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.

We bring ours in reusable containers but I’m not sure what class we are

I’m presuming I’m AMA

YABU. And don't feel sad for us. I'm a stay at home mum of a toddler. I often pack lunches for few reasons. (1) He can be a picky eater and so I would rather pack him something I know he'll eat versus getting him something like a chocolate muffin as his meal. (2) I loathe having to make our way through the crowded cafeterias with him and having to make food choices. (3) We have memberships to a few places including the zoo. It's nice because we're close so we can go for an hour or two until he gets tired and then go home. Sometimes we go every week or two. Which then brings me to (4) that it's not a "big day out", when we do it so often. Every once in a while we'll eat there or we may get a snack there in the afternoon, but often I'll just throw something in our bag.

You have no idea. You love eating out and sitting in a food hall because you think its poor looking to eat a picnic. Get a grip. 😂😂Stop thinking about yourself and how u look to the world and get the picnics rolling out. Time spent together talking and eating warm food... No big deal its fun.. F. U. N. Also if your going to get all snobby learn how to actually spell sandwiches...

Too further add. Ive worked in a fast food shops. The practices are dirty and frankly only the fools would eat whats been scraped off the floor in a butty. Packed lunch your food your rules. fresh.

There’s an awful lot of virtue signalling on this thread. I don’t disagree that theme park food is revolting and freakishly expensive, and that, even leaving aside the cost, there are very good reasons for bringing your own. BUT there are also comfortably-off penny-pinching joy-suckers who will miss no opportunity to spurn perfectly nice food or drink in favour of flasks and Tupperware tubs of nasty sandwiches as a form of moral superiority.

My parents (poor) had hosted English cousins (rich) in my home country, and were a bit taken aback that when the cousins met them at the airport when they came to visit, they drove to the edge of the airport, pulled in to a service station, took out deckchairs from the boot, produced a flask and sandwiches and sat there a few feet from the traffic.

Unless you can decent food I would much prefer a packed lunch and not some mass produced crap at the theme parks! M&S nibbles all the way .

Ha ha that brings back memories Meline. My overwhelming memories of UK family holidays is sheltering in the layby whilst DPs heated up a tin of chunky chicken for lunch using the calor gas primer. Still I suppose it was M&S chunky chicken .

Now as an adult I do wonder why on earth we couldn't at least have pulled up to a country park or somewhere scenic.

My DM always used to make us bring packed lunches and I honestly did wish we could get the fast food lunches but I had no concept of what she’d sacrificed to take us I’d pack a lunch but treat the kids to a ice cream or something, they’d probably rather go on the rides than queue for a burger anyway

Too further add. Ive worked in a fast food shops. The practices are dirty and frankly only the fools would eat whats been scraped off the floor in a butty. Packed lunch your food your rules. fresh.

Tonight at Byron they delivered half our order, my chicken/cheese/no mayo burger appeared to have siracha mayo (orange) so I swooped my finger across it to see if it was cheese or mayo - licked it, wasn't sure - did it again - it was mayo so I prepared to send it back.

Our waiter turned up some 2 minutes later to collect my burger and gave it to another table.

Basically I'm never eating out again.

wow what a strange post. I love a picnic. I take the opportunity to buy us some treats we don't usually have (crisps, cakes) and pack those in addition to sandwiches and other things. We do usually get an ice cream there or something else similarly 'fun', so I don't think he feels as if he's missing out. The treat type foods are the only things anyone likes at a theme park, anyway.

We go out to eat at our favourite cafe at least once a week, so it's not an aversion to paying for food. It's the idea of being a captive audience to overpriced crap food that I resent.

I am completely with you Ribrabrob on this one. Being able to go in to the restaurant and choose our own individual food makes the whole experience much more enjoyable. It saves carting round a cool bag all day, and cleaning it all up and sorting out when returning back home tired later, as well as needing to prepare it all in the first place. The half way stop during the outing in the restaurant is something that I always look forward to, perhaps extra much so, as when I was little the cool bag with the pre packed lunches was always the norm. Each one to their own. But for me its worth a little extra and I rather cut back on something else during the rest of that week. :)

So it appears I'm still v v v unreasonable, which again I'm happy to take! I have taken people's opinions on board.

