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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Packed lunch is sad

911 replies

Ribrabrob · 22/06/2019 05:35

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 Hmm 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.

OP posts:
Celp28 · 23/06/2019 19:22

I always take a packed lunch. I have allergies. But even that aside, the food in these places are particularly rubbish. And also after a day out there’s no way I’m cooking when I get home so we always stop at a nice restaurant that evening. No way would I want to pay to eat out twice in one day (maybe I am tight 😂). The packed lunch is merely just to keep the kids from moaning they are hungry all day. We do buy snacks, drinks, ice creams etc at the park.

Adultchild · 23/06/2019 19:27

Hmm. As a child I always wanted packed lunches when I went to school but my family made me have school dinners. The same at theme parks.
To me packed lunches symbolised care and knowing your child at school, and at theme parks and fetes and things it was always the happiest families who had packed lunches.
What can I say? I have issues Hmm

tashac89 · 23/06/2019 19:29

The kind of places I actually like eating at are often more expensive than a day at a theme park for the 6 of us. One or t'other I'm afraid.

MissCharleyP · 23/06/2019 19:31

LaurieMarlow On the odd occasion I have it yes. Spent a childhood of “We’ve got ice cream at HOME” or as I said earlier being expected to lug a packed lunch for 4/5 hours and having to faff about with putting it in those slidy cupboard things next to the rides.

Stealthymcstealth · 23/06/2019 19:31

What a bizarre way of thinking. I have an annual membership to Paultons Park and myself and my husband take our son on a regular basis, if we ate the food offered there everytime we would be very unhealthy! I would rather my son didn't eat hotdogs and ice cream on every visit so I pack (a much healthier and nicer imo) picnic in a cooler bag with an ice pack inside so no warm sandwiches Wink

Sorry OP but it sounds like you are being snobby for the sake of being snobby.

MaryPopppins · 23/06/2019 19:32

We have Merlin passes so go to theme parks a few days a month.

Some times we eat there if there's something we fancy (so if we want fast food basically) but mostly we pack a lunch (with ice packs and frozen bottles of squash)

Disney etc where there's a variety of food and we don't spend much time at then I see the meals as part of the experience.

But most UK attractions are crappy overpriced food. We'd much rather have a tasty lunch from home and maybe buy an ice cream while there.

MsTSwift · 23/06/2019 19:34

Buying sandwiches or wraps on the way from a coop or similar is a good compromise. You get the bought food so don’t have to stand there buttering sarnies (tedious) but avoid the buying burger and chip thing. Frankly think English visitor attractions need to up their game in the food front the worlds moved on from fast food

tomboytown · 23/06/2019 19:36

I have lovely memories of packed lunches on our days out.
Nothing sad about my Mum’s butties.

And of course it’s more expensive.

snop · 23/06/2019 19:41

I always take my own as the food in these types of places is usually tasteless rubbish and i can't stand queuing up for ages to buy the crap food they sell

ChippingInLowCarbing · 23/06/2019 19:42

You lot are BAD news!

I’m Low Carbing and ALL I want now is sandwiches, pasties and fruit and crisps!!

Arghhhhh

Itssosunny · 23/06/2019 19:44

Oh, that's a bit ridiculous to feel like that on your part. What's wrong with bringing your own food I don't understand?

Linguaphile · 23/06/2019 19:45

What an ignorant to say! Theme park food is rubbish quality, often unhealthy and massively overpriced. The food costs can easily be double the entry fees if you only eat what is available at the park, and you go home feeling greasy and horrible. I'm happy to buy treats like ice creams and coffees over the course of the day, but we always bring healthy picnic food. The kids love it--we usually go to the shop beforehand and everyone helps to choose a few special bits to bring. It's part of the fun.

Honestly, you are being ridiculous.

LaurieMarlow · 23/06/2019 19:48

On the odd occasion I have it yes.

Lots of people don’t think that kind of food is worth paying for. Everyone’s different.

