Packed lunch is sad

[Ribrabrob]

I went to a theme park with a friend recently, fully prepared to buy lunch when I was there however arrived to pick her up and there she was with a bag full of homemade sandwiches and packet of crips each I was grateful, of course, for the time effort and money on her part but I couldn't help feeling a little dissapointed - what's the harm in buying food out?

Its always been the case that I can't help but feel a little sad when I see families on a day out at a theme park, zoo for example, sat on a bench eating (warm?) sandwhcihes wrapped in foil with a fruit shoot.

I had the type of childhood where this was common place - packed lunch for every occasion, no need to eat out becaus there was 'food at home' or it was 'too expensive' (despite no money worries) etc so I suppose it's kind of stuck with me and I don't want that kind of life.

Aibu to think that if you can afford a day at the zoo etc, then spending a little bit extra on some food is no big deal? Aibu to think that life is too short to spend time making a sand which/salad to take on a day out, when really you can just spend a bit of extra money and have the hassle taken away? It just seems so strange to me and as though people try and suck all enjoyment out of life.

@anitagreen 😍 do they?!
If your family ever need an extra adult for a day trip invite me I'd be in heaven haha!

I love a picnic. Never did it as a child as we always ate in restaurants!

YABU. The food in these places is often crap, not a treat in anyway. I rarely ate out as a child, as my parents couldn’t afford it and I’ve never felt deprived in any way.

@raeray We will let us know what sandwich you'd like we do a wide selection of fillings

I love packed lunch and half of the pleasure of a day out to a zoo or a beach is enjoying the treats I brought with me. I was the kid of the school trip who ate her packed lunch on the way there so had to bring two, so it must be deeply engrained in me.

Lucky you . We never had enough money for tickets and lunch out, was always the trip was the treat. Lunch out for a family ( or even snacks at the cinema) make an expensive trip unaffordable for a lot of people.
I think your post is quite offensive actually.

Blimey OP, you clearly have no idea re how some people have to live. I have friends who collect tokens from newspapers they would never usually buy to be able to afford trips to theme parks. There is no way they could them afford to spend £30 on lunch.

I still take a packed lunch if we go any where for a day, we could afford to buy lunch, im simply not paying £9 for a crap sandwich and a pot of tea, i enjoy my own packed lunch much tastier

I have enough money but I always take a packed lunch! Loads of yummy home made food.
I can't think of anything worse that queuing for ages for a plate of overpriced, reheated greasy rubbish.
Also paying £5 for a crap kids meal, which they don't eat anyway, is completely pointless, you know what your own kids will eat so just pack it, and include some cocktail sausages and a mini roll for a treat!
I even have an ice pack and a picnic bag so everything stays cold!

This is a truly weird perspective.

For one thing you’re speaking from a place of astonishing privilege. Not everyone can afford to buy food out, and the fact that they bought zoo tickets or whatever doesn’t change that. Lots of people will have stretched to the tickets themselves and aren’t going to want to add another £20 on top of that for the food.

For another, the food you can usually buy at these places is grim. Why would I pay £4.50 for a tasteless sandwich with dry bread and wilted lettuce when I can make my own much more delicious lunch for a fraction of the price? Maybe food prep isn’t your thing and it’s safer for you to buy, but a mass-produced lunch at a tourist attraction desperately focused on margins is never going to come close in taste or quality to the kind of lunch I can put together for a picnic.

And imagine thinking a nice family picnic was ‘sucking the joy from life’! The mind boggles.

I absolutely love a picnic. Highlight of a day out! The food at attractions is usually not great.

I get that you were probably disappointed because you wanted to eat some of the greasy junk food and now had a sandwich. You friend probably didn't want something unhealthy and expensive and thought she was being kind by making some for you too. If you'd left it there then no big deal. You both just had different ideas.
Where you are very unreasonable is the judgment on those who make their lunch. Some of these people can't afford to buy lunch and out and some of them just prefer it for a variety of reasons. It's not sad or joy sucking.
We take a picnic blanket and load a cool bag onto the buggy so no issue carrying things. We find it much more relaxing to sit on the grass and our 2 little ones eat the things they want while toddling around and picking daisies or whatever. In one of the canteens they'd be pestering to get down after 5 minutes. With the excitement of a day out they object to being contained more than usual.

I actually now feel a bit sorry for OP, because if a greasy meal in a sweaty, overpriced restaurant at the zoo is ‘the joy in life’ it doesn’t say much about your life

Actually one poster had just reminded me of another stingy quirk of my parents... they never ever bought us popcorn at the cinema! We were shuffled into a nearby corner shop to buy sweets beforehand and then they’d hide them in a bag until we got inside. Apparently this is “just as nice and half the price” 😂 but we really never thought it was! We we’re always so envious of kids with big boxes of popcorn at the cinema - I always treat mine to a box now! I don’t even eat popcorn anywhere else, it just feels like part of the experience.

Maybe your friend values good food and health. Also you don't know peoples situations. We don't eat out due to my sons multiple severe food allergies. I think YABU. I also feel a bit sorry for your kids. Sorry.

I thought the same as you before I had kids. My mum used to make piles of sandwiches and bring huge bottles of drinks out with us. She would then spend the day complaining that she had to carry the stuff around, so we had to eat virtually as soon as we got anywhere! I soon learnt that actually making a sensible picnic is miles better than standing in a mile long queue waiting for some horrible overpriced fast food is not the most efficient use of time or money. I love eating out. Its a bit of a vice of mine, but fast food outlets at theme parks are the pits. We can get ice creams afterwards. That enough.

This thread really resonated with me. When we were kids my parents always took packed lunch. Usually bread rolls, hard boiled eggs and fruit. Totally miserable! I used to feel envious of other families tucking in to delicious food in the cafe. Not to mention having to carry it all round.

When we used to have membership to Whipsnade, we would occasionally have a meal in the canteen there, but it was still expensive for a family of 5, close to £50 if you wanted a proper meal. If you're going to hug sandwiches, why not take a picnic??

We no longer have membership as we've moved away from the area, so to go would cost us the best part of £100.
They have changed the canteen to a sit down, table service restaurant (FFS!) and the food is very expensive. So add on say another £80?

If you don't think that's expensive for a family day out then I think you're on another planet.
For some people a trip to a zoo or a theme park is something they have to save up for.

I usually prefer to buy something while I’m there rather than faff around with packed lunches.
However, I also wouldn’t turn my nose up at a packed lunch either as a nice change. You can find a nice quiet spot whereas in the cafes it’s always packed and sometimes the food is shit.

Picnics can be lovely but not all the time. I had an ex whose family brought packed lunches/flasks of tea everywhere. They were so stingy with money! I used to find it entertaining in the end watching the lengths they'd go to save a few pennies. Sad way to live in my view but to each their own I suppose.

Cloudy I once bought my son popcorn at the cinema thinking it was a treat. He ate a hand full. Never again he is much happier with his £1 chocolate bag from Asda.

We have to save for days out to theme parks etc, so no we can't afford the food at these places which are often massively over priced for what they are.

Me and my children love picnics.. beats the queues too

Yanbu

I agree. Don't want to be carrying food around. And I don't want to spend time prepping before a special day out.
Taking water is a nuisance but I do take that with us.

the food in theses places is gross, i take a packed lunch from Pret or M&S , far superior.