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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:
notmuchmoretogive · 22/06/2019 07:50

YABU
Most food at those places is over priced, unhealthy and rank and you have to queue, never mind the plastics and environmental impact for some them. We would rather take a lovely picnic and stop when we feel like it. We do eat out but like to specifically choose lovely places of our choice.

We also often choose to go for picnics as we live in a rural location. Eating by the river, painting water colours and playing sports games without a food kiosk in sight is our idea of heaven.

likeafishneedsabike · 22/06/2019 07:50

I think you need to learn to make a good picnic OP! Far superior to fast food/overpriced sandwiches.

winetomorrow · 22/06/2019 07:51

I think there's such a happy medium where you take your own food to fill you all up (that you know your kids eat and can eat whenever) and splashing out on some chips or an ice cream as a treat.

I've left the house twice with my toddler when I've thought I wouldn't be long and they wouldn't need food. My ears and heart are still recovering from the 'mummy yoghurt????' (I don't starve her, she'd finished her second breakfast less than an hour before!).

Llioed · 22/06/2019 07:52

I haven’t read the comments from page two onwards because I can probably safely assume most comments say YABU.

I take a packed lunch but it doesn’t “suck the enjoyment” out of the day. You are weird, haha! I would rather save the money from paying for expensive food at a theme park, and put that saved money towards another day out somewhere else. Surely that’s just common sense?

CookPassBabtridge · 22/06/2019 07:52

This is such a weird thread 😂 People love packed lunches, definitely doesn't suck the hoy out od the day. My kids get so excited about taking them. It's so much cheaper... days out are rare for us because of budget so don't want to spend money on expensive zoo food! We have an ace day.

GreyCloud0 · 22/06/2019 07:52

Iv bought food in Alton towers before and it cost £20 for two meals and was shit! Really bad.

So I now normally do a mixture of taking food but also buying some bits when there if the kids fancy it such as ice creams/doughnuts/pasties/slushies but won’t pay for a full on meal.

CookPassBabtridge · 22/06/2019 07:53

joy out of the day*

BogstandardBelle · 22/06/2019 07:54

It’s symbolic for some people: it’s a signal to themselves and others that they are well off enough to afford to eat in the cafe rather than make do with a packed lunch. Much like having a fancy pushchair or flash car etc.

The reality tends to be very overpriced, crap food though, eaten in a grubby, busy room with lots of annoying noisy people. If yr going to spend the money to eat out, save it for an opportunity to eat somewhere nice that serves actual food rather than reheated ping meals in a zoo canteen.

likeafishneedsabike · 22/06/2019 07:55

And totally agree with PPs about splashing out on an ice cream/doughnut/cookie or whatever.
OP won’t be back!!

BarbedBloom · 22/06/2019 07:55

I tend to buy food out as I don't like sandwiches or cold food really, but I can understand why people who want something healthier or cheaper do so. It can be pretty expensive in some places

Ali1cedowntherabbithole · 22/06/2019 07:55

Theme park food is rubbish. I’d rather bring a picnic and then treat everyone to pizza after.

This is how I see it too. I’d rather take nice picnic food and buy an ice-cream or hot drink depending on the weather.

I love going out to eat, but only if it’s decent food in pleasant surroundings. I’ve not yet been to a theme park that qualifies.

Ihatemyseleffordoingthis · 22/06/2019 07:55

"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. "

Has it not occurred to you that your parents were either shielding you from their financial realities - or that your days out were made possible by not paying out for unneccessary lunches

But mainly - you'r thinking about it wrong. It's not a packed lunch, it's a picnic. I'd rather eat my own sarnies than pre-packed ones (vom) and theme park food holds no joy for me.

Cheby · 22/06/2019 07:58

YABU. We are members of our local zoo. We go every few weeks. If we bought lunch every time it would be a fortune; food is ok but overpriced. We buy food occasionally, usually when we know the weather will be rubbish and we will want a stop indoors with hot food to warm us up.

Otherwise, my children LOVE a picnic. They much prefer picnics to eating in restaurants while we are out. They get to choose what they have, we allow them to have treats and it’s all part of the experience for them. Plus DH and I are on slimming world and we can make really filling and delicious salads to take with us, rather than picking over what’s available in he restaurant and trying to figure out what’s the best option for us.

