When you have a day out, do you eat out or take a pack-up?

[TwoMagnificentLabradors]

Until a couple of years ago, we used to think nothing of dropping into a low- key restaurant ( Pizza Express, Giraffe etc.) on a day out. Then three things happened:

All hospitality shut for months and we got used to taking a packed lunch on our barely-legal day-long hikes.

The kids got enormous and started ordering from adult menus. No more humous, carrots, breadsticks and a teeny pizza for £4.99.

Restaurants and cafes put their prices up to cover rising costs.

I have become the proud queen of the pack-up. We were the family shamelessly scoffing our cheese and ham rolls on the forecourt of Liverpool Street Station today. Our new ways mean healthier food, saving 80-100 pounds on a day out and everyone getting what they like to eat.

We still eat out. But save those outings for special occasions and decent (not food pinged from a microwave) venues (or street food markets, I love those!)

Anyone else changed their ways of late?

Never take a packed lunch, hate carrying food about. Exception might be a picnic but they always seem like a good idea and never are.

If I had a car and we were driving somewhere I would take a picnic. But as we go everywhere by public transport I just can't be arsed to carry everything (I usually do take drinks for the journey and they make the bag weigh a ton).
To be honest the type of stuff we eat on picnics is stuff like sausage rolls, cucumber and tomatoes, crisps, fruit etc so it doesn't really make a difference if I buy it from the supermarket at home and carry it or buy it from a supermarket when we get there - it's the same stuff !

We're happy to take a picnic, but also love a meal deal. Family challenge is to max out the value from your 3 items.

Pre-Covid we did eat out a bit, but now it's so expensive, I'd rather time our meals so we can eat at home before or after. Or we head to the nearest 'Spoons.

Rarely get takeaways.

Weather dependent for me: too many childhood memories of eating boring sandwiches in the back of the car watching the rain lash against the windows and listening to my parents bicker in the front seats.

We eat out. Cheese and ham rolls on a cold Train station platform for me would be born out of necessity and it would be unappetising . Given a choice, I’d not do it. But I do understand im very lucky to have a choice and I also do understand when finances means needs must and a basic roll sitting in a cold train station is the only option.

@redspottedmug yes we often seek out a Wetherspoons too. We can get meals and drinks for 3 for under £20/25 sometimes. All the bits for decent size picnic type lunch would cost pretty much the same.

Always a "picnic" - I love it 😂 Plus with picky eaters it makes life a lot easier when I know I've got something they'll eat rather than the stress of finding somewhere that will cater to everyone!

I've always taken food wherever possible - way before Covid. But I'm a single mum and at times things have been very tight so I've always been frugal. We rarely eat out.

We compromise and get lunch from our local Greek deli and take it with us. Lovely food.

We either take a lunch or find somewhere cheap, usually Wetherspoons, sometimes McDonalds.

If it's a long day out we'll do a picnic lunch and dinner in Spoons or McDonalds. Occasionally we'll do the bigger meal for lunch but take a packed lunch for the DC to eat in the car on the way home!

We love a car picnic !

We always take a packed lunch. Invariably salmon sandwich, boiled eggs, plain crisps and a flask of tea. My husband is very old school 😂😂

Always eat out, I need a warm, comfortable sit down at lunch, Britain is mostly too cold for pack ups.

If it’s the whole day we take a basic packed lunch and then go to a pub on the way back.

Always been a packed lunch person

and a packed dinner if going to pub after work

saves a fortune.

We went to Woburn safari park with my sister just after the first covid lockdown and she made a fantastic picnic that we ate as we were driving round and it was the best bit of the day , which doesn’t say much for the safari park .

We always made packed lunches. Six of us in the family we couldn't afford to eat out!

Nothing better than sitting on a rock looking at the view eating sarnies. We still make them even though it's just the two of us now.

What a magnificently condescending reply 😆 I love your image of our sad little family huddled around two wangy cheese rolls between. As we watch forlornly as the other families lavish Leonloveburgers on their fortunate offspring.

We ate delicious baguettes with Emmental and farm shop ham on our way to watch a show at the Tower. The station was warm, dry and has tables. And one of us works at the cute law firm across the road, so I reckon we could have stretched to Loveburgers and even some of those curly chips that are always cold, at a push.

But I have a chronic aversion to spaffing money on a mediocre meal, spending in one meal what many families budget for their weekly food.

We shop at Tesco and save our Clubcard points and turn them in to vouchers for Pizza Express (you get 3x the value if you exchange them in the app). That’s the only way we afford to eat out now apart from McDonalds or Subway occasionally!

For years we took packed lunches and teas and snacks and drinks. Had to give up work when the twins came along along with the eldest child. So the only way to get a day out was without the cost of the food. Now I'm back in the proper working game and can afford it, it's a massive thing for all of us. I like to think it's helped them to realise to not take things for granted.

Always take a pack up and hot drink - cafes etc are invariably disappointing, inconvenient, and expensive

I agree. Beach picnics are best. With an ice cream on the way back to the car. Well, second best after kayak picnics. Pack up, kayak down the river, eat on the river bank, swim, kayak back, with a pint on the way. Perfect!

Ok clearly I never wrote any such imagery and you’re the one who wrote you sat in a train station in Jan eating cheese and ham rolls so you didn’t need to,pay for food. You put it down to cost. Now you’re trying to big it up and claim you can afford to eat out.

why the fuck ask if all you want to hear is everyone sits eating cheese and ham rolls in train stations through choice.

My post was both polite and reasonable. Your issues are yours. Not mine.

We generally eat out.

I don't enjoy packed lunches and we rarely have the ingredients in, so have to plan to buy stuff in when our days out are quite last minute/ decided on the day.

Would never think of taking a packed lunch. The thought of lugging heavy bags, squashed sandwiches, sitting on a picnic blanket, back aching as I'm too old to sit on the floor. And psychologically it just feels like a second rate lunch. But that's me. I also couldn't deal with camping