Are any of you NOT going to provide cooked meals?

[Ripeberry]

I've been looking at other threads and it seems that the more experienced childminders are NOT providing cooked meals and asking parents to bring in lunch boxes.
That's all very well, but what happens if you have a child full-time and on long days lets say 7AM to 7PM. Surely they can't go all day every day with no HOT meals.
I know we can provide snacks, but would any of you provide maybe basic hot food like baked potato, beans on toast or just pasta?
Just wondering what to do for the best :eek:

[Angela234]

I provide hot meals at lunchtime most days unless were out.

Angela

[Spangles]

Sorry I can't help.

I don't provide any food but then I wouldn't do a day as long as that - it would be too much for me and my family!

[breezy]

I will provide a hot meal after school and sandwiches or similar lunchtime if required. I wont cook lunchtime because of nursery runs and we eat our main meal in the evening so I wont cook twice!

[LOOPYLISA]

I won.t be providing a hot meal either, evening meal is time for me and my family x

[Chrissy B]

I'm hoping to do a variety some days a hot meal others sandwiches. Some days will be too busy to try and do a hot meal (~i hope so anyway, lol) so something like pasta done the night before and left in the fridge or a sandwich. Is what i'd look at doing. Children get fed up of the same foods so hopefully something different each day will stop that.

[Noodles]

I dont provide hot meals either and the latest i would work is 6.30. Evening meal time is for me and my family:)

[Chrissy B]

I agree about evening meal being for families. And only in an extreme case who i think about letting the mindees. I've not worded this very well sorry, sounds so harsh. Wasn't meant to.
That meal they should spend with their mum or dad or both.

[don the duck]

I agree about evening meal being for families. And only in an extreme case who i think about letting the mindees. I've not worded this very well sorry, sounds so harsh. Wasn't meant to.
That meal they should spend with their mum or dad or both.

i also agree. we have a hot meal as a family. dont have mindees after 5 at present.

[Dotty]

I plan to provide a hot meal after school (to compete with local after school club who provide only toast) and also I have to cook for my own children so why not?

[LeanneC]

My daughter Lily Mae does not have a hot meal provided by the childminder, we provide her with one and c/m just heats it up (Lily 16 mths wont eat sandwiches, she's a meat and 2 veg kinda girl)
Im in two minds, think I will ask parents to provide their own but if they want me to do a cooked meal I will for an extra fee. Otherwise just healthy snacks. Not sure yet though. probably will change my mind :rolleyes:

[Bex1]

I only provide breakfast and lunch. I want evening meal to be my family only.

[rickysmiths]

I.ve always provied all meals as required but some parents want to bring their own . as iv'e said in other threads I never charge extra cant be bothered to work out the accounts.

Nearly always do hot lunch except if its hot and we have a picnic in the garden.

As I'm cooking for my family its never been a problem the mindees who have dinner are fed before they go home and we sit down as a family afterwards.

I do encourage full timers to give their own children dinner if they can so they spend some time with them but if m& d have been at work for 10hrs I can understand if they want mindee fed before home time.

[Jules12Wed]

non-schoolers come with food provided that I just heat up and give to them. Only have one that is at school who I provide tea for, although I did say to the Mum that it will only be a snack he was only with me 2 nights a week now he is with me 5 nights a week she wants him to have something more substantial with veg etc.

Must admit it is a real pain trying to think of something to give him every night. My own D eats early at 5 ish so she eats with him the rest of us each at about 8.00 - 9.00 so its very difficult to do one meal that they will both eat there is always one that doesn't like something and I try not to favour my own D and do food I know she likes but then she is mine and I want to make sure I feed her things I know she will eat.

[donnadoo2004200]

My parents always bring a meal for their child. I warm it up for them at lunch time, i.e pureed veg, cottage pie, pasta etc.

[singlewiththree]

When ofsted asked me I said I would mostly be doing a packed lunch type meal at dinner she frowned. I explained it would depend if we were out at a toddler group all morning it would be difficult to cook them something when we get back, however if we are home I would do. She seemed happy with that.

[Cazz]

When ofsted asked me I said I would mostly be doing a packed lunch type meal at dinner she frowned. I explained it would depend if we were out at a toddler group all morning it would be difficult to cook them something when we get back, however if we are home I would do. She seemed happy with that.

Oh dear! I was planning on doing a healthy cold lunch (or parents provided packed lunch). I think it would be very difficult to do a cooked lunch if I had a nursery pick up at 11.30am and then possibly a nursery drop off at 12.45pm, with naps to be fitted in as well!

In the evenings I'm thinking of offering light tea for anyone that requires it - i.e. filled jacket potato, beans on toast, pasta etc as I too would like to have my evening meal with my family after the mindees have left.

Carole x

[Chimps Childminding]

All my mindees bring their own food. Most bring sandwiches etc for lunch and then something I can warm up for tea, although at the moment that is only one child. We tend to eat later in our house, and I really don't want to start having to cook twice, also parents know what the children will and won't eat better than me!

[littletreasures]

My mindees bring their own food. It is a mixture from one day to the next.
Sandwiches, tin of spaghetti and bread, dinner to warm up in the microwave, an egg to do a boiled egg (that's his favourite) and guaranteed to get him to eat it all!!