Sceptre86 · 22/06/2019 07:58

I would pack a packed lunch if we were going to a theme park or zoo nearby where we live. I refuse to pay for an overpriced sandwich when I can just as easily rustle up one at home and have more choice over fillings. Like previous posters have said the food at these places tends to be fast food. I can't eat certain meat due to faith so would be stuck munching chips more than likely with not much else to go with it. I would rather take a packed lunch and then eat out for dinner somewhere else ( more options, better quality food, reasonable price). As a child I tended not to eat much at theme parks anyway tbh I was there for the rides and didn't like taking the chance of an upset stomach so kept it light. My parents would always give us the options of chips, doughnuts(other sugary treats) and the like towards the end of the day as we would always make a day of it.

I would eat out if we were at a theme park away from home though as it would be a faff trying to sort out food for everyone at a hotel and would most likely be store bought anyway. You should have mentioned food before you went with your friend and said you prefer to get something there. Let her know for next time.

Bwekfusth · 22/06/2019 07:59

You feel sad for families that take a packed lunch? In a theme park, food is the last thing that either of my boys give a toss about. (They don't much care for food anyway the skinny wee urchins) last time we went to a theme park they forced down a few sandwiches in record speed while asking what they could go on next. They're fussy and probably wouldn't eat the stuff served up in a theme park caf. They certainly wouldn't appreciate taking time out of their day to queue for it,l when they could be queueing for a ride, and I wouldn't appreciate paying £5 for a single slice of pizza or a portion of chips fried in the same oil since 1996. For an extra £2 I could probably have some tasteless rubbery cheese on top and a sachet of vinegar.

TheInvestigator · 22/06/2019 07:59

I make amazing bento box packed lunches. It's not sad sanwhiches and fruit shoots!

The food at attractions is always pizza, chicken nuggets, chips, burgers etc and I just don't enjoy that. Anything too greasy gives me heartburn and we can have a much nicer meal if I make it myself. However, if we get there and the menu is actually good then we would order something we wanted!

Houseonahill · 22/06/2019 07:59

I went to farm place with DP and DD last weekend, it cost £16 to get in and £30 for lunch! I wish I'd taken a packed lunch, £30 would have paid for another day out or two.

DaisiesAreOurSilver · 22/06/2019 08:00

I see where you are coming from, OP. I hate making picnic lunches so it was laziness that meant we bought food out.

We made picnics for days on the beach where there was no "catering".

DS2 mentioned this the other day and said how much he loved picnics. Now I feel a bit guilty.

Thatnovembernight · 22/06/2019 08:00

I usually take a picnic because I can’t afford (and wouldn’t choose) to waste £20-30 on junk food very often. I’d probably buy ice creams /coffee while out though.

It’s upsetting to think there are people who look down on others for such a simple and inoffensive choice as a homemade sandwich. How disappointing.

I took my kids to a theme park type place earlier this year and decided to eat in as it was a cold day. The food was utter crap; greasy with a weird texture and just generally horrible. The table was dirty and there were squashed chips under the table which kept sticking to my shoe. It wasn’t a nice experience. In drivable distance from home there are two places that are worth budgeting lunch from as the food and cafe are nice. Anywhere else gets a picnic.

SunshineCake · 22/06/2019 08:01

@Onescaredmuma where do you get chicken hotdogs from please?

vdbfamily · 22/06/2019 08:02

YABVU

DeathMetalMum · 22/06/2019 08:02

Sometimes we eat out, often we take sandwiches as a preference. Food at zoos and theme parks tend to be very limited choice and not that nice, unless its sandwhiches which you may as well take your own. I prefer to eat out when we can choose, when and where, not just what's available at said cafe.

LeslieKnopeforPM · 22/06/2019 08:03

YABU and so, so weird.

I do love how incredibly odd the folk of MN are. Grin There's always some totally weird thing they are judging someone else for.

Please tell me you thanked your friend for bringing food for everyone?

RoseMartha · 22/06/2019 08:03

We cant afford days out if we bought food there. This summer I have to somehow make it great for my kids knowing that although we are lucky to already have membership to a local kids attraction and are NT members so can do days out that way, (which many people cant afford), there will not be enough money for an ice cream or coffee let alone a full meal and other treats.

Maybe your friend could not afford to eat out or doesn't like or is allergic to fast foods.

icanthelpyou · 22/06/2019 08:03

Yes we were one of the take food with us and I would have loved to just grab something out. I do that now with my kids.