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.

YABVU. Especially with theme parks, can just eat in the queue and not waste time that could be spent on rides. The food served at the local zoos here are pitiful meals, cold burgers and dry chips at £15 each, would rather have a sandwich from home. Not "sad" at all.

As a vegan a packed lunch/my own food is often the best option when it comes to fast food places - makes my stomach churn thinking where/how their produce has been sourced 🤮

. The entry fees for days out is expensive as it is. Our closest zoo only has extortionate sandwiches/rolls/salads anyway!

YABU. You can do twice as many things for the same price if you bring your lunch. What's so exciting about an overpriced hot dog for which you must wait in a long line?

YABU
We got to Legoland every year (wet use Tesco points so pay nothing) and we ALWAYS take a picnic. Other posters are spot on, the food is rubbish and poor quality and the ambience is somewhat lacking. We always have some money for ice cream or a slushy and it is a tradition that they have a small Lego box to take home. We always have a brilliant day and it's actually better for the fact that we've got in for nothing, had a nice picnic which has left money over for some treats.

Of course, it's different if you're an adult on your own than it is if you're taking a bunch of damned kids.

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?

Haven't RTFT, and in 28 pages I'm sure this point has already been made multiple times but seriously, how utterly stupid and naive is this comment?

I love a pack lunch... more exciting to eat pack lunch than zoo food!!! Might buy a cup of tea though

I can afford to take my two kids out for the day but always prefer to pack snacks or a lunch as it's added cost to eat out.
If i have the extra money to eat out I will but my kids are JUST AS happy with a packed lunch!!!

For example; myself my partner, the kids grandad and my two kids all went to the soft play local to us for a day out, We didn't pack food and it wasn't long until we were all really hungry, £75!!!!!!!!!! £75 it cost us!!!! Do you know how much food I could have got in asda with £75 lol.
A tenna I would have got us all kitted out with a lovely packed lunch lol.

Just because you can afford a day out doesn't mean you want the added... really sometimes unreasonable spend out for food.

Wow. The last time I went to a theme park the food available was overpriced and not very nice either. I'd much rather take my own food that I know we will all enjoy.

I can't stand eating mass produced, deep fried crap- it leaves me feeling sick, bloated and tired for the rest of the day. That seems much more joyless than a packed lunch filled with things I like.

What other people do with their money isn't my concern though- and if you like buying food when you go for a day out more power to you.

God I love a packed lunch rather than queuing to get overpriced shite.

Fruit, cake, crisps, and sandwiches and a nice drink.

I also don't get the obsession with buying coffee whilst out. HOW MUCH!

I never seem to find anything I like in cafes at events. Cakes, stodge and dubious looking sandwiches, so if I am going to be out over lunchtime I usually take a banana and apple. Wrapped by nature for my convenience.

YABU, eating out IS expensive, and sometimes, we would rather a day out with a packed lunch, than a lunch out with no other fun activity. Also, being the parent of a fussy eater, I get sick of paying for a childs meal that invariably doesn't get eaten, so a nice, varied packed lunch always seems the better option for us.

I always take a nice packed/picnic lunch, however, on a trip to the zoo at half term I said to DS that we would buy food there instead as they now served "gourmet burgers" and it would be a nice treat. Fuck that. It was revolting. It was not a gourmet burger, basically a patty on a bun with ketchup and was SIX QUID. If you wanted chips or sides, they had to be bought separately so essentially a very blow par burger and chips for £10 EACH. We both wished we'd had our usual picnic. Won't be doing that again.

I think this is quite an interesting one, seeing people post "I would rather spend £60 on Ocado to buy nice picnic bits...". My experiences of packed lunches growing up were nothing like this, everything was very cheap (and I know this isn't my parents' fault) and always, always warm and slimy, £60 for "picnic bits" would have been considered an obscene cost. So while I don't think zoo food is appetising either, I kind of see where OP is coming from, because my whole childhood felt like one long round of being told "no" and even if I can understand now that it was just a matter of what my parents could afford, my mental associations with sandwiches means even at "naice" picnics with sourdough and fresh hummus, I am always fairly wary that packed lunch will equal a vague taste of slime and feeling left out

My little girl loves nothing more than a picnic, that’s her dream lunch on a day out. Plus the food at these places is often not very nice for the price of it.

"Naice ham", for instance, was very much not an option, it was always a funny colour and tasted slightly sweaty

I would struggle to find anything I wanted to eat at a theme park, but I sort of get your point OP about sucking enjoyment out of life. I also grew up in a house with no money worries and yet my parents just could not understand the sheer joy, to a child, of just once in a while buying an overpriced luridly coloured ice cream from the truck and then eating it in the street with all your friends instead of drearily spooning it out of the budget-priced tub of neapolitan in the freezer.

Unfortunately it means that as a parent I've overcompensated by spending more than I should buying ice creams from the truck for my own kids.

Not only are YBVU but I strongly suspect you know it.

If this thread doesn't scream "Look at me!!!" I really don't know what does.

Moving on....

My kids prefer a picnic to eating out

It doesn't have to be one or the other. We have a nice picnic but can still but treats/icecream etc

I agree. OP could have eaten the picnic, then treated her friend to an ice cream or something (in case the friend has secret money worries).

YABU! I can afford to buy food out but so often it is just greasy junk and not worth the money. Hygiene is questionable, choices limited and queues are long!

I can pack a much nicer lunch than I can buy most places. Sometimes I buy the kids some chips to go with it but they often prefer just our picnic.

YABU. We can afford food out but DC love taking a picnic, plus I'm picky about the quality of food and hate queuing.