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?

Feel like a right weirdo after seeing the majority of the responses, but I ALWAYS use ice packs in lunchboxes. I thought this was the norm! The idea of a warm ham sandwich or a lukewarm yoghurt makes me feel a bit ill.

I use use packs

It’s a non issue. Do it. Don’t do it. Up to you.

As an aside though, if you freeze the yoghurt it acts as a cool pack and defrosts by lunch time. Win win.

I managed to get through the entirety of my school life without ever needing them :S

I had packed lunches in the 80's. Chilled lunch was unheard of, and we survived.

In fact, all the lunch boxes were stored in the hall in a big pile so all those on the bottom were probably made warmer by all those on top of them.

Food you keep in the fridge has a limited time it can be out of the fridge for, 2 hours at room temperature a lunch box will be out of the fridge for 3 definatly put a cool pack in especially if it contains meat.

What is all this shit about "warm" ham?!

The uk is not that warm! For 80% of the year the temperature indoors/in the shade isnt going to warm a sandwich up past room temperature.

In any case, rethink... warm roast ham as part of a christmas dinner? No so bad now, is it. Refridgeration is a new concept for humans. Ham usually has sugar/salt added (read the label). Those are preservatives.

I have always put a small ice pack in my kids lunchboxes.

I always used to put a little ice pack in my DCs packed lunches.

Even on trips when everything had to be disposable I would put a frozen drink carton in.

Well, you learn something new every day! I had an ice pack in my lunch box in the 70s, my children had them and I still put one in my work lunch bag. I honestly thought everybody did this!

Bacteria can double every 20 minutes once out of the safe temperature zone and classrooms tend to be warm. I’d rather be safe than sorry if I’m honest.

Slots of kids at school have them. I think it is sensible considering where some are kept ( next to heater) which I don’t agree with.

I would add them, have you thought about freezing the yogurts? Then it acts as a cool pack and defrosts by the time it’s lunch then you won’t have any cool packs going missing

I don't care about bacteria but warm sandwiches taste grim and often go soggy, what about the salad surely it's all limp and unappetising by lunch time?

I also always froze the tube yogurts.

And I also hated the amount of stuff that went to ex's and never came back.

I used to freeze a small carton of apple juice and put that in. It was ready to drink by lunchtime and the box could be thrown away so there was no risk of losing a cool block (not that there was an annoying ex in the picture, my DC were quite capable of losing things all by themselves, such as a tub with melon slices in it that was rediscovered after half-term growing its own ecosystem).

Clearly those who don't use ice packs are still enjoying their sandwiches and not getting food poisoning. I'm in my forties and have eaten a LOT of unchilled packed lunches without any adverse effects!

I might put one in a family picnic in the summer or if I was taking something fishy but not in day to day packed lunches.

I have the little stick ones. I wouldn't want meat sat around without one

I'm in agreement with @NoIDontWatchLoveIsland (when it comes to ham sandwiches at least - I don't agree about TV habits - Love Island is great )

I don't see the need.

But I grew up in a home without a fridge- and we survived.

I put one in every day, ham at room temp is not something I would eat.

I do in the summer, but also freeze frubes and pop on in

Great idea about freezing the yoghurt. At the moment he has to have a Tupperware box as they aren’t allowed to take lunch into school in anything else so I can’t fit a drink in (and he carries a separate water bottle anyway). I haven’t seen stick type cool blocks so will also look out for those.

I know the schools have got their windows open at the moment so the temperature isn’t that high but the thought of ham sitting in a lunchbox near the radiator at school is disgusting!

And warm roast ham as part of Christmas dinner is surely cooked on the day? That’s why it’s warm?!

I always put an ice pack in! But in your case I'd freeze a tube yoghurt, smoothie or other drink.

Totally unnecessary.

You’re not being unreasonable for putting an ice pack on, neither are people who don’t - I’m in the second camp. I asked DD if her sandwich or yoghurt gets warm and she said no.