Extravagant Pack Lunches

[Diadrie]

I am a TA in a primary school in the middle of a town, real mixed background from families who are mortgage free making well into 6 figures and families living in council homes, earning minimum wage.

As part of my job I supervise the infants half at lunchtime and I have seen the more absurd pack lunches recently from one child. It’s a bento box format, very normal fruit and veg, then greek yogurt and compote, a dip (guacamole/tzatziki/hummus). The main is really star of the show though with: salmon and cream cheese bagel, steak and onion focaccia sandwich, quiche Lorraine etc.

I’m now sat thinking what a totally over the top pack lunches recently for a 5 year old, admittedly the child does finish it, but salmon and steak in children’s pack lunches??

AIBU thinking this is totally over the top, extravagant and slightly absurd.

Also, agree it’s packED lunch. Pack up is different. Pack lunch doesn’t exist.

My dc often ask for salmon and cream cheese sandwiches for lunch. I don’t see a major problem with it and I don’t understand your issue with it.

Sounds healthy and varied, and very much like my teen DCs packed lunch. In other words, usually leftovers with some additional seasoning to make an enjoyable sandwich.

I assume as it’s all made up - but to what end? Who is it trying to make us not like, or is it just post anything that you know will irritate people? It’s fascinating I find. The bagel made me wonder if it was an anti semitic attempt?

My daughter has smoked salmon in her packet lunch. We don't feel it is an over the top lunch. You can get some good deals on smoked salmon in some shops and it is better for her than jam, or a ham sandwich. We also know she will eat it all because it is her favourite. She also has quiche sometimes as well 😆

I agree it's OTT.
I knew one person who made this type of lunch for her son.
She was a single mum on benefits but lived off a credit card paid by her parents for all her outgoings (not uncommon in my area).
She also kept using ingredients her child was intolerant too as an excuse to give him CBD oil to then calm the rashes he had in response.
Utterly cuckoo.

Actually, I think this post epitomizes the levelling down rather than levelling up that we're seeing everywhere these days. It masquerades as "don't shame me for [whatever]", but ultimately it's an excuse for not making an effort to strive for me.

Why would someone who children look up to (teachers, teaching assistants) do that? Is it insecurity about themselves? How are children supposed to respect their teachers if their teachers are looking down at them for...having better lunches than them? It's actually pretty sad to think that there might be a little 5yo hearing a judgy "ooooh, quite the extravagant little lunchbox you've got there Ben" about a perfectly normal meal. Not saying OP has ever remarked, but if she's posting on MN about it it's not that much of a reach.

What a bizarre baity post. Classist and desperate. Who are you insinuating are bringing the ott meals? The council house povvos or the mansion poshos?
you sound out of your depth. Most towns and schools have ‘disparate’ groups rubbing along beside each other, it’s one of the ways society functions.
what do you want them to bring to lunch ? Everyone have the same? Government issue packed lunch?
I was the free school meals kid and on trips I was given a bag of sandwiches and a piece of fruit. That doesn’t mean I expect all kids to have a frugal lunch.
kids don’t care, they might note the difference but then move on swiftly.
if you’re worried about a specific child’s welfare then you need to deal with that, not judge everyone in the way your opening post does.

I'm not seeing what's so outlandish about what you've described.

Oh and as pointed out, it’s a “ packed “ lunch, as opposed to a “pack” lunch

I often put salmon and cream cheese bagel into my dc’s lunches (half each when young) because they actually are that and it’s not any more expensive then ham or beef, (I only buy decent ham). I also would sometimes give them quiche, potato salad and green salad, but this would be leftovers, focaccia would be leftover from the night before served with hummus.

My five year old DD doesn’t like bagels but she loves homemade sushi as its yummy finger food.
I’m only too happy to make it for her as she doesn’t really like any other type of fish or seafood but have also had it become the topic of discussion at the school gate (?!)

North east thing, bait and bait box

@Diadrie how an earth do you know which parents are mortgage free??

How dare they feed their child proper food. 5 year olds only deserve ultra-processed food. Dairylea Lunchables should be mandatory at that age

I don’t see anything wrong with it. Some of my grandchildren had homemade sushi in the shape of salmon and cucumber and rice balls dipped in sesame seeds in their lunch box today. Tomorrow it could be a Mexican style wrap with steak in it. Maybe even lamb curry and a chappati.

Op, I think you’d like a lunch box like the child has and that you’re peed off you don’t.

Why does it need to be a class. Im not middle class and I eat all those things as do my children. How strange that you think people should eat to their class.

I once went on a school trip and a student produced sushi for lunch. I thought it was brilliant, having seaweed and fish with rice! Very healthy.

Depends what they eat at home. It sounds quite normal for my household. Better than Monster Munch and fizzy drinks!

Edit to add that my 5yo loves smoked salmon and smoked trout, olives, quiche etc. I even take her to a reasonably priced tasting menu restaurant sometimes. But don’t panic, she has her share of fish fingers and chicken nuggets too.

I remember when I was a kid, my mum's sisters being up in arms that she let us eat smoked salmon and steak (occasionally, my mum wasn't rich!) because they said we were too young to appreciate them, but I loved them then and love them now. Why shouldn't have food they enjoy?

Now my own DD is 5, and she's a very fussy eater but she does love smoked salmon and cream cheese bagels, so I don't mind giving them to her (obvs not every day, I'm not rich either!). I'm just delighted she's found a food that's healthy and that she enjoys and eats up!

Sounds like leftovers. And if the child likes it then great.
If you are having a quiche or some salmon for dinner and some is left over then chucking it cold in a lunchbox is a great idea.
The smoked salmon and cream cheese bagel is literally my favourite sandwich, if my kids ate that I would give it to them but sadly they are of the ham and cheddar style. But if they ate smoked salmon I would give it to them for sure.

Inverse snobbery.

Would it be ok to sneer at the parents who give their children cheap sausage rolls, crisps, chocolate and a can of fizzy pop?

Not sure how you know who and who hasn’t paid off their mortgages and it would be most unusual for many young families to have paid them off despite a 6 figure salary.

What is wrong with a lunchbox containing little, if any ultra processed foods? As others have pointed out, bagels and quiche are not that unusual at all. Quiche was very popular in packed lunches from the 1970s and bagels have been since 1990s. Focaccia less so, but it’s not as commonly eaten at home, certainly during the week. I had quiche in packed lunches as a child and my DC had quiche and bagels. DGC loves quiche and a bagel and will frequently have leftovers of all descriptions in their packed lunches during holiday care (still young enough to have free school meals).

Poor kid was probably eating in line with what is normal for their family.

My son took sushi to preschool at 3/4 years old as he loves it 🍣

To be fair, you can make them quite low cost, with supermarket bagels and cream cheese. You can often get packs of salmon reasonably cheaply as well. If your daughter likes them, why not!