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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:
Nanamilly · 22/06/2019 06:44

We wouldn't eat the food available at a theme park so we'd take a packed lunch. However, for any other kind of day out we'd always have lunch or our evening meal out at a nice restaurant.

I think you are being unreasonable OP and perhaps you should try looking beyond what you can do meal wise when out and what your friend does and the reasons why she perhaps does it.

Skybooks · 22/06/2019 06:45

Op, I was you until recently..

I never understood why people took food and felt like you did. Then I over stretched my budget to take my son out just the 2 of us to a theme park so I took a packed lunch.

We had such fun talking about what he waved to take. Could stop and have 'lunch' as small snacks all day when it was convenient. We still spent money on extras like coffee at the beginning of the day and ice cream.

I love a packed lunch and take one most places now. I prefer to spend money on nice food as pp have said.

DameSquashalot · 22/06/2019 06:45

I much prefer taking my own food to queueing for ages to eat some over priced crap.
YANBU

Justathinslice · 22/06/2019 06:46

OP
Perhaps focus on the fact that your parents took you out, rather than the lack of crap take away food?

DameSquashalot · 22/06/2019 06:46

I'm too used to typing YANBU.😁

YABU

Justathinslice · 22/06/2019 06:46

And it was sweet of your friend to pack lunch for you...

Mummadeeze · 22/06/2019 06:48

I don’t like sandwiches at the best of times and would always plump for hot food. I enjoy choosing an option from the onsite restaurant even if it is a bit crap and expensive so am like you really. I definitely don’t judge others though for enjoying packed lunches. I think good for them being more healthy and saving money. I just couldn’t be bothered myself.

Sirzy · 22/06/2019 06:53

I decided to treat us when we went to Harry Potter world recently. What a waste of money that was! Worlds most expensive “fish finger butty” basically!

Oysterbabe · 22/06/2019 06:53

I don't want that kind of life.

Grin😂😂

We go to the zoo all the time, we have an annual pass. We usually take a picnic because the kids find picnics really fun. We could but an overpriced sandwich or something and chips from the snack bar but why would we? Our picnic is much nicer.

my2bundles · 22/06/2019 06:54

The last and only time I got food in a theme park we had to queue for 20 minutes to buy overpriced soggy food then fight for a table with kids getting cranky, Never again. A picnic costs a quarter of the price and we can eat what we want when we want.

feelingverylazytoday · 22/06/2019 06:54

We prefer to take a picnic on a day out, we would probably still buy an ice cream for a treat. We eat out at other times, and that's a seperate treat, so no need to feel sad, OP. It's the best of both worlds.

Itsnotme123 · 22/06/2019 06:55

The queuing for food puts me off more than anything. It’s expensive too. When the kids were small it was ideal to put the packed lunch into a thermo bag and shove it on the tray under the pushchair along with the picnic blanket.. You can eat when you want, snack when you want, it was far more pleasant than queuing for expensive food, then finding there’s no where to sit as all the tables are taken 😕

mintyneb · 22/06/2019 06:56

Just because I can afford to go out for the day to a theme park or zoo, doesn't mean I can afford to buy lunch. A day out includes petrol/bus fare/train fare/parking and entry fees all of which are usually extortionate leaving not much left to spend whilst there.

Food options are usually limited and my DD has a severe allergy not usually well catered for so all in all a packed lunch is the only way to go

bourbonbiccy · 22/06/2019 06:56

To be honest I can see both sides.

At Theme parks and such the like though the food tends to be a load of rubbish, so I can see why you would want to take your own food, but it is APITA carting it around, especially if it enough for a long day out.

Some people simply only have enough for tickets and travel to some places so perfectly reasonable to take their isn packed lunch.

Personally I always carry a little packed lunch, as I don't really like him eating crap and just in case my DD is hungry on the go, but we do sit down for a meal as well. So I do both, which I suppose is even more silly when you put it down like that 😳😳😳😳😳

lazylinguist · 22/06/2019 06:59

YABU. I love eating out - at proper restaurants or nice cafés. But I'd far far rather bring a lovely picnic than eat the awful, processed, poor-value crap you get at theme parks etc. It's not about the money really - I'm happy to spend money on food if it's actually nice!

DaisyCarrington · 22/06/2019 07:00

It was probably a nice reminiscence of childhood for your friend. I hope you were gracious about it at least.

I don't understand why eating an overpriced sandwich wrapped in plastic or some fast food nightmare would be better anyway.

Yogurtcoveredricecake · 22/06/2019 07:00

I'd always take a packed lunch to a theme park/zoo type place. Food there is often a bit rubbish, the cafés are always piled high with dirty trays and it's overpriced. If you're at a theme park you could loose an hour of valuable ride time just getting some chips.

implantsandaDyson · 22/06/2019 07:00

We always bring food for all the reasons previous posters have mentioned. Choice, lack of queues for getting it, eating on the go, differing food quirks - one of mine won't eat any potato based stuff so the old chip staple is out, mainly cost and also it's not the same food that the kids have for school lunches. It's the exotic taste of fizzy juice, Doritos and sweets before sandwiches, sometimes it's not even sandwiches Shock.

I'd rather save my money for the gift shop. I know its overpriced tat but gift shops are my "grown up" extravagance. We didn't go into them as kids so I have a ridiculous fondness and obsession with them.

zigzagbetty · 22/06/2019 07:01

We love a picnic in the zigzag house! My lo is fussy and I resent parting with my hard earned cash for the crappy food you always seem to get. We buy ice creams and coffee but that's about it

Onescaredmuma · 22/06/2019 07:02

We have merlin passes we're at a theme park/aquarium every other week we save eating out for special occasions the rest of the time we take a picnic. Mainly its chicken hotdogs in a flask with hot dog buns and onion ring Crisps and a treat like a little cake or biscuit. Tastes better than if we bought hotdogs there as proper hotdogs are awful but for some reason chicken ones are amazing! Bonus the whole picnic costs less than if I buy 2 hotdogs out. So why would I want to pay £30 for something thag tastes worse.

my2bundles · 22/06/2019 07:06

Ohhh hot dogs in 😊 a flask .never thought of that, thanks doing that next time ☺

OhTheRoses · 22/06/2019 07:07

Your parents sound like my ILs op except they took you out. It's a middle road I think. A picnic can be fun; sometimes other options are better.

The same with eating out. Sometimes it just fits in. What I don't comprehend, a bit like your parents op, is why a family of 4 will pay £40/£50/£60 for poor food in places like Nandos and Pizza Express. For that I can provide three good quality evening meals with quality ingredients. I think that's v different from letting the dc have a burger from McDonalds or having coffee and a salad (or cake) when I am out shopping.

Fine dining as an occasional treat I am happy to do but just tiddling money up the wall on poor food, I don't understand.

Thisismyusernamefornow · 22/06/2019 07:10

I find you POV really strange - a packed lunch is "joyless"? A packed lunch is quite exciting for my children, who love a picnic style lunch and all the little surprises that come with it.

UrsulaPandress · 22/06/2019 07:10

Food at any attraction or event is overpriced shit.

I love a good picnic and have serious hamper envy at Badminton/Chatsworth Horse Trials.

theworldaccordingtome · 22/06/2019 07:11

Part of the fun of the great British day trip to me is the picnic! Tea out on the way home, but lunch nothing beats a well made picnic.