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Children eating packed lunch outside?

189 replies

OldMaaa · 21/05/2026 18:09

Is it just me or is this a bit bonkers?

My children are at Primary school.

I found out recently (from my child not via school communication) that the children who bring in packed lunches are allowed to take them outside to eat in the playground.

This first came up as my children sometimes take in soup in a thermos cup. Recently eldest child reported that their soup was kicked over before they had consumed any, so essentially missing the main portion of their lunch. After a bit of (quite confused) discussion I discovered soup was on the floor outside, which led to a conversation about why?! This is normal apparently.

I'm thinking about it again today, as I noticed child had brought home most of their sandwiches and when I asked if there was something wrong with them they said no. "They were lovely but I got distracted".

Am I mad/out of touch to be thinking that children should be sat down at tables while they're eating their lunch regardless of whether they're packed lunch or school dinners. Or is this common in other schools?

I never want to be the kind of parent who bothers the school unnecessarily, but I am considering asking them about this as I don't understand it.

But I would appreciate some other perspectives as maybe my perspective is wrong?

OP posts:
Samysungy · 22/05/2026 09:39

FoldThreePiece · 22/05/2026 05:27

Never heard of this, and it’s madness.
All children have always eaten lunch inside in our schools .
They could eat in corridors on tables or another classroom for packed lunches if necessary.

If they are in classrooms there would be more staff needed to ensure they are safe when eating.

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

They could easily stagger it. EYFS and KS1 12:00 - 12:30 while KS2 play out. Then KS2 12:30 - 1:00 while EYFS and KS1 play out.

Ineffable23 · 22/05/2026 09:28

I always loved packed lunch outside in the summer. Probably just don't send soup in the summer term I reckon.

tiramisugelato · 22/05/2026 09:25

liveforsummer · 22/05/2026 07:20

This is exactly what happened at DD’s school. Whole year group furious as 2 delicate dc and their pfb mums were horrified at the idea of eating outside. Due to the layout of the school at the time they all had to stay indoors til everyone had finished too

I honestly think a lot of people have forgotten what it’s like to be a kid. Complaining because their children were allowed to sit outside and have a picnic lunch is just ridiculous behaviour.

liveforsummer · 22/05/2026 07:20

BarbiesDreamHome · 21/05/2026 22:35

I'd be so pissed off at you if you complained and got this cancelled!

This is exactly what happened at DD’s school. Whole year group furious as 2 delicate dc and their pfb mums were horrified at the idea of eating outside. Due to the layout of the school at the time they all had to stay indoors til everyone had finished too

liveforsummer · 22/05/2026 07:15

Cleocaterpillar · 21/05/2026 22:56

Dd insists on packed lunches so she can join her friends outside to eat, all the school dinner children have to stay in the dinner hall.

They spill some, drop some, then have to fight the seagulls off or else spend the rest of the day hungry!

A good lesson in resilience and consequence 😆

ThreeStripeQueen · 22/05/2026 06:46

People are so odd about soup!

cloudtreecarpet · 22/05/2026 06:39

Honestly, has everyone just forgotten how to be parents these days?

If you are concerned about it then you tell your own children to eat inside and to eat everything before they go out to play.

Eating outside is normal and lovely when it's warm enough.
Such a non issue!

Coffeeteasugar · 22/05/2026 06:23

They will definitely have been told to all finish eating before playing, but kids don’t listen to teachers and they definitely don’t listen to Midday supervisors.

FoldThreePiece · 22/05/2026 05:27

TeaPot496 · 21/05/2026 18:18

There is not enough space in the hall according to our primary school, and the teachers don't want them in the classrooms. Packed lunch kids have to go outside to eat all through winter.

Never heard of this, and it’s madness.
All children have always eaten lunch inside in our schools .
They could eat in corridors on tables or another classroom for packed lunches if necessary.

Natsku · 22/05/2026 05:11

FeelingSadToday1 · 21/05/2026 19:34

I am more surprised your child has soup for lunch. She must be starving. I would rather my child be outside as much as possible during the school day.

Soup is a pretty common school dinner at my kids schools, served with bread and salad. That's enough to fill them up so long as its a soup with proper food in it not just a tomato soup or similar.

Muffinmam · 22/05/2026 02:49

OldMaaa · 21/05/2026 18:09

Is it just me or is this a bit bonkers?

My children are at Primary school.

I found out recently (from my child not via school communication) that the children who bring in packed lunches are allowed to take them outside to eat in the playground.

