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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Sod it - a thread about a thread - but lunchbox contents - really??!!

216 replies

CateBlanket · 30/04/2014 16:17

Is my child the only one who never has any of the following in her lunchbox:

hummus/hummous
chorizo (have no idea how you pronounce it)
smoked salmon trimmings
a spinach cake
homemade pear and ginger muffin
guacamole
bagel with pastrami & smoked cheese
Cous cous
minted lamb

any kind of fruit, veg or salad

Please tell me that there are MNetters who send their children to school with a cheese sandwich on white bread, a frube and a Penguin?

And squash (the drink not the veg).

OP posts:
EnchanciaAnthem · 30/04/2014 17:59

My DD (5) often has 6 things on your list, is it worth mocking? Really? And yeah, she always has a salad or veg. We don't overdo fruit and yoghurt and cakes and juice, because it's sugary. She will have blueberries, raspberries or occasionally strawberries - plus a banana or pear with breakfast. We don't have white bread, as it is lacking in nutritional value.

There is little need for reverse snobbery.

yourlittlesecret · 30/04/2014 18:01

Oh I gave up trying with healthy lunches years ago.
DS1(18) takes
1 dry bread roll
2 cheese strings
1 packet of crisps
a twix
flavoured water.

I rail against the crappy cheese string but he would just eat even less if I didn't buy them.
DS2 16 takes
2 x rounds of bread and Jam
crisps
twix
apple
water

Same every day, never varies.

girliefriend · 30/04/2014 18:08

Love this thread!!

My dd had in her packlunch today;

A white roll with soft cheese
A bag of mini chedders
A frube
An apple which she didn't eat
A bag of yogurt coated raisins

Oh and a capri sun (that's better than a fruit shoot right? Wink )

She has pretty much the same thing every day.

The food police would have me shot right?

Original poster
CateBlanket · 30/04/2014 18:17

I'm not "baulking" or "mocking" - did you read my opening post? I'm asking if any MNetters give their DC simple bland and processed food like I do.

OP posts:
LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 30/04/2014 18:25

I think the spinach thing sounds more like a frittata than a 'cake'. It doesn't sound nice as a cake. M&S do frittata wedges, very nice they are too.

I used to have tomato soup in a flash at school - with cold toast. Blush

Raxacoricofallapatorius · 30/04/2014 18:28

As I said OP, it's not the general question, I know what you were asking but you can ask that without listing actual things other people posted today on another thread. Because it's like holding up somebody else's decision behind their backs and asking other people to come and judge. And they did. You start with the really questions and ??!! which introduces a tone of disbelief and while the majority will come on and say, nah don't worry mine has x too but you also see the thinly-veiled reverse snobbery, the accusations of smuggery, the references to the food police. Discuss what you put in your child's packed lunches by all means, but don't hold up other people's helpful posts from earlier today as an invitation to mock.

Geraldthegiraffe · 30/04/2014 18:28

I've been googling and found a wide variety of spincah "cakes" but I think it is some kind of frittata from the definition above.

If someone would link me a recipe they use that would be ace - I really want to try it having never heard of it!

HavannaSlife · 30/04/2014 18:30

The 19 year old refused anything but a white ham sandwich, crisps and strawberries from 14-17. At least now he will have left over curry/chicken pasta Grin

HavannaSlife · 30/04/2014 18:32

I did try making blueberry muffins once, the 11 year old ate them but everyone else turned their noses up

TheScience · 30/04/2014 18:32

My DS is very fussy but hummus is one of his three approved sandwich fillings Grin (the others being peanut butter or cheese, with or without marmite).

He doesn't eat veg, especially not cold/raw, but he always has apple or grapes.

Usually with (unsalted) crisps or mini cheddars.

paperclip2 · 30/04/2014 18:33

mmm spinach cake, I didn't know that it existed, could someone please post a link to a good recipe?

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 30/04/2014 18:37

There were some really nice suggestions in the lunch boxes. Mine wouldn't eat cold lamp but they would probably like the chicken/rice thing. I thought the added 'smoked paprika' was an overly pointed description of it, but still...

There are an awful lot of 'things' that seem to go in the average child's lunchbox now and it does seem to be a bit of a competition with some posters, not just for lunch boxes but for everything. They have to be seen in the best possible light an it all gets a bit, well... unbelievable sometimes.

I too think that some parents go a bit overboard with demonstrating their superior parenting and tend to take no notice of it because I know that it passes, broccoli-stuffed children have their moments as do any other child.

