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Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

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Original poster

Odd lunchbox policies with smelly consequences, anyone an ace luncbox-cleaner?

18 replies

tweetyfish · 18/10/2006 21:10

DS has been having packed lunches now since the beginning of term, and has been coming back with half cartons of juice, half eaten sandwhiches, basically everything from his lunchbox that he hasn't eaten sloshing around the bottom. After countless reminders about throwing his stuff away when he was done (which is not a problem at home) I asked his teacher...

Apparently it is school policy that what the child takes in, the child takes home so that "mum can see what was eaten"! I find this quite an odd concept to say the least, but it has left me with a lunchbox that is rotting where the half drunk juice soaks into the seams.

Does anyone have any cleaning solutions? or is there no solution and I should just buy a solid plastic luncbox? ( would be his 3rd and he's only just started reception!)

OP posts:

bigknickersbigknockers · 18/10/2006 21:13

I have a bat man cool bag style lunch bos thats a right pain to clean, then i was told by my friend to chuck it in the washer every now and again. this seems to work. Its also been put in the dryer too.

slaughterfalls · 18/10/2006 21:14

bung in it the washing machine, I do all the time and it comes out as good as new.

peegeeweegeeWITCH · 18/10/2006 21:14

My ds's school has the same policy, and I think it is great as I would really like to know if he has not bothered to eat his yoghurt/fruit/sandwich and is then pestering me for biscuits after school...

Yes, the lunchboxes get very smelly, and no amount of cleaning will get them clean. So I give my ds a small plastic bag in his lunchbox and he pops all his leftovers in there, then puts it in his lunchbox. Sometimes bits still leak out, but on the whole it makes a lunchbox last nearly a whole year!! (although it is subjected to regular bleaching too...)

Hope that helps...

Glassofslime · 18/10/2006 21:17

I like the take it home so that mum can see policy - we have it too. I bung all three lunchbags into the washing machine every Fridaynight. None of mine have packe d lunch more than twice a week. they all have the bags that are made from the same stuff as coolbags - absolutely fine in the machine.

slaughterfalls · 18/10/2006 21:19

ds school has that policy too, but its a PITA when ds decides he does'nt want his yoghurt after opening it

Original poster

tweetyfish · 18/10/2006 21:20

I was umming and ahing (sp?) about putting it in the washing machine, will definatly try it during half term! and send him in with a bag for his own bin. thanks for the tips!

I can see the logic behind it, i just wonder wether its teaching him subconsciously to leave rubbish where you eat it and someone else will clean it up later... maybe i need to start him cleaning it out himself!

i've been going on at him for a few week now but he just kept saying "I can't" which I took to mean I don't want to etc I've apologised !

OP posts:

Original poster

tweetyfish · 18/10/2006 21:23

He's asked me for yogurt before but i've always said no as he leaves his lunchbox in such a mess

I don't half feel silly and a bad mum for not listening to him!

OP posts:

cryptmonkey · 18/10/2006 22:06

I didn't know you could put them in the washing machine!!![light bulb emoticon!!] Ds1's is really smelly, and he's 10! I put a little plastic bag in too for the rubbish but he forgets to use it!

Furball · 18/10/2006 22:09

DS has one with zip all the way round,like a mini suitcase. I unzip it and put it opened on the bottom rack of the dishwasher!

fedda · 18/10/2006 22:24

I find baby wipes are great for lunch boxes. You can get unsented wipes.Dry with the kitchen clothes afterwords and it's okay to use again.

SamhainWitch · 19/10/2006 10:00

Try putting an empty freezer bag (or similiar) in with the lunch and explain to your child to put all finished items into it.

We have the same 'take home' policy at school (I'm a dinner lady). We made this suggestion to parents a couple of weeks into term and it is working like a dream.

Easier for us to persuade the kids to take stuff home, easier for the mums with cleaner lunch boxes.

spiderplant · 19/10/2006 10:06

oooh yes, we have this problem!! I put a couple of sheets of kitchen roll to line the bottom and a spare sandwich bag. I have also recently bought a fabric type lunch bag, which I too stick in the washing machine.

Sherbert37 · 19/10/2006 10:12

You can also wash most backpacks at 30 degrees which was quite a revelation. I turn the fabric lunchbags inside out and put them in at 30 degrees. Am waiting for DS2 to bring home his with a soup flask inside which has been at school since Monday.

TinyGang · 19/10/2006 10:15

Yes..I chuck ours in the washing machine too.

I did buy some little plastic sandwich boxes which helps to contain the damage a bit.

PretendFriend · 19/10/2006 10:16

If you get the Addis plastic boxes with snap-on lids to put the food in inside the lunchbag, those are fine in the dishwasher (the labels say they're not but they lie!)

Getting the lids snapped back on might be difficult for little hands though I suppose.

swedishmum · 19/10/2006 12:31

I'm very lazy. I just send mine in with all their food in a re-seal bag every day. If ds insists ona lunchbox, the bag simply goes inside. Then it goes straight in the bin.

TeeCee · 19/10/2006 12:37

I like to see what my DD has and hasn't eaten, and would be cross if the school were throwing away food I thought she'd eaten when she hadn't. Gives me an idea of what she's into what she doesn't like at the moment and how well she's eaten etc.

I use a plastic lunch box and wash it every night.

When I had a fabricy one I still put all food in a plasic tupperware box, savoury in one and fruit in another.

Our school provides water bottles so she's never given juice cartons.

yorkshirelass79 · 19/10/2006 12:45

Message withdrawn

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