School demanding packed meals for 18 hr bus trip

[Snoopmummy]

DC is off on a school trip involving an 18 hour coach journey. School is demanding we drop children off in the evening having fed them (fine), equipped with nut free snacks (makes sense). We have also been asked to provide TWO meals: a packed breakfast and a packed lunch.

That means breakfast will be consumed 13 hours after they set off and lunch will be something like 17 hours later. Is there any food that can safely last for that length of time in an insulated bag or flask? DC does not like dried fruit or cereal bars.

AIBU to consider asking for the risk assessment over this and suggesting we equip them with money to get food on the way as they will need to stop anyway?!

Flask of hot water and a couple of pot noodles? Providing your child is sensible then there's your risk assessment. Make sure they have a fork or two. As a scientist you must realise there is nutritional content in pre-packaged croissants? Granted it's not the healthiest thing on the planet... No need for drama, just use some commonsense.

What a fuss over nothing. There are plenty of things you could give your child.

Of course they stop at service stations! We have clarified this. This particular school are taking 9 year olds and have decided it is easier for the children to have access to most food via a packed lunch. I’m sure they will still be allowed to buy snacks at the service stations but the vast majority of food will be consumed via packed lunch.

As for flying. Navigating 30-40 children in an airport is no easy task either.

You know what would be easier? To not bother at all. The children will then miss out because of moaning and negative adults.

You sound like a total pain in the arse parent.

An insulted lunchbox fits perfectly in this thread! 😁

Jam or marmite sandwiches, cereal bars, crisps, crackers, fruit, long life pouch yoghurts, biscuits, chocolate. It's a treat trip, doesn't have to be the most balanced or nutritious...

In probably a shit mum but I would just fill a bag with crisps, chocolate, protein bars or shakes, plenty of water and something fizzy to drink.

I'm very surprised at taking kids on an 18 hour coach trip.

It sounds uncomfortable, arduous, ridiculous, and quite frankly, insane.

Especially when you consider that flights are so cheap these days.

If you are that worried then don't send child on the trip.....yabu....plenty of stuff you can send!!!!!

Freezer packs to keep food fresh.

A flask with hot soup or something

This is ridiculous. Pack a load of crap for your child to eat and relax. This generation of children are not going to function in the real world because croissants don't have a great nutritional value

We had similar when DS went on a ski trip last year, reason for coach is because of the equipment so I'm guessing OP is same situation maybe,

Jam sandwiches, crisps, pain au chocolates, an apple/pear and lots of chocolate and haribo.

I don't think DS actually ate his as "breakfast" and "lunch" he just snacked on it all regularly and bought himself food at every service station plus a fry up on the ferry 😂

If I were a teacher on this trip, I wouldn't want any flasks of hot liquid anywhere near a bunch of 9 year olds!

I think you are overthinking this a bit. Surely if you are happy to send a 9 year old abroad with his school then you generally trust them.

I suspect the OP isn't coming back.....

We used do a trip like this with school. What about Soreen malt loafs, you get little individual ones, brioche with chocolate chips, freeze a small carton of orange juice and for breakfast it will be ready.

It's a one off, so don't worry about making it healthy. Forget about salad or anything fresh like that, it'll just go slimy. I'd pack something like a cheese roll. Bread, butter and cheese will be totally fine at room temperature for a day. The bread might go stale left out, but it'll be fine wrapped up.

Packet things like crisps, chocolate, individually wrapped cakes and biscuits etc. will be fine.

Fruits like apples, oranges, bananas etc. will all be totally fine too.

Ffs just make a ham sandwich.ham is full of preservatives, its not going to kill a kid from being out of a fridge overnight.

I would never give a child ham! It’s processed meat and carcinogenic. Also not great to leave it festering unchilled for so long.

I'm more surprised that 9 year olds are going on a trip that is 18 hours away by coach.
The food bit wouldn't bother me.
Breakfast - squeezy yoghurt, apple, brioche, cereal bar
Lunch - cheddars, cheese string, cereal bar, raisins, dried mango, lentil crisps.

Cost and time will be the issue not the teachers ability
of course they’ll stop at service stations they’ll all need the toilet

If your DC does Duke of Edinburgh you’ll need to do this - packed lunch for day or two later. Stick to cheese etc and if it’s not boiling hot it will be fine.