To think that an unrefridgerated ham sandwich is not ok to eat after 30 hours?

[SmartyPlants]

DS (14) doing D of E expedition. Needs lunch for 2 days. The team are planning to eat left over pizza on the first day and a sandwich on the second day (after camping overnight).

DS with his Dad this weekend ahead of the D of E and has chosen a ham sandwich for the second day. I've suggested that ham out of the fridge for 30 hours won't be safe to eat, but ExH has said it was DSs choice. DS is 14 with SEN and no knowledge of food poisoning, so I suggested to ExH that there might be a better choice he could be guided towards. I've had no reply.

AIBU that this is not sensible? ExH seems to think I am overreacting.

I'd go for something like dairylea triangles or pepperami, in its wrappers, to be added to a roll, pitta or bread when eaten. Or cheddar cheese or cured meat like salami.

Ypu are correct, technically once it’s been at room temp for more than a couple of hours it’s not really considered safe. He either needs an insulated lunch box and ice packs to keep them cool or an alternative that doesn’t need to be kept cool!

YANBU, especially in this weather. Your exH is being a dunce OP

Ours ended up eating cold boil in the bag for lunch, and had noodles for dinner. Beyond pepperami, cereal bars and fruit pots, we were a bit stumped for packed lunch ideas. He had a pasty for day 1. Maybe some shelf stable croissants or brioche would be a good alternative?

I would no way be eating 30 hour hot ham.

My daughter did it a few weeks ago. She had those pre made pouches of pesto or tomatoe pasta you can get. Plus a shed load of chocolate and skittles.

No to ham after 30 hours! 🙄DH needs telling!

Pittas and cheese strings or babybels.

No way would a ham sandwich be a good idea. He won't want to be carrying extra weight of insulated bags and ice blocks (which won't last long enough anyway).

At that point it's going to be more of a Petri dish than a sandwich.

Omg nooooo just NO. That’s ridiculous I wouldn’t be happy with that at alll! Yanbu where is the common sense? If my kids haven’t eaten there sandwiches they love a ham sandwich after say around 25 minutes it gets binned especially in the heat of summer!

I have always been very non-paranoid about use by dates, food left out of the fridge etc etc, and I’m still alive, but I wouldn’t eat a ham sandwich which had been left out of the fridge for that long. Unless, possibly, it was in winter and it had been left in very cold temperatures.

will they be able to boil water?
so some sort of pot noodle

a peanut butter sandwich would be better

YANBU, your ex is an idiot.

Flask, with boiled water from campfire + pot noodle or super noodles

They can cook in the evening but not at lunch time so they are doing pasta for dinner and he’s taking pastries for breakfast but lunch was the sticking point.

I’m glad it’s not just me thinking it’s a terrible idea! I’m a bit paranoid about food stuff anyway hence sense checking it here but glad for the confirmation it’s not just me being OTT.

Genuine question - why would the curing process for salami make it ok, but the curing process for ham means it's not?

Generally they 'cook' breakfast and evening meal. Lunch is usually on the move so don't want the hassle of stopping, unpacking stoves etc to boil water.

Agreed but it’s a nut free school so they aren’t allowed anything with nuts. Which is a shame as nuts are light to carry and loads of energy to keep them going but they aren’t allowed.

I read 30 minutes and thought we'd reached peak mumsnet preciousness, but with 30 HOURS, YADNBU!!

Flasks are very heavy to carry and take up limited space in a rucksack.

My DD did it last week. She took falafels as they wouldn’t be so likely to give her food poisoning. Some others brought sausages and a few were sick (maybe unrelated but I have my doubts)!

have you looked at millets?
i think i bought ds croissants but it was a long time ago so i cant remember

When I camped I had crackers, Primula and a small tin of tuna.

I tend to go for marmite sandwiches if they’re going to be around for a while. Hope the trip goes well for them!

DS takes cheese and crackers - those little sealed cheeses you can buy in nets at the supermarket. He also takes John West tuna pouches, peperami chicken bites, Soreen bars, apples, dried apricots, dried mango.

Could he stomach a small tin of beans and sausages/ravioli etc. eaten cold, with a (slightly less than) crusty roll to mop up the tomato sauce?