I get, in theory, the flashbacks to miserable childhood experiences. I certainly wasn’t rich growing up. However I still don’t think it’s preferable to pay for the crap some of these places serve up.

multivac · 23/06/2019 19:48

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

And those of use who go the packed lunch route because yes, we can sometimes afford a trip to the zoo, but no, actually, 'spending a little bit more on food' is actually a big fucking deal - are we BU to be more than a tad pissed off at the OP looking at us over the top of her burger and feeling sad for our poor children?

nuxe1984 · 23/06/2019 19:49

Don't be so judgemental. Some people enjoy taking a picnic with the. Means they can eat what they want rather than the (usually) limited junk food at venues. Also means, if they have specific dietary requirements they don't have to worry about them.
Must admit, if your idea of fun is eating at the limited options available at theme parks and such like then you need to get out more!

multivac · 23/06/2019 19:50

'those of us'. Don't even know where to start with the bolding fail...

KittenSnuggler · 23/06/2019 19:50

UK theme park, fine to take a pack up/picnic. All the food choices I experienced at theme parks seemed to be deep fried, tasteless and expensive.

What bothered me was when we were on holiday in Greece and took a trip to a heritage site. It was a 3 hour journey from where we were staying. After we were picked up we went to the AI hotel. Everyone getting on the bus had their pack up lunch in a bag. It was 7am. Whilst the tour bus was air conditioned for our journey it wasn't for the 4 hours it was parked up whilst we were visiting the site and it was so hot.

After the tour we broke for lunch. I still remember seeing all those people sitting on benches eating what must have been sweaty, warm sandwiches with warm fruit juice rather than just paying a few Euros to eat a lovely meal in a restaurant. That was one of the best meals we had in Greece. So yeah, packed lunch in UK good, abroad when it's hot not so much.

Confused01011 · 23/06/2019 19:56

I can’t abide sitting in some kind of ‘upmarket’ McDonalds in a theme park on a busy day with whining kids, people eyeballing you for your table if you are almost finished, and consuming about 10000 calories in one meal.

Each to their own but this sucks the joy out for me.
A lovely packed lunch all the way.

Atthebottomofthegarden · 23/06/2019 19:56

I’m easy on the whole thing really. My friends tend in different directions and I tend to go with the flow, so we sometimes eat at an attraction and sometimes have a picnic. On a rather showery day we had a picnic and chips! As others have said, mostly the food isn’t great in the theme park restaurants in particular. Sometimes we stop at the little Sainsbury’s on the way to pick up a meal deal... best of both worlds?

I do think a treat is appropriate on a day out though. My Mum always used to say no to everything, but I don’t see the harm in having your picnic followed by an ice cream!

pucelleauxblanchesmains · 23/06/2019 19:58

"And those of use who go the packed lunch route because yes, we can sometimes afford a trip to the zoo, but no, actually, 'spending a little bit more on food' is actually a big fucking deal - are we BU to be more than a tad pissed off at the OP looking at us over the top of her burger and feeling sad for our poor children?" - well the comment you're replying to, @multivac, clearly isn't aimed at you then is it? As I read it the poster was annoyed with the several people on here intoning about how they love to spend £60 on Ocado and "lashings of lemonade" with no sense of self-awareness or understanding that OP's background is at least partly responsible for their views on this

LadyRannaldini · 23/06/2019 20:02

If you take packed lunches on your trips out you can have more trips out! Even though I could comfortably afford to eat out more I often don't do it if I can take a picnic, I have a real objection to spending money unnecessarily.

Lovely13 · 23/06/2019 20:03

You’d hate me then. Always took a packed lunch on family days out. Cheaper, knew what we were eating. Days are very expensive as it is. I still do it as a single adult on days out. Prefer my food!

jelly79 · 23/06/2019 20:04

A dramatic opinion - sucking the joy out of the day? Assuming it's only because people can't afford to buy from the places.

Picnics are one of my favourite things to do. I take my son out at least twice a month to a theme park so it makes sense for loads of reasons!

DreamTheMoors · 23/06/2019 20:05

If you want to eat out then you should make it clear before you ever agree to go - and you should definitely treat. This could have been avoided had you discussed lunch beforehand. On the same token, if a person makes sandwiches beforehand without informing you, you are under no obligation to eat them - but that could cause unnecessarily hurt feelings. I always wonder about the “source” of meat being served at the zoo - no thanks. 🤢

SignedUpJust4This · 23/06/2019 20:10

Tbh when you go to these places the food is usually awful. I'd prefer a packed lunch but can't often be bothered/organised enough.

I think OP you are projecting your own issues about your childhood here. My kids love a packed lunch. They also love crappy theme park food. Theyre just happy to be out.