I suppose it's not clear in my OP that I didn't just mean days out at theme parks, zoos etc. and they were examples as I do mean in everyday life as well. You know, an afternoon shopping in town, a trip to the beach etc - I just can't help the way that I feel and do still think it's odd to take a sandwhich or something along. Doesn't always have to be something unhealthy when eating out.

I do remember feeling envious of other children when I was younger and do agree that it's definitely stuck with me.

Again I should apologise as I in no way intended to appear snobbish and I do recognise that not everybody can afford the luxury of eating out. And hey, as somebody who (apparently) loves junk food and burgers, who am I to be snobby?!

Oh and also, I was grateful to my friend :)

Oh and yes, I am lazy. I have absolutely no intention of spending time before going out making a sandwich, salad etc or carrying these around with me. So I guess this plays a big part in my thoughts too! I have a life is too short mentality with regards to things like this.

Not read all of this...too long but we would always bring a picnic through choice. I hate the food at theme parks and it would seem that so do my children. They have tried it and feel sorry for the people “who didn’t think to bring a picnic.”
But frankly we bring a picnic whenever we are out at lunchtime (assuming lunch is not the occasion). Today’s picnic was sour dough, Camembert, strawberries, raspberries, tomatoes and some cured ham. This with some sparkly water and a couple of mini bottles of wine cost less than £20 for 4. Then ice cream later. If you want to buy theme park food, do but I cannot see why you would

I agree with you too, but I suppose we’re not all the same, I came from a very poor,frugal background which is probably why I’ve gone the other way now my finances are better, unfortunately my in-laws are still very frugal/penny pinching although quite well off- I think they feel they’re beating the system etc...I just go with it, makes life easier and it’s only for the day.

32 pages about packed lunch

I bloody love a packed lunch, had one today at superbikes with dh which included Prosecco in plastic flutes which made us feel vair vair posh Usually cafe/catering can food is a big let down

We were always pretty short of money when the kids were young. We loved to treat them and take them out for the day, however the only way we could afford it was with 2 for 1 vouchers and taking a picnic! Everything kept in a cool box and of course what the kids liked to eat. What’s not to like, good, healthy, delicious food with no fries, cheap quality burgers or fizzy unhealthy drinks!

Maybe if everyone did this, we wouldn’t have so many unhealthy, obese children??

Some people just have too many children. Then they can't enjoy life.

Others are perfectly able to enjoy life perfectly well without eating the rotten over-processed crap available for purchase at most theme parks.

Yabu.

For me it does depend what we are doing. For instance if the activity would involve carrying the packed lunch far, if the weather is good, even what mood I'm in.

But no I don't find a packed lunch sad. Sometimes it's a lot nicer than what is being sold, sometimes it avoids standing in queues. On the other hand it can be nice to avoid the trouble of making a lunch.

I actually enjoy my own food more than most places...

I'm not broke, not arsed about weight (I should be) etc, I just like home comforts.

Take that view over to the only children thread, @Dra1972. There’s still a hard core who think those who have only children by choice are selfish. Go and tell them we do it in order not to have to lug cooler boxes around theme parks.

On the occasions I actually can be arsed to make a packed lunch I really look forward to it and think about it all day

I hate generic "out" food like concession stands, pubs and chain restaurants - always prefer my own cooking!

Hmmm. Clearly you have plenty of dosh and disposable income! Lucky you! However, to take a picnic lunch is not sad at all.(You cone across as rather snooty tbh..... 'Why do those plebians come here if they can't afford lunch? '.) I'd rather that than be fleeced for some shitty overpriced junk! We get ice cream and drinks but not going to pay £4 for a tinned hotdog in a teeny roll. What a great, organised friend you have!