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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

...to think that this is an appropriate packed lunch for an 8yo

230 replies

sashangel · 27/03/2017 10:14

My DD is is going on a school trip today so have had to put a packed lunch together. She is very tall and thin for her age. She is also very active doing lots of different sports through the week. It consisted of

A ham and coleslaw wholemeal wrap with watercress salad.
A pot of Carrot, cucumber, baby tomatoes and olives
A pot of Strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries and kiwi
Light Babybel
Mini Pepperami
Pot of ambrosia rice pudding
With water.

I was speaking to another mum who looked completely horrified (not joking) that she didn't have crisps and at least one chocolate bar to go with it and if she had only gave what I had to her DD she would get a telling off.

I thought what I have put together was a healthy and appropriate amount of food for an 8 year old. Is that right or have I completely fucked up and have a very hungry and grumpy DD later.

OP posts:
MrsWombat · 27/03/2017 10:46

That sounds perfect for an 8 year old. Excessive if anything but I'm impressed. My DS had a small packet of crisps and a small chocolate biscuit in his packed lunch for a school trip recently as a one off as he normally has school dinners. I was a parent helper and saw much worse including an adult sized snickers bar despite confectionery and nuts being banned.

alltouchedout · 27/03/2017 10:46

Oh, come on, you are so not asking if YABU.

BarbarianMum · 27/03/2017 10:48

Well that would in no way fill up my just turned 9 year old but if it's enough for your dd then that's fine. (my 9 year old is right in the middle of the healthy bmi range for his height before anyone asks).

SparkleTwinkleGoldGlitter · 27/03/2017 10:53

why do parents tell other parents in the playground what is in the childs lunch? weird, why do other parents need to know?

I assume your dd was happy with the lunch and its what she normally takes, so what does it matter what mumsnet thinks? like looking at that lunch you honestly thought it wasn't appropriate

firawla · 27/03/2017 10:53

It sounds fine. This is the type of thing I would put too but my 8 year old has complained to me before that everyone else had chocolate or cake - they only have pack lunch for school trips so I think the rules are a bit relaxed as it's not an every day thing, so next time I probably will put one treat in it so he wouldn't feel left out

NoSquirrels · 27/03/2017 10:58

Sounds loads and very healthy to me. Our school wouldn't allow fizzy drinks or chocolate (even chocolate-covered biscuit bars) so that cuts out a lot of the options anyway. I don't give crisps as a rule in a packed lunch. My almost 8-yr-old wouldn't eat everything you have packed, the quantity would be too much unless a very long day. I could guarantee most of the veg, the cheese and the pepperami would come home untouched. They don't have ages to eat and always something more fun to do on a trip.

Original poster
sashangel · 27/03/2017 10:58

It wasn't a stealth brag I was really trying to figure out whether it was enough.

The only reason we were talking about it was she asked me what I had put in for DD.

OP posts:
Porpoiselife · 27/03/2017 11:05

If your daughter likes that then its a very suitable lunch.
Sounds very yummy!

Perhaps this other mother has a very fussy child who only eats chocolate and crisps! Theres quite a few of those in my dd's class Wink

OutToGetYou · 27/03/2017 11:07

I guess a light Babybel is better if they have to carry it around all day...... ;)

chocorabbit · 27/03/2017 11:08

According to my DCs most school dinner children have a packet of crisps with them daily! My nieces eat them every day after school, on the way home along with either chocolates, biscuits or juices Shock

witsender · 27/03/2017 11:08

Sounds standard to me tbh.

OneWildNightWithJBJ · 27/03/2017 11:10

Apart from the olives and rice pudding, that's a fairly normal lunch for mine, although I probably would have put crisps in too. I took a class on a school trip once and one kid just had a family sized bag of crisps!

StillDrivingMeBonkers · 27/03/2017 11:14

Pepperami? I'm puzzled TBH on processed meat like that when the rest is healthy enough. And the rice pudding which is full of sugar.

