, effort filled and nutritious meals should be a core responsibility of a parent as well as an act of love.

Addictforanex · 02/09/2025 14:50

DarkPassenger1 · 02/09/2025 14:30

It's interesting that you judge a packed lunch that a parent has clearly put some effort into. What's your thoughts on the packed lunches where it's a jam sandwich, bag of Pom Bears, Twix and juice?

This

LesCigaresVolants · 02/09/2025 14:50
  1. There's nothing weird or over the top about that food.
  2. Why are you poking about in children's lunchboxes?
WhiteRosesInMyDreams · 02/09/2025 14:49

I’m a TA in a primary school and would think - yum!

Far better than a solitary cold Greggs sausage roll (which I saw last term).

ThriveAT · 02/09/2025 14:48

Diadrie · 02/09/2025 14:27

I am a TA in a primary school in the middle of a town, real mixed background from families who are mortgage free making well into 6 figures and families living in council homes, earning minimum wage.

As part of my job I supervise the infants half at lunchtime and I have seen the more absurd pack lunches recently from one child. It’s a bento box format, very normal fruit and veg, then greek yogurt and compote, a dip (guacamole/tzatziki/hummus). The main is really star of the show though with: salmon and cream cheese bagel, steak and onion focaccia sandwich, quiche Lorraine etc.

I’m now sat thinking what a totally over the top pack lunches recently for a 5 year old, admittedly the child does finish it, but salmon and steak in children’s pack lunches??

AIBU thinking this is totally over the top, extravagant and slightly absurd.

What would you rather have them eat - a fish finger sandwich with crisps. Good on them for investing jn their child's health and hibing them real food.

SkeletonBatsflyatnight · 02/09/2025 14:48

My "picky" dc2 (aged 7) sometimes has smoked salmon and cream cheese bagels for lunch at school. She won't eat ham or non melted cheese sandwiches. She would eat jam but I don't want her having that regularly.

She will eat Greek yogurt with apple slices, raisins and compote. She won't eat most flavoured yogurts aimed at kids.

She had a half of a red dragonfruit yesterday.

There is no point me sending them with stuff they won't eat.

SoftPillow · 02/09/2025 14:47

It’s not really extravagant is it? Salmon costs about the same as decent ham. It takes no longer to put cream cheese on a bagel than butter on some bread. Cream cheese can be cheaper than butter.

Quiche is probably left over, as with steak.

Focaccia is fancier but just bread.

I would be more worried about the kids going hungry, or eating only junk, than those happily eating decent healthy food.

DarkPassenger1 · 02/09/2025 14:47

btw OP it's 'packed lunch'. Not 'pack lunch'. Surprised you don't know this as a TA.

RealEagle · 02/09/2025 14:47

LizzieSiddal · 02/09/2025 14:46

As a TA in a PS you should not be

  1. posting about children on SM
  2. judging children’s packed lunches

Agree

LizzieSiddal · 02/09/2025 14:46

As a TA in a PS you should not be

  1. posting about children on SM
  2. judging children’s packed lunches
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