Am I a CF to expect free lunch for my DD?

[jasminemaya]

Booked a two week holiday with DP and DD (3).

The hotel has advertised 'kids stay and eat for free'.

We have booked half board. Me and DP won't need lunch but obviously DD will.

Am I a CF to assume she can have a little plate from the buffet at lunch time? Or do I need to budget an extra fiver or so a day to buy her lunch?

Did it even know such a thing existed
I empty the minibar contents to replace with our waters and after sun etc
Don’t consume contents but didn’t think it was trackable either

I thought half board you could choose whether you wanted lunch or dinner?

m00r- yes, you can usually. It will be what you chose at booking, but most hotels will allow you (with probably 24 hr notice) to not have dinner, but to have lunch. You tell reception, they give you a lunch voucher which tells the restaurant you are having lunch and won't be having dinner. At least that's how it works wherever I've stayed.

Kids tend to go free on packages anyway don't they up to a certain age, that's what the whole kids-eat-free thing will be. I don't think it will mean that the OP's child gets to have lunch when they also get dinner.

Well eating lunch isn't the whole point of holidays really is it.

I don't get hungry so much when it's very hot. And it tends to be very hot when I'm on holiday unless I'm skiing.

You buy it for her. It is not acceptable to remove anything from the breakfast buffet, either.
Really, this is common sense and hasn’t got the first thing to do with etiquette. You were hoping to take advantage.

I would assume that she would only get the free version of something you were paying for for the adults tbh.

So if you were only half board for you two, I would have assumed she’d get free breakfast and dinner only.

I've seen people take away from the breakfast buffet even in 5* hotels. Not a big deal as long as you don't go OTT (coming in first and stealing a whole plate of meat is not OK, but making having a small breakfast and taking a bread roll and some cheese for a sarnie is fine).

Bloody hell you're getting a pasting here OP. The kid is 3 years old - she's not going to be sitting down to a full three course lunch, nor would she be clearing out all of the trays of the breakfast buffet if the OP took a banana and a bread roll on the way out.

I'd just email the hotel or booking rep and ask "does the kids club include lunch and if not, how much is a small child meal at the buffet?".

No need to be embarrassed asking. If it is chargeable and out of your price range take a trip to the nearest supermarket and stock up on some lunch items for your daughter there.

Stuff like fruit puree pouches, crackers, bread-sticks, fruit wouldn't even require a fridge.

Oh, and I hope you all have a lovely holiday. Hopefully your hotel won't be filled with pearl clutching mumsnetters counting the bananas.

Mn gets in self righteous haze about taking breakfast items to eat later
I’ve stayed in UK and Europe,USA and staff have given us paper bags
When serving table have encouraged we take something for the kids
We do.i bring zip lock bags

There will be a local shop, just buy some cheese, fruit, yogurts, crackers, drinks etc spend less than £20 for the week, and have snacks, DD lunches and cold drinks in the minibar fridge (if it's a posh hotel they will have one). Don't underestimate how much pool side drinks and snacks might cost in a naice hotel

No,take the wrapped crackers fruit,bread cheese etc from breakfast cart
You've paid for breakfast in the price,a few items takeaway is no harm

I must confess I have taken things from the breakfast buffet for snacks for my toddler. I hadn’t realised it was such a cardinal sin. I now can’t sleep for all the guilt. Should I call 101 and turn myself in?

Following on from what twowittwowoo said, you’d need to check but when at a supermarket in France this summer they had babybels out of the fridge. Have seen this in Lanzarote too. So you could easily keep some of those in your room.

My husband regularly skips lunch I never do. I don’t think you’ll be entitled to lunch for her when you’re not eating and taking some from breakfast sounds bit cheerless. Definitely budget for some lunch and treats if you can. Personally I wouldn’t take anything from buffet in morning, I also don’t load up my plate. It’s a holiday i want it to be tasty breakfast, maybe pancakes and fresh fruit with pot of tea, but that doesn’t mean I require excess. I like something fresh at lunch time, not something leftover from breakfast. I wouldn't normally go HB at hotel as I like variety ( though since having a baby I can see appeal) I’d be trying to use lunchtimes to get out and see local area and get some tapas and nice coffee or a cold beer or glass of wine. That said, on the first day at any hotel I head out, scope a local shop and get water, beer, wine, some fruit, cereal bars and crisps. This means I have some flexibility to snack or drink when I want, but it doesn’t need fridge or make too much of a mess and I don’t pay high hotel price. That may also be seen as being a CF as not giving hotel revenue for those things but that’s the balance I strike. Take some small long shelf life things like some oatcakes and dates etc in your case for her until you see what your hotel fridge situation is then head to scout out a shop (but If you’re not sure they’ll have a shop if very isolated resort try and stock up at airport.)