Not that I'm finger pointing, I put pepperami in my childs packed lunch, but I don't do the whole olives and hummus malarkey, which frankly is just so pretentious, and only ever read about on MN, never actually seen (and I worked in an independent prep school for some years). I do not believe anyone actually does this. Sorry!

BeaderBird · 27/03/2017 11:15

But seriously, why did you need to ask if that was a suitable lunch for an 8 year old? Pretty sure you make much more important decisions on a daily basis.

OvariesBeforeBrovaries · 27/03/2017 11:18

Fucking hell I'm going to send my DD for school dinners if packed lunches is a stealth boast fest like this. Do people actually compare what their kids have in the playground?

May have to rethink my plans of ham sandwich, cheese stick, squeezy yoghurt and an apple Hmm

Pinkheart5915 · 27/03/2017 11:27

Of course it's a perfectly suitable lunch.

Talking to other parents about what's in your child's lunchbox however sounds a dull as hell. Don't people have anything to talk about anymore?

my2bundles · 27/03/2017 11:30

My ds 9 has a sandwich, different filling each day. One piece of fruit, a yogurt and crisps. If I put in loads of fruit and veg it would come home again. I make packed lunch as simple as possible because he likes to eat quick and play. He makes up on fruit and veg at home.

Notso · 27/03/2017 11:37

Did you really list every single item in a conversation? How odd.

I was speaking to another mum who looked completely horrified (not joking) that she didn't have crisps and at least one chocolate bar to go with it and if she had only gave what I had to her DD she would get a telling off.
My two youngest 'tell me off' for certain items or lack of them in their lunches. Other children don't seem to hold back on comments about lunches.

I thought what I have put together was a healthy and appropriate amount of food for an 8 year old. Is that right or have I completely fucked up and have a very hungry and grumpy DD later.
I don't understand this, unless this is the first home you have provided her with a meal why don't you know how much she eats?

user1489226029 · 27/03/2017 11:49

Sorry but I think the world's gone mad!!!!! Everything in moderation. This not allowing a single biscuit or shock horror a whole chocolate bar!!!!! School's have gone mad. I've seen it with my own eyes when kids have strict restrictions on treats then when the opportunity arises they go berserk!!!!!

TheSnorkMaidenReturns · 27/03/2017 12:18

So much variety . My son has a buttered ham wrap, a couple of sweet biscuits and sometimes a babybel (he makes his own lunch). I wish I could get him to add in a yoghurt or a mini rice pudding. He's ten and just doesn't eat much at lunch. He's not skinny (just normal slim) so he must be eating enough!

I offer crisp-type bags for school trips (ritz, tuc, mini cheddars, crisps) but not for everyday. School doesn't permit chocolate bars at school, and I wouldn't offer one on a school trip in case he got sick on the coach. And chocolate is always worse for that!

FeliciaJollygoodfellow · 27/03/2017 12:19

Sounds fine to me. It's about right for what my 8 year olds have although they have ham on white for the sandwich Grin

paxillin · 27/03/2017 12:27

My 8 year old gets a sandwich and a Tupperware box of cut up fruit and veg (all in one box) with water. I do throw in a Babybel, biscuit or yogurt sometimes. It's plenty.

Magicpaintbrush · 27/03/2017 12:38

Sounds ideal to me. Plenty of fresh healthy stuff, plus the sweet treat of the rice pud and the pepperami/babybel as savoury treats. Nothing to complain about at all. I wish my dd would eat tomatoes and cucumber.

hibbledobble · 27/03/2017 12:42

Ham, peparami and coleslaw are very high in salt. The pot of ambrosia is high in sugar. I would omit those and replace with more fruit and veg, but otherwise sounds fine

NapQueen · 27/03/2017 12:43

Is that honestly what you answered when asked, OP? GrinGrin

Why didnt you just give a normal person answer like "a wrap, some fruit and veg, a snack and a drink"???

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