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.

Totally unreasonable! I'm lucky if I can afford a day out and when we do I sure as he'll can't afford to buy lunch out aswell. Not everyone has that couple extra quid to eat out. There is nothing sad about taking food with you

I tend to think of it as a package - but it very much depends where we go. The zoo we go to has a lovely cafe, reasonably priced and really nice food, so i’ll Happily eat there, same with the olde worlde funfair - superb cafe. There’s another attraction though and I woudnt eat in the main cafe there if it was free...
I do tend to think of the whole day out as including food though, mostly because the last thing I want to be doing is carrying it around with me while we’re there!

( but I don’t judge the people having picnics - nor would I feel awkward about taking one if I felt like it on the day!)

If I'd have bought food out then I wouldn't have had money for entrance fee.
Plus those of us who do bother obviously aren't as rich, lazy and goady as the OP.

When we were kids we used to always take packed lunches but would always have extra treats in that we never usually had if we took packed lunches it meant we could have an ice cream and something small from the gift shop this is what I plan to do with my kids 2

I hate packed lunches but my DC absolutely love them to the extent they will ask to eat out of sandwich boxes on a picnic blanket in the garden. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Is this a joke? What a ridiculous comment! It’s nicer to have a picnic then the rubbish you buy at a theme park or zoo anyway! Hardly sucking the enjoyment away! YABVU

This is some kind of joke isn’t it? Out of many of the posts here on MN yours has made me quite mad.

What a very limited way of thinking.

If you wanted to buy something surely you could’ve said?

I always take a packed lunch which saves us a small fortune. I find generally the food at these places overpriced and for kids it’s the usual fish, pizza or chicken with chips or a very small cheese or ham sandwich which wouldn’t fill up my son and he’s no overeater by all means.

You are entitled to live the way you want, but judging other is very high and mighty especially over something like this. It’s also very narrow minded.

For the record YABVVVVVVVVU

I think if it's a hassle to make a sandwich and it would suck the enjoyment out of your life to try, I wonder about your abilities and intelligence OP.
So many problems with making a sandwich, maybe ask your kids or your friend for pointers.

Three good reasons why to take a packed lunch
1.Expensive rather spend on enjoying things / more days out.
2.Tastes better / healthier / both
3.Why go somewhere to stand in queues for food.

I am shocked this is seen as sad! Kids love picnic! At least my kids do! Better food, more fun, no queue!

As busy FT working parents, we eat out much more than picnic so picnic is a real treat for my kids!

I think OP got it all wrong!

We normally take our own as lots of food at places out is not nice fast food, and a waste of money.

I don't see the point in queuing for overpriced food when I can take my own packed lunch (which is never warm) and enjoy it whenever. You can have hot or cold and a large selection. Frankly you sound a bit stuck up.

I don't take picnics on days out because dh is 6"5 and 20st and a few sandwiches wouldn't touch his side let alone fill him we eat out where ever we are usually a mc Donald's on the way there and a pub dinner on the way home. We have 5 kids so it costs a fair bit but it's all part of the day out. Plus I haven't got the patience to pack a picnic up for 7 people that's just long.

NowWhat I think the OP was taken aback by her friend bringing lunch, she expected they’d be buying out. It would have seemed ungrateful to mention it then. I have a friend (who I’ve got tentative arrangements with fairly soon) who likes to bring her own lunch. Fine. I like not to. Also fine. Unfortunately it means in places like zoos/theme parks/attractions we can’t eat together as the areas are often separated.

Don’t understand the posters saying the food is shit. Most places have gone over to McD’s/Burger King/Costa etc. Not gourmet but not terrible and only a couple of quid dearer than on the high st.

McDonald’s and Burger King is crap! Much rather have a picnic.

YABVU!!! We love a packed lunch when we go days out! It’s not to save money necessarily, but we take an amazing lunch that would cost just about the same as buying food we wouldn’t enjoy as much if we bought it at the zoo etc! Sometimes it’s preference!

@Ribrabrob it's far cheaper to take your own packed lunch. Perhaps she's quite hard-up?

I've got a friend who has NEVER bought food when we've been out in 12 years, and always brings along a pretty good packed lunch. She is extremely careful with money and counts every penny.

We always take picnics with us - our kids prefer it and we buy treat stuff from M&S so it feels more special than their everyday school packed lunch. I would pay for theme park food if it were good but it's generally substandard. We normally stop on the way home for dinner which I'm far happier paying out for!

Most places have gone over to McD’s/Burger King/Costa etc.

I don’t consider any of that food worth paying for. You might.

Actually it was very nice of your friend to make one for you.
If it were me, I would have made lunches for my family and let you buy your own.
Lunches don't need to be sandwiches. We have had packed lunches on the beach and they have been delicious. I have packed scotch eggs, sausages, pork pies, fruit, cheese, crackers. We have thoroughly enjoyed our lunches.

I'm the opposite - I don't get why people queue for ages, pay a fortune for absolutely shite food, and then not be able to find somewhere to sit in the cafe in theme parks, when you could just bring your own.

Every time we don't bring our own and we are stood in the queue for a choice between a dry burger or dry pasta, I always regret not bringing a packed lunch!

I do understand what you mean. A friend of mine, her husband and child, came to visit us a few years back. They were taking the train into London for the day, and visiting the free museums and galleries.
They used up a shitload of my food making up their packed lunches.
I know train travel is more expensive here (they're German), but a part of me did think 'Oh FFS, just go to bloody MacDonalds'.

How is it sad? Queuing for food is just time wasted when you can just eat what you've brought with you.

"If you are privileged enough that you eat out (and did as a child), and your children do now, then theme park/zoo food is not a treat.
And if you are privileged then spending 60 pounds on an Ocado picnic (I wouldn’t spend quite that much but 30-40 maybe) is also not a serious drain on finances. So not all packed lunches are equal.
So then these children then feel no sense of the shame that some posters have quite eloquently described about watching others eat while they had a packed lunch as kids." spot on