[hello kitty]

I don't offer a cooked meal however I Will happily heat/cook food provided by parents. Then at least I know it is food the child likes, well usually!

[Mollymop]

I always said I would not cook tea, but I have one mindee who does havea light tea with me cos she has had dinners at school. So I give her sandwiches and a yogurt, beans on toast, noodles, etc. Something quick and easy.
I do lunches, which are cold lunches, like, wraps, salads, sausage rolls, sandwiches, you know. I always tell this to the parents when they first visit.
I tell them that I do not cook anything big for them and so far so good, all parents past and present are fine with it.

I think you have to play it by ear, you will probably find that parents are fine with providing a packed lunch, but not sure about the full time children who have lunch and tea with you though

it is up to you what you want to do though, it is your business, hun xx

[Mickey Mouse Clubhouse]

At the moment I only work until 3 and I only have 1 at lunchtime and he has sandwiches but I would not cook a hot meal as we eat at night and that is our family time.

[mandy moo]

I've been looking at other threads and it seems that the more experienced childminders are NOT providing cooked meals and asking parents to bring in lunch boxes.
That's all very well, but what happens if you have a child full-time and on long days lets say 7AM to 7PM. Surely they can't go all day every day with no HOT meals.
I know we can provide snacks, but would any of you provide maybe basic hot food like baked potato, beans on toast or just pasta?
Just wondering what to do for the best :eek:

My parents provide packed lunch and tea, ie as you have mentioned above:)

[Tily Bud]

Parents provide a packed lunch and I provide a warm meal in the evening. Sometimes this may ony be jacket and beans, depending on how busy we've been during the day, but they do always get something warm:D
The only exception to this is in summer if they want a picnic in the garden at tea time x

[Pauline]

I do a hot freshly cooked meal at lunchtime for the children. We have a sandwich as it is easier to eat while seeing to the children (wiping faces and helping to use knives/forks/spoons). Tea for the children is sandwiches, fruit etc. Then we have our own cooked meal in the evening all on our own! ......Bliss :)

[Little Antics]

Hi

As I have 2 children of my own, I found that by preparing a hot meal for them at 4.00pm solved everything!!! - for both minded and my family.

It stopped them (minded and my own) from snacking and then later on not eating a meal.
They were so hungry when they came out of school that they ate everything with great gusto - making me feel quite proud of my cooking!!
The children learnt great manners, and socialised with each other - we spoke about each others day and planned activities for the week through discussion. When my husband came home from work, the children were fed, bathed and ready for his attention! - the washing up and clearing up was all done and as a family we were able to sit in peace and quiet talking with each other and planning our own life.
The children did not miss out on socialising with us as a family as they were so relaxed (as fed and happy) they chatted whilst my hubby ate and he was able to listen and ask questions (hubbys was plated up as we eat the same as everyone else). - My own children loved and thrived on this routine. They then had a hot drink and a biscuit before bed or fruit snack.

I found it was much better this way as my own children's needs were looked after by providing the meal earlier as they were really hungry.

How did I prepare it for 4.00pm - whilst children were sleeping or resting - I would prepare a casserole, or pop in chicken/veg/pasta and prepare veg etc., at 3.00pm I would turn on the oven and allow the food to cook whilst out on the school run. When back home - older children were encouraged to set the table, make drinks whilst the veg was cooked.

Give it a go as it really helped provide a calm atmosphere in our house when the minded children went home and we were then able to help our own with homework and also play games (or watch fav. programme if they wished) - we had great chill out time.

[Polka Dots]

I'll be providing a cooked meal for children staying until at least 5.30pm if required. I'm going to request that parents bring a pack up for lunchtime (to give us more flexibility if we're out and about). I've decided I definately won't be offering breakfast.

[HomefromHome]

i've always provided food (i agree - more experienced c/m in my area dont either), but as yet not done evening meals as not required. i used to do hot lunches but due to cost and mindees a bit older mainly do sarnies, with salad bits on the side. fridays are pasta days tho!!! i also do a rolling menu - so only wheatbix/readybrek/toast for brekkie (with yoghurt) (i refuse to give my child cocoa pops or the like so boring cereals in our house!), sandwiches mon-thurs (kids can choose their own filling from jam, marmalade cheese ham marmite cheese spread or just butter!) with fruit or twiglets or similar. snacks midmorn and midafternoon are things like raisins, breadsticks, minicheddars, fruits, cheese (cubed) in different combos.
hope this helps.
:) :)

[Heaven Scent]

I've been providing cooked dinners mid-day up until but it is a lot of hard work so from now on I will only be providing a light meal sandwiches/soup/beans on toast /salads etc. The type of thing I provide for tea.

I ended up cooking 3 meals today plus three lots of healthy snacks plus breakfasts to suit the needs of mindees and my own children with all the paperwork etc I found I didn't have much time to enjoy looking after the children.

I have now decided that I will just provide breakfast if requested, morning snack, light meal lunch, afternoon snack (after school run), I may provide a cooked dinner for children who stay after 5.30 but request that parents who request it not to call until after 6.00 as the whole family will be eating at the same time.

Its all trial and error to see what works best for you and your family the mindees and their routines often affect the service you provide and how you provide it.