Keeping packed lunches cool?

[BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz]

Primary dc would take an insulated lunch bag with freezer block in, so no warm sarnies at lunch.

Secondary people seem to suggest that a basic see thru tupperware tub/ basic paper bag shoved into their backpack is the norm. But how does the food stay at a nice temperature?

What do your secondary school kids do?

Things don't go off in a couple of hours. One of the pubs where I live has a pile of cheese and ham rolls, wrapped in cling film, on a tray behind the bar. This used to be quite common.

If yu are bothered then as others have said freeze the sandwiches or feeze a water bottle.

This thread is 😂

A good sensible coat is something else you can add to your list as pointless things to buy for Secondary school. They would rather go out in the torrential rain or blizzard and freeze rather than get their coats out their bags!

We have exactly the same system. Smash lunch box with sistema bento and a cool pack.

Why, are you sending them in with raw fish or something??

I dont even bother keeping my own lunch cold, I take a salad usually in a little lunch bag and it sits on my desk. I dont like cold food. Or I might have a small curry or something that I heat up.

Yep secondary people are a whole new game ! Mine both take theirs in a brown paper bag as its easier at lunch to play footie etc. My eldest was eating lunch at break until then as he had nowhere to put the box at lunchtime.

Took him ages to tell me!

Why, are you sending them in with raw fish or something??

Sometimes, yes - smoked salmon eg. But I meant cooked tuna, or meat, which is probably still a bit dodgy?

I wouldn’t even think to use an ice pack or cool bag for a few hours.‘it’s hardly hot in the Uk. It’s not raw meat.

The only temperature controlled container we use is a thermos in the winter if they take bolognese or soup or whatever. Otherwise it’s a chuck it in whatever container is available type of scenario. Ham sandwich, chicken sandwich, fried rice 🤷‍♀️

I know what people say about rice and food borne illnesses but so far, no problems. And we live in a warm climate.

In the autumn term, unless we get an unexpected heatwave, secondary classrooms generally don't get that warm. If their classrooms are heated to a level to make a ham sandwich a bit grim by lunchtime, they're lucky!

In the summer a lot of students will take in a frozen drink, so that can help keep their whole bag cool.

Did their lunchboxes stay in a fridge at primary?

I had no idea that nice cool packed lunches were so controversial 😄.

We all use an ice pack for days out as well.

It's fine.

Honestly. Nothing will happen to the sandwiches kept a room temperature for a few hours.

I have relatives in Australia, I don't know if things have changed but in the 1980s they were taking packed lunches to school with no way to cool them, and they do have hot weather.

Yes, in Australia students take their lunches in insulated containers. No wrapping allowed these days. Drinks often frozen in Summer ready to drink for lunch. (Some schools inspect the lunches in primary school to ensure they are healthy, and return food home if not deemed worthy)!
Much better than in the 1950’s with lunches warming in paper bags and the government supplied small bottles of milk - to improve the health of children- which would be left in crates outside the school warming during the morning. The result was dire and put a generation off milk for life.

Smoked salmon? Yogurt pouches for teenagers? This thread is bonkers 😂

IKR.

DS19 would have a cheese or ham sandwich or roll. A cookie or flapjack and a drink...

Yogurt pouches! My god.

Frozen carton of orange juice.

Or they can eat it warm and disgusting if they want to.

When I was at secondary school my mum used to make my sandwich the night before and freeze it. Take it to school in the morning g still frozen and leave it in my locker till lunch time and then it had defrosted but was still cool.

Right!! I mean I have seen 2 teens through high school and absolutely no one ever had a lunch of smoked salmon or anything that required keeping cool.

I certainly never had this at school either. Lunch of sandwiches, crisps and fruit and certainly no ice pack.

This is another niche mumsnet problem