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?!

Nutritional value?? If you stopped at a service station a coach lead of teen would probably get a KFC or McDonald's! In any case just give him or her some suitable snacks and chill out a bit. If they do have a stop off they can get something if you provide some cash.

Risk assessment 😂you sound bat shit. Get a grip, precious darling will be fine.

Do you want a risk assessment for their snacks?! One trip I did, the children were asked to provide all of their food (day trip to France on the Chunnel) and I took breakfast biscuits and mini cheddars, not much else. We had multiple visits planned, left at 4am, kids were straight into their food, most of which consisted of crisps and biscuits. They made and filled crepes and visited a chocolate factory during the day so filled up with nutritionally worthless crap all day. All of them survived!

You could start your own thread, but as I work in admissions - no, it wouldn't make any difference at all. They will probably be in touch in two weeks or so, but that doesn't mean you will necessarily have a place for the next school day.

The kids don’t buy nutritious fresh food at services, they buy junk and then at least one will projectile vomit

Just make a simple sashimi selection box with an Avocado and Banana snack. Opened yoghurt pot for further snacks. Honestly some people make a mountain out of a molehill.

‘Demanding’

Quaker porridge oat bars are great by the way, the red/pink pack. These are our ultimate travel rations.

I used to put my cheese sandwiches on the window sill at work in the height of summer because I have a liking for
sweaty cheese, all good.

our cellar in the old house had a cool shelf in a wooden frame, essentially a stone slab with mesh on the front where meat and dairy products were kept pre fridges.

no one’s going to get food poisoning from a crisp butty and a baby bel.

I've done this for 20 hours on a coach for my daughter's school trip. She had a totally normal packed lunch and I put an ice pack in it. No drama, no fuss.

Tuna, egg, banana, orange....

The smell on board would probably make at least one child vomit.

Anothernewname23
I hardly think the staff will leave the kids on the coach with their mouldy cheese while they nip off for a couscous salad! If the coach stops then anyone can buy whatever they want. Chances are they are trying to keep costs down for parents and also minimise delay by having long stops where fifty kids queue up in McDonald's.

Only 9?
Well in that case I'd definitely prefer him to eat a home-packed couple of meals on a coach rather than 'equip them with money to get food on the way '.

Blooming heck. Stick a freezer pack in with their sarnies and they will be fine.

Honestly kids will eat anything that's normally banned or restricted at home lol. Give him some money, let him choose his own food at the shop with you and it will be a good exercise in making food last, and judging how much he might need and so on. Doesn't matter what it is (non perishable) let him decide. Part of education I say!

Am not sure why people are so worried about dying/getting ill from older sandwiches!?
Recently went to a European country, stayed in hotel night before travel and we had sandwiches the next day that were OVER 24 hours old. We lived to tell the tale! They were still nice. No upset tummies, kids are primary age and they survived too. What do you think people did before fridges etc? Not everything was really fresh but it also doesn't mean it is growing nasty bacteria immediately!

What on earth do you think people eat if they don’t have a fridge or cooking facilities. I’m guessing you would all starve in an extended power cut?

It's a couple of meals. Yes it's a tall order to find something wholly nutritious and balanced but honestly, so what? Just make it work. The fact you described them as "demanding" you dropped your child off already fed indicates that you are one of those parents who looks for a battle.

Just go round your local supermarket and buy some of the prepackaged ready-to-eat foods that don't require refrigerating or heating up. There are hundreds. Again, it's 2 meals.

I went all the way to Austria on a two tuna rolls, a multipack of crisps and a 12 pack of Diet Pepsi when I was 11

For one day, I'd say a croissant and some sandwiches will be fine.

Demanding!!! I genuinely feel sorry for teachers at the moment who literally cannot win! Pack them some snacks and get over it for gods sake

AIBU to consider asking for the risk assessment over this

Aye right 🙄

If you're child is nine, there's definitely more risk (and way more time involved) to letting the kids off the coach twice and into service stations to buy food.
Can you not see that?

Processed croissants have practically zero nutritional content.

It's one meal FGS.

I remember DP freezing some sandwiches to take in to hospital - or pasta.

I’m glad I’m not a teacher anymore…

Those lunch box salami's don't need refrigeration. If you are in the Uk its cold and the coaches won't be super warm.
Google food ideas for Duke of Edinburgh Award trekking. Wait to your child is older and if they choose to do this try working out what to pack for three days of camping when not all the food can be heated.