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.

Haha, true. My children are grown up now so it’s just the two of us. 🙂

Actually I don’t think anyone’s unreasonable here. There are just different perspectives.

The OP is not unreasonable to associate picnics with miserable childhood experiences and want to avoid them. However she needs to recognise that’s her own issue.

Others are not unreasonable to avoid what they see as overpriced, substandard food, even if they can well afford it. Equally those short of money aren’t unreasonable to try to to make it stretch as far as possible.

So, not sure if that’s helpful OP. Perhaps your friend did overstep the mark in assuming you felt the same way as she does.

Strange that you didn't have the conversation with your friend beforehand. Wouldn't you text each other to say, are we eating there or bringing food. Did this really happen?

We went to the zoo yesterday - you could buy overpriced boring sandwiches, or lukewarm deep fried yucky stuff - but we took a picnic in an insulated back pack with ice packs so not warm - homemade Greek salad, cold roast chicken, strawberries and raspberries, and some posh crisps. Healthier, way more delicious! Probably a bit cheaper too. I don’t think I’m sad for prioritising taste, provenance and health.

If we go somewhere with good food, then we buy it there - sometimes you don’t know so you hedge your bets and take to eat that won’t spoil (peanut butter sarnies and some fruit and veg).

I often take lunch for the kids - hungry kids are a disaster - and if they have cheese, oat cakes, veg, fruit etc - they can have that as a snack if the lunch is good - or have that for lunch and have an ice cream.

Having food with me makes me feel in control, nothing worse that trying to have fun, but everyone is hangry and there is a huge queue for the cafe.

So YABU - other people have great reasons for taking a packed lunch and feel good about it - if you don’t want to, you don’t have too!

YABU to call packed lunches sad. I love a picnic lunch and would 1000% prefer that to the overpriced, frozen, fast food type stuff you get at those places.

However if that's what you prefer then YANBU to want to do that. It's a bit weird your friend randomly turned up with a packed lunch for you if this wasn't previously discussed.

I like a really good picnic but YANBU about sad soggy sandwiches and packets of crisps - it's a bit depressing and I actually like the crappy fast food when I'm on a day out (I wouldn't eat it normally). When I have a day out in London getting lunch out is definitely part of the fun but obviously quite expensive and I can easily see not everyone can afford it.

Last time I visited to zoo their macaroni cheese was some dry penne pasta with some cheddar on the top. YABU as it's all shite!

To be fair there can be a massive difference between a picnic and a packed lunch. The latter does imply something school like

Yes tbf there’s no denying that some packed lunches can be very sad indeed.

To be fair there can be a massive difference between a picnic and a packed lunch.

True, but there’s also a massive difference between a nice lunch out and substandard beige stuff that’s often served up at these places.

It depends how organised you are with what's in your fridge. I just had to find a lunch for 2 kids plus an adult for a last minute Cub excursion...they've ended up with a tub of hummus, some ryvita, a pepper, carrot and beans chopped up, some ham and some fruit.

They'll be starving later! 😂

Oh I wouldn’t depend on whatever happens to be in my fridge for a planned packed lunch or picnic! I would buy specifically for it, and there would be a good variety of foods but a coherent menu and I’d buy nice versions of everything, no skimping on price or quality. It’s an indulgence, not just a hotch potch of whatever happens to be around (although my children did used to love a ‘picky bits’ dinner back in the day, nothing wrong with that!).

I agree. I couldn't be bothered with the hassle of preparing it and lugging it around. People are exaggerating how bad food at Thorpe Park is. Grab a sarnie from Costa.

Hate theme park food. Long lines, deep fried crap, not everyone hungry at the same time. We always bring a packed lunch and let the kids go to the gift shops instead.

Doesn’t apply to puy de fous theme park properly French and the food is therefore great

Yes, it seems to be very much a British thing for food at attractions to be terrible and a total rip off. It's a surprise any time you find this not to be the case here.

I've found that it's usually different in Spain, you get nice home made Spanish food at reasonable prices.

We went to the Formentor Lighthouse in Mallorca, which is probably the equivalent of Lands End, but not set up to gouge the tourist wallet.

It was packed, but parking was free and the cafe sold lovely home cooked food at the same prices as everywhere else in Mallorca. We paid about 6 euros for 2 coffees, cake and a savoury pasty.

Spanish petrol stations also usually have a nice cafe attached, again selling fresh home cooked food at prices similar to McDonalds in the UK. Shame we can't get the same standard here.

I have had packed lunch regret when I’ve made a packed lunch and got there and the food is quite nice and sitting in the cafe pleasant but due to the packed lunch we have to perch on a bench.

Yeah, the OP is a load of shite bit why is saying that people buying junk food at a theme park once don't care about their health and are responsible for the obesity crisis any better?

Yabu

You were obviously not brought up on The Famous Five.........

It entirely depends where you are going. If I am going somewhere that's in a town, or has lots of food options, then I am willing to consider eating out. The kind of food you get at theme parks is often grim and I'd really rather bring something nice with me. A packed lunch doesn't have to be crappy.

I've got happy memories of picnics as a child, they were brilliant! Despite being well paid now I often make a sandwich for work. As a veggie I find the options for bought sandwiches limited and often unpleasant. Themes park food is often truly gross! So yeh YABU.

To be fair there can be a massive difference between a picnic and a packed lunch.

I'd still rather have a bog-standard packed lunch made out of the normal stuff I have in my fridge than beige over-priced crap. If I didn't like the kind of stuff I have in my fridge, I wouldn't buy it!

Food is generally really overpriced & not great quality. We’ll often take snacks but also stop for some hot food or a drink just for an inside sit down!

Yep, YABabitU and akso perhaps a bit of a snoot about it, OP. There are lots of reasons folks do it, to save money as food in these places is often very expensive, it's often not good value for money, some folks prefer to eat food they have made rather than something that's been handled by another, they might have a dietary requirement, some folks/kids rather graze all day so a quick sarni or scotch egg is preferred, or maybe it's simply because they can't be arsed to queue up for grub! Sometimes we buy on site depending where we're going, other times we like to take a picnic because we love having picnics! My dd prefers sandwiches and picnic food to burgers and chicken nuggets or whatever. Each to there own.

My heart would sink at the kind of dreary lunch advocated by many Mumsnetters - carrot sticks, hummus and pitta.

I fucking hate hummus and it is full of oil. It is not a health food.

I agree that you can find really nice stuff at Italian and French airports and motorway service stations - though that's diminishing and I don't think lasagne or beef stew are particularly healthy - just tasty.

I like McDonalds and it's not greasy. It's salty, but I don't eat it all the time so I don't worry about it.