To think you can't ban food on trains?

[poshme]

In today's times (sorry rubbish at links) there's an article saying the outgoing chief medical officer wants to ban food on trains unless for medical reasons.
AIBU to think this is completely stupid & unworkable?
Apparently it's because we're snacking too much & too many children are obese.

I regularly catch trains with my kids- usually a 3-4 hr journey. Invariably it's a meal time, and part of passing the time is eating a packed meal. Yes- it's not the healthiest meal in the world & includes crisps & chocolate, but as part of a normal diet it's fine.

My kids are not overweight. In fact they're generally underweight.

If this is implemented they're never be able to enforce it surely?

The medical officer was reverting to short commuter journeys not 3/4 hour or longer journeys. I think it's a great idea but how it would be monitored is another question. Perhaps the European countries where this has been in force for some years can show us how.

I regularly do a king journey with 4 changes of train. Last week one if the legs was delayed over an hour, so my planned meal after the journey didn't happen so I picked up food and went on a local train. A 15 minute journey, but I'd been travelling for 5 hours by that point and had changed 4 times . Another time I'll bring food even if I plan to eat afterwards. And anyway while it was a short journey for me others were going off a lot further. Every time I do that journey it will be over a mealtime and every leg is a local train

It's ridiculous- nothing wrong with eating although I wouldn't have something smelly for the sanity of others!!

I wish they would ban people shouting down phones/each other though. When it happens in the quiet bit. 😬

Totally unenforceable however I sat next to a woman eating some crisps on the train the other day and it wasn't pleasant

Nannying makes it sound like the edict is like Mary Poppins enforcing bedtime. It is authoritarian and needs to be resisted strongly. Take a look at what the Chinese government is doing to its own people, never mind those of Hong Kong or the Uigurs. That is where we are headed.

In the last couple of weeks I have seen serious suggestions that we should no longer be able to have cars, meat, access to water on demand and that domestic fuel should be rationed - which, of course, was what smart meters were really all about.

We need to push back against this puritanical tyranny.

I'd rather ban people who take up an entire train table with their makeup kit and do the full morning make up routine on commuter trains to be honest.

Silly idea with no one to enforce it.
They need to serve ONLY healthy food in secondary school canteens, not ban food on trains!! The amount of unhealthy food and drink on offer at school needs to be addressed.

spersonmyceiling oh my wordy-fair fecks! I hope you've some good reading with you!!!

Why are so many people making irrelevant comments about long train journeys? It was a ban on local transport only. Please read the news before you comment on it or it’s a waste of time.

Because taking a local train is an essential part of my long train journey.

Haha agree kuponut, that grosses me out far more

Even banning it on short journeys is ridiculous! When I was a mature student I was also working full time and would use the train journey to grab a late lunch before picking the kids up. Absolute twaddle.

I can't see that it's workable, but on the other hand, I would be overjoyed if smelly fast food was banned - the stench of a burger and fries in a carriage is nauseating.

Agree re smelly food

Other than that I think it’s ridiculous. People have the right to make choices even bad or unhealthy ones if they want. The answer is education not banning.

Also who is meant to enforce it? Train staff? Can’t see their trade union being delighted to agree to that for their members.

if they want to get serious about the obesity problem make obese people for their heath care directly i a healthy person is fed up of funding their unhealthy lifestyle through the nhs

Piss off

The answer is education not banning
Education isn't working is it?
If it was only educating life would be so easy - just educate people on who makes a good partner, how to help DCs to do homework, how to stay fit, how to make ends meet .......simples!

The first time I did a proper train journey with ds2, you should have seen his face when the food trolley came round.. he thought it was something out of Harry Potter! I didn’t have much money then, so I think I only bought a kitkat to share between 3, but it was honestly a moment of pure joy, and a lovely memory. I’d be sad to lose that part of the journey

Education isn't working is it?

That's because there is no practical education. People need practical classes for things such as cooking. Watching a video or reading a book doesn't make you a brain surgeon and likewise recieving a small pamphlet on what you should eat, doesn't make you someone who can cook those meals in a reasonable time at a decent cost.

It was only suggested for local journeys and TBH I was brought up to think eating on public transport, other than an Intercity train was very poor form. Ditto eating in the street.

Can't think why we're getting fatter

Those talking about education are right.

My mum had her school recipe book from home economics where they made full meals from scratch. Final end of year test was cooking a 3 course meal within a time limit.

I did GCSE food tech 1998-2000, our GCSE project was making a sandwich based on our chosen country. We spent a whole year making different sandwiches, designing packaging and taking photos for an advert.

Why don't we teach teenagers how to make nutritious quick meals from scratch?

For GCSE food students have to do 2 practical tasks. The first is a food investigation eg what effect does using different kinds of flour have on bread or pasta etc plus the have to plan, prepare and cook a menu of 3 dishes within a 3 hour time period. (Plus provide evidence of having cooked other dishes outside of this time).

Sample tasks:

1. Plan, prepare, cook and present a range of dishes which would be suitable for vegetarians. Present three final dishes.

1. Plan, prepare, cook and present a range of dishes which are a good source of fibre and would appeal to teenagers. Present three final dishes.

1. Plan, prepare, cook and present a range of dishes from the Mediterranean culinary tradition. Present three final dishes.

Apologies for not reading whole thread but if not been mentioned, what about diabetes who may need sudden food?

The Japanese do not eat or drink on the streets or on public transport - it’s seen as bad manners. The streets are very clean as a result, and the public transport doesn’t smell or get covered in litter and crumbs. Works well there, but it’s not banned, just bad manners and respected as not the done thing.

Surely it should be the kids driven round door to door in cars that should be stopped snacking? Not those having to walk to the station, then further to the destinatiin or to a bus stop? But if course it is ridiculous and totally unworkable.

Branster

Can you sell them in smaller packs? I like a few with a sandwich but you can't store a 1/2 packet.

Surely it should be the kids driven round door to door in cars that should be stopped snacking?

How about dropping GCSEs by a grade or two for children who arrive by car (unless due medical reasons).

Eating in the train was the best bit. We used to travel up north to see our grandparents, 4 hour journey. On the way up mum would give me money to stagger my way up to tbe buffet car for tea and I was so proud ordering for myself and carrying it back. On tbe way home again Nana would pack us all sorts of delicious snacks and sandwiches. It would have been a very long miserable journey without seeing what surprises we had in her picnic bag.