Everybody is just trying to do their best. It would be nice if we all nodded and smiled at everything but... that is never going to happen, is it?

TheWickerWoman · 30/04/2014 18:39

My ds usually has a ham sandwich (on either white or whole meal) a piece of fruit, a baby bel and a yoghurt. Twice a week I let him take crisps instead of the yoghurt. Oh.. And always a Capri sun. I don't think they're very policey at ds' school as he tells me lots of other kids always have crisps and chocolate in their lunch boxes..... Unless that's a ploy.... Hmmm

ChampionofWitterers · 30/04/2014 18:39

No, no squash, it's NOT ALLOWED. Same with Penguins, chocolate bars are frowned upon.
I do occasionally send a bag of crisps in the packed lunch though

ChampionofWitterers · 30/04/2014 18:40

Oh, and I'd never put hummus in there. I bloody love the stuff, but they'd think I was trying to poison them. Hmm

Original poster
CateBlanket · 30/04/2014 18:42

When I was at school I thought an orange club bar was the height of sophistication

if you like a lotta chocolate on your biscuit - join our club Smile

OP posts:
Freezepop · 30/04/2014 18:44

My DC's have a sandwich on white bread (cheese for DS & ham for DD), a frube, choc biscuit, a portion of fruit (usually strawberries or grapes), a cheese stick for DS & a packet of crisps for DD and a bottle of squash.

I am also a dinner lady at my DC's school and we see very few people with "posh" lunch items. They mostly resemble my DC's packed lunch. I don't really know where all the people come from but they definitely don't live near me.

I just can't believe what some schools won't let you take in your packed lunch. Our school doesn't allow choc bars only choc biscuits, no sweets (haribo's) & no nuts due to allergies. Some schools just go way over the top with policing lunch but our school is quite fab.

DownstairsMixUp · 30/04/2014 18:46

None of them. Ds has always something from the following

Sandwich cut into tree shapes with cheese/marmite/ham or a pitta pizza just a pitta bread with tomato puree and grated cheese wrapped up or cheesy pasta.
Some form of fruit either a banana/portion of grapes or strawberries
Fruit juice carton
A small bit of choc like a Freddo or Kinder bar
A frube or some raisins

He wouldn't even try hummus! or whatever it is!

MollyBdenum · 30/04/2014 18:46

I was the smoked salmon trimmings poster. It's much cheaper than tuna but feels like a treat.

Different kids are fussy in different ways. Mine won't eat cheese, making cheese sandwiches a bit pointless.

TattyDevine · 30/04/2014 18:51

Disclaimer: Number 2 child won't even try hummus "its too yucky for me" (never tried it)

Calls olives "yucky grapes"

Both like smoked salmon, but both try and bleed me dry financially so I suspect they swallow it down just to bankrupt me.

One day number 2 loves pears, the next day I am in trouble because I gave her a squishy one. "It wasn't squishy though darling". "It was because I squished it". "Okay then that'd be it".

]hmm]

TattyDevine · 30/04/2014 18:51

Hmm even

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 30/04/2014 18:54

I have never liked smoked salmon... I feel bad when I hear of kids eating it as they've managed to conquer it and I never did... Sad

I do like a nice poached salmon fillet though! Grin

motherofmonster · 30/04/2014 18:57

I don't see the problem with sugar free squash.... I can remember having happy shopper cola or the luminous blue raspberry or green cola panda pop... And i am pleased to report i still have all teeth present and correct lol

Ev1lEdna · 30/04/2014 19:00

Unfortunately my children don't have those things but I really wish they did and envy anyone whose children will eat those things. On the odd occasion they have had homemade banana loaf and homemade smoked salmon quiche (using the trimmings) but that is woefully rare maybe a couple of occasions for the quiche and only one of my children ate it. I want to know what the trimmings were used for as one of my kids might go for that.

The lunchboxes in the OP sound lovely. My kids wouldn't eat them which is a shame.

JulietBravoJuliet · 30/04/2014 19:06

Ds has today taken roasted chicken drumsticks, boiled eggs, homemade whole meal rolls, apples, plums and apple juice, homemade shortbread and a big lump of cheddar, all wrapped in brown paper and a cloth. BUT he's been to a Tudor style banquet with school today Grin

Normally, he has a ham or cheese and cucumber sandwich, yoghurt pouch, apple, raisins, mini cheddars and orange juice. He's a picky eater and I send him with what I know has a chance of being eaten. We're not allowed cakes, biscuits, chocolate, squash or crisps, and any offending items get sent home with a post it note attached!