Children eating packed lunch outside?

Maybe your child put the soup down open out of the teachers view.

Sorry but why are you packing soup for a primary school child's lunch - of course it's going to be knocked over. Even if they were in a hall. There are clumsy children about.

My child’s school used to do this, they sat in the shade, were supervised and the children loved it, in fact more brought in packed lunches. It was more work for the lunchtime supervisors but they were happy to do it. Then the fun sponge parents got involved and complained so the Head stopped it. Schools can’t win.

Can't see the issue. It's always been the case in primary schools and a huge treat. In Europe they eat outside every day. Tbh I think it's strange you send hot soup for lunch.

Worst thing that happened to me was eating a wasp when I was about 8. Luckily I didn't swallow it but it sung the inside of my mouth multiple times and I didn't actually know what was happening at first. I remember thinking my mouth was falling apart.

Normal in New Zealand. We don't have school canteen. On rainy days we eat in our class.

I’m with you op.
I’ve nothing against al fresco dining but it should be properly supervised and sat at a table to ensure children are getting adequate nourishment, before they run around and play.
I’m from a generation where you sit at a table to eat… I gather that’s a dying tradition though.

Food tastes better outside does it not?

The issue isn’t the eating outside.

the issue sounds like your child putting lunch down unattended or getting distracted and not eating it.

Similar here, I went to school in a country where there were no school dinners or dining halls (and no canteen either). Throughout my schooling kids bought packed lunches and ate them sitting on the ground. We all turned out fine and know how to sit and eat at tables too😁.

In Australia there were no tables & chairs or indoor eating area. In primary school we took our lunchbox or the lunch we had ordered from the canteen out into the playground & sat on the ground or a bench if you were quick enough. In Highschool each friendship group had their spot in the playground where they had gathered together whatever garden benches they could drag together & that is where they sat. If it was too wet we ate in a classroom.

I do think a snack approach should be taken to lunchboxes

I only provide stuff that's easy to eat, and what they'll actually eat. I also never include grapes or cherry tomatoes as I cannot particularly imagine them sitting still to eat them

Its quite common for kids to eat packed lunches outside. Think picnic think kids on the go etc. They will eat im sure if hungry. Soup given that its outside food on the go is probably not a good idea. just go for quick nibble things easy to eat on the move. Its the same at secondary school except not really anywhere to sit down either. In winter a hall or classroom is available to eat lunches but lets face it schools are not relaxing places for eating period. I remember eating on the field in summer and eating in a classroom when the weather was bad. I think id just change the food rather than make a fuss with school

My kid's school had a lovely shaded area where they could picnic. The Lunch Time Supervisors wouldn't let children run off and play until they'd shown they'd eaten their lunch. Soup isn't a safe option for a school lunch as it involves hot liquids and glass. I'm surprised that the school is okay with that.

They did this (lunch in the gardens) at my son’s prep school whenever the weather was nice enough in the summer term. They had to sit down to eat though, then when finished could go off to the field or playground to play.

I can remember eating lunch outside as a tiddler at school and it feeling lovely and summery. I think we had picnic benches outside but it was a very tiny school.

I used to find lunch times really stressful at school. Being worried about seating arrangements and dinner ladies shouting and forcing you to finish. It was an awful environment.

I have a weirdly vivid memory of eating a tuna paté sandwich and a Babybel outside in the sun-drenched playground/field area when I was in primary school in the early 90s. Sitting on a wall thing. Happy times.

So .. they're just wandering round eating?

Surely they are sitting somewhere

People seem to be very blasé about choking - perhaps I am unfairly skewed the opposite way because I unfortunately lost a family member to choking.

I don’t care whether my children eat indoors or outdoors, but I would be very unimpressed if it wasn’t ensured they were seated to eat their food.

I never had my lunch outside in primary school and AFAIK at my child’s school they always eat indoors. So I am surprised by how many say it’s normal.

As I say, many people are incredibly blasé about choking. I once had a friend who’s 3yo choked on a grape as she didn’t cut them. Luckily he survived. A week or so after, she told me this story a her house whilst her son was sat on the sofa next to us… eating uncut grapes. She said “clearly he’s not very good at eating them, and so he has to learn”. The mind boggles!

This is usually because there isn't enough room or seating in the canteen for the entire school to eat.

In poor weather, there isn't much choice other than to stagger lunches and/ or have children queuing, thereby missing a significant amount of playtime. Or, some children will have to eat in classrooms if no other seating space available.

When the weather is fair a large proportion of children can simply eat outside and all can enjoy more playtime.

The absolute preciousness of parents is wild. WILD.

Don't the kids eats their food in the school canteen? I never ate food in the classroom....

I think it’s nice to get outside!

Wouldn't lunchtime supervisors (not teachers) supervise the kids?...so that teachers can prepare their classrooms?

How can teachers prepare their classrooms if they are full of children? They might want to rearrange tables or set out materials.

They might also want to do confidential admin or have conversations which would be inappropriate with children in the room.

Wouldn't lunchtime supervisors (not teachers) supervise the kids?...so that teachers can prepare their classrooms?

Teachers will also be unable to prepare their classrooms for the afternoon or be forced to work through their lunch break to supervise.

And who is going to clear up the inevitable mess in time for afternoon school?

Another advantage of eating outside is that food dropped on the ground can be left to the birds to deal with.