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AIBU?

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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:
sugarapplelane · 02/09/2025 20:37

Sounds yummy to me. Better than a lunchable or slice of plastic cheese

Leilaandtheloggerheads · 02/09/2025 20:35

YABU for calling it a “pack lunch”, it’s packed!

I have no rational reason why this riles me so much, it has the same effect as people who called mashed potato “mash potato” 😂

But yeah, stop judging the kids food. Sounds healthier than most packed lunches, might ask kid’s mum to make my lunch for work! 🤣

OneKhakiFish · 02/09/2025 20:33

Sounds like a lovely nutritional packed lunch, don't know where the problem is!

BitOutOfPractice · 02/09/2025 20:32

PebbleBeach1234 · 02/09/2025 18:10

I doubt this is even real given that most schools have only been open again for 2 days at most, and op hasn't come back.

OPs not coming back is at epidemic levels in mn these last few months. It’s really making me wonder how many OPs are genuine.

Ilovesandwiches · 02/09/2025 20:31

what a strange post???

beautifuldaytosavelives · 02/09/2025 20:30

YABU (as are so many others on other threads) to call it a ‘pack lunch’. It is a packed lunch, ie a lunch that is packed. Sounds tasty though, better than my own lunch!

Yerdug · 02/09/2025 20:30

Good. Better than the disgusting slop served with no care or nutrition by most achool lunch providers commissioned by LAs. Let the kids enjoy their bloody food. Mine have chorizo and haloumi kebabs tomorrow and hummus and pitta. And so what?

Douchey · 02/09/2025 20:29

This post is all kinds of weird. Processed food is awful, and you're judging for parents doing better? Wow. Maybe time for a career change. Ps. Quiche is basic, cant even fathom why that would be an issue for you.

Thingyfanding · 02/09/2025 20:25

My son loves salmon and avocado bagels. Is it really that different from tuna and cucumber in a roll?

LittleMyLabyrinth · 02/09/2025 20:18

I WISH my little boy would eat a lunch like this instead of insisting on subsisting entirely on jam sandwiches and crackers! :(

Also I am not wealthy, or with loads of free time, but my DS has a bento-style box for his lunch. If I have to do this extra chore, I might as well make it fun for myself (and him).

Miriabelle · 02/09/2025 20:17

Sounds like a pretty normal lunch to me. Why is there an assumption that children should eat cheap basic food? Why shouldn’t a child have decent food if they will eat it? It probably is leftovers or cost no more than many processed foods aimed at kids like lunchables, cheese strings or corner yogurts etc. which are actually more expensive per lunch than cooking from scratch or buying salmon or steak for use in several meals.

NoVibrato · 02/09/2025 20:13

That's why they call them The Leader of the Pack(ed)..

Animatic · 02/09/2025 20:13

I put salmon cream cheese bagels in my Dr's lunchbox as it's the only sandwich he would eat.

Invinoveritaz · 02/09/2025 20:11

Do I detect a hint of Inverted snobbery?

LhudeSingCuccu · 02/09/2025 20:10

I don’t think that’s absurd or over the top at all.

Our children are grown, but they still fondly recall that their dad used to make them really good packed lunches full of variety and deliciousness. It’s the kids with cheese strings and a ham sandwich that I feel are missing out.

stargirl1701 · 02/09/2025 20:04

The worst packed lunch I ever saw was a pack of ASDA biscuits spilt between twins.

Closely behind that might be cold leftover McDonald’s Happy Meal.

I fully support FSM in Primary Schools as a policy. It’s currently P1-P5 here.

Baital · 02/09/2025 20:02

I agree it is very sad that some children don't get a healthy lunch, often because of poverty, sometimes because of lack.of knowledge or lack of care.

BountifulPantry · 02/09/2025 20:02

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

You should also know it’s packed lunch. Not pack lunch.

AquaShark · 02/09/2025 19:59

I have absolutely sent my child into school with a cream cheese and smoked salmon bagel.
Why not, if they enjoy it?
I aim for a balanced meal with a carb & protein main , some veg and fruit. (It doesnt just have to ge a sandwich). And I focus on what my child enjoy and will eat all of and don't worry what anyone else takes for their lunch

Baital · 02/09/2025 19:59

Since secondary a food flask has more than paid for itself - pasta and home made tomato sauce, stir fry with noodles, hearty soups, leftovers etc loads of quick, easy, cheap and healthy foods.

Need to get back into.it now school is starting!

Emmz1510 · 02/09/2025 19:59

Might sometimes be leftovers from previous nights dinner. It does sound extravagant but who cares? I’d love if it my kid ate that kind of thing. Some parents get stick for sending in stuff that isn’t healthy/varied enough. Can’t win.

CoffeeLipstickKeys · 02/09/2025 19:57

Yes. You’re right they should have puddle water and turkey ham on bread

Imisscoffee2021 · 02/09/2025 19:56

Sounds nice and easy to put together tbh, good balanced good. The existence of a balanced and perhaps slightly extra packed lunch isn't a comment on the lunches there

lIlII · 02/09/2025 19:55

Good eating habits and getting kids into whole foods not upf type thing is a good thing and not extravagant, it should be the norm.

Gee63 · 02/09/2025 19:52

TheArtfulNavyDreamer · 02/09/2025 19:16

My daughter packs her own bento box and would include these things if the ingredients were available in the fridge or we had leftover quiche etc. It usually includes some form of hummus/dip with veg sticks, fruit salad, pasta salad or wrap. She’s really into brie and rye bread at present so you might think I was over the top too but she makes it all herself.

OP isn’t coming back I don’t think. I would love a thread of “extravagant (or just a bit different) pack lunch” ideas. I would buy the cookbook!