Fees and food

[Ripeberry]

Hi, just what do you do if your fees INCLUDE all snacks and meals and then a parent says what discount do you give if they provide the food?
I don't really want them to do this and I just want to tell them that the hourly fee is the same always!
Also, when filling in your expenses, if you provide food as part of the service, does it have to be put down. I thought it was only if you charged for food as a seperate thing?
I know we have to keep receipts for a few weeks, but at this time of year most of the food comes from my garden anyway, eggs, veg and fruit.
Surely, its things like meat or things that can make you ill that you need to keep receipts for?

[rickysmiths]

I have always included food in my hourly rate. No dicounts if the parents want to provide their own, though I do discourage this because it can cause problems if the children are all sitting down with different food.

I must confess I also feel more in control if I provide the food, I know where it has come from, how fresh it is and how it has been cooked. I have an aversion to other peoples food coming into my kitchen. Its my old Catering Managers hat coming to the for. :blush:

[Pipsqueak]

my fees include snacks, drinks and lunch but not an evening meal - thats extra

[ORKSIE]

My fees include food too:thumbsup:

[daisyboo1980]

im charging extra for food an extra £5 pounds on their weekly bill and this includes all lunches dinners and snacks
my new families that i ve lined up think i should have charged more but i thought i would stick with this

[TheBTeam]

I charge the same rate whether they provide the food or not(I never provide evening meals, if the child is here for that then the parents supply something with my guidelines as to what is suitable for me to deal with).

I make my decision whether to offer to provide food depending on the other children i care for at the time (age and arrangements for them etc), sometimes i have found it easier to prepare food when dh and i cared for 4 between 1 & 2 year olds, they all then would eat the same and it saved having to heat lots of different things at lunch time. (it also stopped the if it comes in red sauce in a tin being given to one child for lunch and dinner each day

I prefer the older children to bring packed lunches for the holidays it makes life a lot easier for us, i continue preparing for any little ones that i make meals for term time.

[Sue2000]

I am alright when parents want to provide their own food for their babies (under one's) as it's usually powdered milk, and ready made jar purees. But otherwise it does create a confusion if children sit with different foods on the table. Regardsing fees whether or not food is provided , hourly rate should be kept the same. sometimes parents talk about fees between themselves and they feel unfair if it;s different for parents. so i always try to keep the same fees for all children as well.

[mummyof3]

im charging extra for food an extra £5 pounds on their weekly bill and this includes all lunches dinners and snacks
my new families that i ve lined up think i should have charged more but i thought i would stick with this

Can I come to your house £5 a week for all my meals sounds very generous to me ;)

[zillervalley]

i charge the same rate also whether they provide food or not.

maybe you could change some of you fees policy, so it outlines that if parents bring their own food the fee stays the same


ziller

[marian]

My daily rate includes drinks, snacks and lunch - they have usually had breakfast when they roll up but if not they can have whatever my own child has. they are not here for evening meal:)

I did have 1 parent who used to send a lunchbox because that is what she did at her previous childminders - but I never offered a discount and to be fair - she never asked for one.

Marian x

[Adiamond]

My hourly rate includes snacks and drinks and I charge £1.00 extra per child per meal (breakfast,luch,tea)!!!!
But boy they eat more than a £1.00 worth :) :) my shoppig bill has gone up quite alot since I started minding x x x

[buildingblocks]

My hourly rate includes snacks and drinks and I charge £1.00 extra per child per meal (breakfast,luch,tea)!!!!
But boy they eat more than a £1.00 worth :) :) my shoppig bill has gone up quite alot since I started minding x x x

Don't think I would be charging the same for a cooked meal as I would a breakfast.

I used to charge 75p for breakfast and £1.50 for a cooked even meal as an extra lunch and snack were including in fees but i would not give a discount if they wanted to provide their own.

[daisyboo1980]

Can I come to your house £5 a week for all my meals sounds very generous to me ;)

lol maybe i should have said i'll charge more but still very new at this and still finding my feet