This first came up as my children sometimes take in soup in a thermos cup. Recently eldest child reported that their soup was kicked over before they had consumed any, so essentially missing the main portion of their lunch. After a bit of (quite confused) discussion I discovered soup was on the floor outside, which led to a conversation about why?! This is normal apparently.

I'm thinking about it again today, as I noticed child had brought home most of their sandwiches and when I asked if there was something wrong with them they said no. "They were lovely but I got distracted".

Am I mad/out of touch to be thinking that children should be sat down at tables while they're eating their lunch regardless of whether they're packed lunch or school dinners. Or is this common in other schools?

I never want to be the kind of parent who bothers the school unnecessarily, but I am considering asking them about this as I don't understand it.

But I would appreciate some other perspectives as maybe my perspective is wrong?

How many sandwiches are you sending to school with your child??

In my country kids eat outside. A lot of the time kids skip eating so they can play. I send my child with plenty of snacks so they will at least eat something.

SquirrelGG · 21/05/2026 23:47

I'm pretty sure we always ate outside on fine days when I was at school (many years ago!). Somehow we coped.

HelenaWilson · 21/05/2026 23:34

I love soup. And it does fill me. BUT I have to eat a large bowl to get the satiety I need and for that to last

I'd have to have a bread roll or 1-2 slices of bread as well as the soup to feel full.

AgnesMcDoo · 21/05/2026 23:04

Some people are being really weird about soup. It’s a grand lunch. 🤣🤣🤣

Cleocaterpillar · 21/05/2026 23:03

HangingOver · 21/05/2026 21:18

I've spend 38 years trying to like soup (not just that, I've done other things too) but it just isn't proper food.

And if anyone disagrees with me using terms like "hearty" or "packed with" I shall call the police. It's not food.

Edited

I agree with you about wimpy English soups because no one can be satisfied with a few soggy veg in a thin liquid. But a Greek meatball soup or Shorbat Adas will fill you up and I've got the belly to prove it.

Cleocaterpillar · 21/05/2026 22:56

Dd insists on packed lunches so she can join her friends outside to eat, all the school dinner children have to stay in the dinner hall.

They spill some, drop some, then have to fight the seagulls off or else spend the rest of the day hungry!

LarksAscending · 21/05/2026 22:55

HangingOver · 21/05/2026 21:18

I've spend 38 years trying to like soup (not just that, I've done other things too) but it just isn't proper food.

And if anyone disagrees with me using terms like "hearty" or "packed with" I shall call the police. It's not food.

Edited

I love soup. And it does fill me. BUT I have to eat a large bowl to get the satiety I need and for that to last - no child is eating that amount of soup at lunch because they’d rather go play.

BarbiesDreamHome · 21/05/2026 22:35

I'd be so pissed off at you if you complained and got this cancelled!

Sartre · 21/05/2026 22:29

We never ate outside in primary either OP and my DC definitely don’t but I don’t think it’s a bad thing. The soup is annoying but maybe stick to that in the colder months anyway? I don’t like soup when it’s warm outside.

PercyPigsAreOverRated · 21/05/2026 22:26

The worst thing about having to have school dinners as a child (we got FSM) was that my packed lunch friends could eat outside and I couldnt. At primary school teachers made sure we ate. At secondary I rarely ate lunch as I'd rather spend time with my mates and they didn't want to sit in the dinner hall.

EatMoreChocolate44 · 21/05/2026 22:23

OP I teach P2 and on the very rare day that it is a lovely sunny day (weather has been pretty rubbish this year) in May/June we might eat our break outside. Other classes might go out too and there's definitely not enough tables for everyone. It's not often though and it's so lovely to get out of the stuffy hot classrooms. Kids love it!

worrisomeasset · 21/05/2026 22:17

In all my decades of primary teaching, I’ve never known a child bring in hot soup in a flask for their packed lunch. I’d be amazed if any primary would allow it.

(Obviously, there’s now going to be a whole bunch of posters claiming their kids take flasks of hot liquid in for packed lunch and that the school doesn’t mind a bit).

Elphamouche · 21/05/2026 21:55

I was in primary in the 90s and we ate outside!

liveforsummer · 21/05/2026 21:43

DD’s school did this til a couple of parents fond jot in the
manner you have (clearly missed the school communication) and complained. I remember dd being so annoyed they were no longer permitted to do so and had to sit in a cramped dining hall and lose lots of play time as a result

MrsKeats · 21/05/2026 21:35

Schools really can’t win can they??