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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to think parents should provide a better pack lunch than this??

209 replies

neverlookback · 04/12/2013 13:12

My dd goes to the local community nursery a couple of mornings a week and when I pick her up at 12 all the kids staying all day have thier pack lunches ready on the tables, today as I'm waiting for dd to come through I noticed someone had sent in a bowl of cold takeaway garlic bread and chips! You could tell it was takeaway there's only 1 in our village!

I'm all for takeaway sometimes but I don't think this is a nice, healthy lunch for any child to have to take to nursery and eat cold or is it just me??

OP posts:
teenagetantrums · 04/12/2013 13:42

if it doesn't affect you or your children why are you bothered? if there is a concern with the child's care im sure the staff would raise it with the parents.

northcountrygirl · 04/12/2013 13:42

God that's an appalling lunch for anyone! Who saves chips and eats them cold anyway? I don't care if it's a one off or not - it sounds vile and it wouldn't have occurred to me to send that in as a packed lunch. It's not really much of a treat is it?

I'm with you - I would have judged too. Poor kid.

LaurieFairyCake · 04/12/2013 13:45

Yes of course it's the Tories fault.

The cuts in benefits are causing malnutrition - and the cost of food mean that it's cheaper to feed your children custard creams than vegetables

And that's why we have malnutrition

smokeandglitter · 04/12/2013 13:45

Claraschu, pizza is usually much higher in sugar and much more processed? It's quite a strange thing to say if you ask me. You might as well ask what's the difference between fresh strawberries and cream and strawberry ice-cream? I think you know the answer.

OrangePixie · 04/12/2013 13:46

YANBU - sounds like a revolting lunch and I would be embarrassed to send my child in with that.

But this is MN, you were always going to get people telling you to stop judging!

Mumsyblouse · 04/12/2013 13:47

Cold fried food is disgusting, the only thing that makes it yummy at the time is being hot.

My standards are quite low, but I wouldn't ever eat cold garlic bread and yesterday's chips, so I wouldn't make a child eat it either.

AlwaysWashing · 04/12/2013 13:48

Of course you're not BU.
I reckon those of you making "wind your neck in" "judgey pants" comments are just trying to BU.
On what planet is that a decent or reasonable lunch for a child? It's shit in a dish and the parent either needs to be ashamed or educated about nutrition.
Out children aren't dustbins ffs, do they not deserve a tiny bit more thought than cold chips and bread.
I hate Mumsnet some days.

TwoLeftSocks · 04/12/2013 13:51

I'd eat it.

DS wouldn't though, he has much higher standards (cold home-made pizza).

momb · 04/12/2013 13:53

I'm one of 'those' Mums who regularly sends in leftovers for packed lunch. I've never sent cold chips but i have sent cold roast potatoes or yorkshire puddings: with a little food flask of stew to pour over the top. Are you sure that it was only chips and bread? Perhaps it was a component of lunch rather than the whole thing?

LaurieFairyCake: I don't think you can blame the Tories for malnutrition; the dietary problems in this country have been building for decade ever since the 70s. And in this case the nutritionally poor lunch is from a take-away so unlikely to be a choice made on cost factors alone.

WooWooOwl · 04/12/2013 13:53

YANBU, and I would judge too.

There's no getting away from the fact that it's a crap lunch whether or not someone is there to be judgemental over it or not. If people can afford takeaways, then they can afford to feed their kids properly.

FunnysInLaJardin · 04/12/2013 13:56

YANBU. It is a rubbish lunch for anyone. Cold chips and garlic bread is just yuck!

nicename · 04/12/2013 13:58

Maybe the kid packed their own lunch?

newforest · 04/12/2013 14:01

Cold chips - vile. But garlic is good for you! ;-) I eat well, and healthily quite cheaply. Education is what they need, not more benefits.

SeaDevilscanPlay · 04/12/2013 14:03

Cold chips are minging.

Artandco · 04/12/2013 14:10

Cold garlic bread and chips is horrid. Surely no one actually eats them cold!

I would send many leftovers but cold chips would go in the bin.

ouryve · 04/12/2013 14:16

It's a pretty awful meal, but the child may have food issues and an ultra-limited brown food only diet. A typical packed lunch for DS2 at that age was a hot cross bun and some cheddars - his diet was quite restricted at that time, anyhow and we relied a lot on peanut butter for protein, which was an obvious no-no, as he'd end up wearing it, so couldn't even eat it in isolation. He was also reluctant to eat anywhere that wasn't at home, so we stuck with safe foods that would tempt him, until he got over that. Once he started eating there, we could send in adventurous things like a cheese spread sandwich.

BumPotato · 04/12/2013 14:25

It's not the best meal but my kids would Hoover that down. I've caught my DD2 (5) pinching cold leftover chips from the Chinese straight from the bag in the fridge.

cfc · 04/12/2013 14:25

That's a terrible lunch. Don't mind all the "but what if that mum was this and what if the child was that" crap going on here.

It's shit and I'd feel proper ashamed to send my child in with that as a 'lunch'.

isitsnowingyet · 04/12/2013 14:29

Isn't garlic a vegetable?

[she says hopefully]

BrickorCleat · 04/12/2013 15:26

It's a foul lunch.

Malnutrition is considerably exacerbated by lack of cooking and basic home ec being cut from national curriculum for at least a generation (please enlighten me as to the responsible political party).

And yes, it's packED.

hazeyjane · 04/12/2013 15:35

I cook chips the night before and give them to ds the next day cold because

a) he only eats about 10 foods and this is one of them.

b) he will only eat cold food

and

c) chips are a good texture for him, easy to bite and chew, but not 'claggy' in the mouth.

NurseRoscoe · 04/12/2013 18:43

Medical conditions that require cold takeaway for lunch? I may have just about heard it all now!

Please enlighten me?!

kilmuir · 04/12/2013 18:46

Yes its lazy parenting . I would be embarrassed as well if i sent that in!

namechange74 · 04/12/2013 18:53

shit lunch whichever way you look at it. YANBU.

northcountrygirl · 04/12/2013 18:55

Ah c'mon! A medical condition that requires cold salty takeaways that are served in the original polystyrene takeaway carton? The carton is part of the overall picture to me. No Dora the Explorer lunchbox/spiderman/whatever for this poor kid.