To put a cool pack in a lunchbox?

[Purrloin]

DS is currently taking packed lunches to school, usually consisting of a sandwich, yoghurt, crisps and fruit.

I always put in a cool (freezer) pack to try and keep it all cool, particularly the yoghurt and the ham or cheese that he usually has in his sandwich.

Clearly ExH thinks I am bonkers, as he now has a nice little collection of my cool packs building up at his house and doesn’t put them in when it’s his turn to make the packed lunch when DS is staying with him.

So AIBU to put one in? Surely you are at risk of bacteria growing if things are kept at the wrong temperature?

I think it is pretty obvious that this is a EXDH problem not an ice pack problem.

I'm thinking about this now and just remembered, my Dad used to make the weeks worth of sandwiches on a Sunday evening, freeze them individually, and then we'd get one out each morning and it would have defrosted by dinner time.

I do in the summer when really warm, esp if there are yogurts or hummus in them. This time of year I don't.

I'm like you op and always put ice packs in - no one wants a warm lunch 🤮

I do the same thing every day myself.

As others have suggested, freeze the yoghurt.

I get the yoghurt pouches and freeze them. I have to loosen the lid a little for DD before putting them. Keeps everything cool until lunch.

I can see myself doing this on a hot day but note that no one ever had such a thing in their pack lunch when I was a child. A ham sandwich left at room temperature for 5 hours was not considered a health hazard. I have also never taken an ice pack in a packed lunch to work as an adult, or refrigerated my lunch.

I do sometimes slightly catch myself and I think nope. I won't do it. I won't raise my kids to be delicate little flowers who can't cope with an ambient temperature lunch.

Atoadonthewhole
One of my parents did this. I'm not a fan of bread that has been frozen then defrosted though, it's always dry and only any good for toast imho!

@Ohdoleavemealone

I think it is pretty obvious that this is a EXDH problem not an ice pack problem.

Well yes it’s pretty annoying that I have lost all of my freezer packs to my ExH, but I’m more worried about giving my child food poisoning than how many he’s got stacked up.

Nursery ask us to put one in ds lunch. Mainly so they can go out for the day with them instead of storing their lunches in the fridge

I’ve never bothered and I dislike cold sandwiches. But it’s not unreasonable to do it.

Bacteria will lot grow by lunchtime. Warm yoghurts are a bit manky I suppose, so freezing the yoghurt as PP have suggested would work. I think the problem with using icepacks or frozen drinks bottles is that they soon develop a lot of condensation on the outside and everything gets wet.

I just can’t see that it needs to be a big issue though. It’s rarely that hot here (assuming UK). An insulated lunch bag is good enough. I’m not surprised your ex can’t be bothered - I wouldn’t be either, and he may well only open the bag the next morning anyway and see it in there and so not have time to freeze it anyway.

I always did this with my kids' lunches, so YANBU.

Also, do you seriously think that your child will get food poisoning from a sandwich or yoghurt left out of the fridge for 4 hours?

@Shoppingwithmother

Also, do you seriously think that your child will get food poisoning from a sandwich or yoghurt left out of the fridge for 4 hours?

But it’s warm ham. (not envy)

I always put one in. Always used the cool bag type lunch and rather than plastic as they are always minging by lunchtime. (Work in school). Can’t you just ask him to do the same? Depends how reasonable he is I suppose.

Am I missing something? How will freezing yogurts /drinks etc help when exh is providing the lunch. Surely that will only help if OP has run out of ice packs.

yabu
freeze the yoghurt, they will act as cool pack

@NoIDontWatchLoveIsland

Atoadonthewhole One of my parents did this. I'm not a fan of bread that has been frozen then defrosted though, it's always dry and only any good for toast imho!

Agreed or when you try and have dinner earlier and the tuna's still brick like in the middle

Start putting stuff you want to get rid of in and see if he keeps that too

@LtJudyHopps

I don’t see the need? There’s nothing I hate more than a cold sandwich. When I bring any to work, they go in my drawer until lunchtime. This includes ham, tuna, chicken. Hopefully he’s just forgetting as he also doesn’t see the point.

There's nothing you can think of in the whole world that you dislike more than a cold sandwich? I mean ......

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OP it's up to you whether you put them in, it's also up to your child's dad if they put them in, BUT as it's your property, it should absolutely be returned to you. I assume you drop your child off at his, or he picks them up? So can you not exchange cool packs then?

Agree with the poster who suggested freezing frubes. Great idea :).

I always use cool packs, I hate a warm-ish sandwich regardless of the filling.

Yoghurt tubes are evil, pouches are better for opening. A friend freezes these fruit juice boxes to cool the lunch. I did it when DD went on school trips and they had to use plastic bags for their lunch.

Saying that, I know that on residential trips and Scout trips DD survives without a cool pack.

Both my girls get freezer packs in with their lunch i teach as well and see many lunches that were left in too hot areas, yuck! But never use one for myself 🤔

Have you asked Ex to return them? Or do you think he is keeping them to annoy you?