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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:
FluffyRabbitGal · 02/09/2025 18:37

Sounds delicious! I’d be thrilled if they wanted to start making pack up too. Everything you’ve mentioned I would happily have eaten as a child and could easily feed mine with.

PyongyangKipperbang · 02/09/2025 18:36

When DD2 was still in primary she got really into Japanese culture so for a months she would take a proper japanese bento complete with sushi and chopsticks. I daresay some would judge us for that but we enjoyed making it and it was healthy. DD1 loved smoked salmon so would have that if it was on offer.

Dont see the issue personally. Better than turning up with just one packet of crisps, which is what some kids get sent with.

Chickenintheoven · 02/09/2025 18:36

What a mean spirited and bitter OP.

if the kids had turkey twizzlers and a twix bar - parents would be judged for giving rubbish foods.

These parents dared to feed their child a healthy, nutritious lunch and it’s judged as being ‘extravagant’

What business is it of a TA to be judging like this ? it’s really horrible to think that a ‘professional’ has nothing better than to mock a child’s lunch box .

what a sad world we live in when someone is judged for providing a good lunch for their child.

Laserwho · 02/09/2025 18:34

I used to bake my own quiche for the kids to have in their packed lunch. I never thought this was wrong. Huh, silly me 😏

nam3c4ang3 · 02/09/2025 18:34

Sounds pretty normal to me if the child eats like that at home - you on the other hand sound judgemental and rude, I hope youre not my kids TA. My child sometimes asks for sashimi and sushi as a Friday treat for school - so what? Would you rather him eat snickers and Pom bears? And we wonder why some of our kids are obese.

ScribblingPixie · 02/09/2025 18:32

That's just good nutrition. Have you ever seen pictures of French school dinners?

youve987456 · 02/09/2025 18:32

Yabu mostly because they are packed lunches not pack lunch.

LaughingCat · 02/09/2025 18:30

legrandcolbert · 02/09/2025 17:54

Given it's now 2025, quiche, focaccia, salmon are all pretty standard fare. Now, if you were taking about blinis, sour cream and a little caviar, I might see where you are coming from. But a slice of quiche? Hell no 😂

As an aside, in the 80s/early 90s, if I had to take sandwiches to school, usually on a school trip, it was always a smoked salmon beigel. Why? Because as a Jewish family, we did not have bread rolls, we had beigels. Instead of the more typical sandwich fillings as cheese, ham, sandwich spread, we had smoked salmon. It wasn't extravagant, it was what was available at our local Jewish deli, and what we ate without a second thought.

This - not Jewish but grew up in a very Jewish area and usually went in with smoked salmon and dill bagels. Bit of cracked black pepper and a slice of lemon to finish off. Or I’d have gefilte fish balls with aubergine dip. Brisket or steak also made it in there.

It’s my comfort food now, when I need cheering up!

whyyyyyisitmonddayy · 02/09/2025 18:30

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.

Children should be exposed to this stuff though, at least they won’t be a picky eater. I was always sent in with fresh soups, warm hot dogs, pastries, home made snacks. Olives, hummus, and sushi being absolutely my favourite. I’m now a very non-picky eater. I love game, raw fish, unusual bits and bobs, I’ll try anything except frogs and snails

nosleepforme · 02/09/2025 18:26

Ugh. Leave the kid alone. That’s a really well balanced healthy meal. I wish I could send something like that. What’s wrong with it? And why are you complaining about it?! Don’t see you complaining about the crap unhealthy lunch, or the kids whose mums forgot.

rainbowlou · 02/09/2025 18:23

That sounds completely normal for a child’s lunchbox, certainly where I work.

In another school there was a Year 3 pupil who regularly had a little pot of caviar in his, and a poor girl who was given a fried egg sandwich every day that had been sweating all morning wrapped in foil, it was a soggy, smelly mess by lunchtime 🙈

ALunchbox · 02/09/2025 18:23

It's healthy. Surely better than a ham sandwich and a pack or crisps? Also, if the family cook that at night, it makes easy leftovers. I find your attitude and poor lack of nutrition knowledge rather concerning tbh.

Thedevilhasfinallycaughtupwithhim · 02/09/2025 18:18

You seem jealous.

gracielooloo · 02/09/2025 18:18

I work in a school Nursery and some children bring packed lunches, there was one wee girl a couple of years ago who had lunches like you describe we as staff were always jealous as it looked amazing.
I had a meeting with her Mum one day and jokingly asked if she’d make my lunch too, would rather see a lunch like that than some of the processed stuff that make up most lunch packs!

CathyFitzs · 02/09/2025 18:16

What a horrible criticism of a delicious lunch box! I hope with all my heart none of my children go to your school. The families can obviously never please you no matter what they do

Port1aCastis · 02/09/2025 18:14

How does aTA know if folks have paid their mortgage off or not. I'm thinking wow it sounds like a journo not a TA. I really hope TAs don't know personal information about Parents finances.

CeciliaDuckiePond · 02/09/2025 18:14

Joining for inspiration on lunches I could take to work.

Merrymouse · 02/09/2025 18:13

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.

Bet it looks great on instagram!

If somebody enjoys putting the lunch together and the child eats it, it seems pretty harmless.

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.

NancyBellaDonna · 02/09/2025 18:09

Sounds like a good healthy lunch to me. Why be so sneery?

ForsterMcLennan · 02/09/2025 18:08

DarkPassenger1 · 02/09/2025 14:47

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

💯

MushMonster · 02/09/2025 18:08

That is quite normal. Where are you seeing the problem?

NewHere83 · 02/09/2025 18:07

KillerMounjaro · 02/09/2025 14:32

Sounds really nice and that the child is well looked after, has a balanced diet and eats great variety of foods happily.

I suppose you’d rather they brought in a Lunchables and a packet of Wotsits?

It’s “packed lunch” as well, not a “pack lunch.”

Thanks god someone called that out, it was really irritating

ForsterMcLennan · 02/09/2025 18:07

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.

nothing I hate more than reverse food snobbery.

SummerCanDoOne · 02/09/2025 18:05

Someone's been watching Tyler Yan

https://www.facebook.com/share/1BDuZMAZAM/?mibextid=wwXIfr