After school snacks grrrrrr!!!!!!!!

[Adiamond]

Hi, I currently look after 2 brothers age 4 and 7. They are with me for 2.5 hours 4 times a week after school.
Anyway last week they came and I asked them if they wanted some toast as a snack they said yes so I made a load of toast for them and they ate the lot!!!! This was the same every night.

When I took on this contract mum asked me about feeding them and I said that we didn't eat until 6.30pm (they go home at 6pm) but I would give them something and she was fine with this.
On Thursday last week they wanted some toast then the older brother wanted crisps :eek: I explained that I couldn't give him crisps or anything like that and I could only give them "healthy snacks".

We came home tonight and I asked if they wanted anything and the reply I got from the older boy was "my nanna said we have got to have something other than toast" OMG I am fuming :angry: :angry:

I explained AGAIN that I have to offer healthy snacks and he said well nanna said we have to have something different!!!!!!!!!!
I asked what they wanted and all I got was "don't know"

Am I being daft or would you feel the same????
Or shall I just give them what they want???? x x x

[Zoemum2four]

I give my after-school mindees, Any fruit( Apple, banana, pear, strawberries, grapes Ect), biscuit, cheese and cucumber, breads sticks, snack a jacks (rice cake things), rasians, Yogurt....... Hope this can give you some more ideas.....:) I dont offer crisps, but if they have asked and I know parents are ok with it, I do allow them to have them.....But it wouldnt be my choose........

[OrlandoBelle]

Hmmm... I would perhaps ask Mum what else they like to eat at home as a snack. Tell her that all they ask for is toast and you feel they should have a more varied diet when they are with you and can she come up with any suggestions for you.

Could you not cook them a meal in a slow cooker and give it to them after school? Asda have some for about £7 at the moment. That way you're not really cooking two meals in an hours gap and it is quick and easy to serve up after school. You could also charge more for a hot evening meal if you don't already.

I currently make my mindees dinner for 4pm and my own family eats at about 6:30pm when they have all gone home. 6:30pm is a little late for younger children to eat though if they are in bed by 7pm ish.

Hope this helps. Good luck. x

[yummymummy]

No I personally would not give in and let them have what they want but I would vary the selection a bit offering various healthy snacks.
Don't take it personally, the child may well be using nanna as an excuse to get what he wants!!!
I know exactly how you feel, it is hard when a little one starts telling you what to do and especially when they say mum or dad have said to do it when they haven't said a dickie bird to you!
You are doing great but have a quick word with mum and see what she says x

[Princess Sara]

Don't take it personally, the child may well be using nanna as an excuse to get what he wants!!!


Exactly what I was thinking!

Mine get a selection of - fruit, raisins, toast, cheese, rice cakes, cold meats, biscuits, carrot sticks, yogurt...

Anything cold, quick and easy. Afternoon snack should be exactly that, a snack to hold them over til dinner.

I do not offer crisps and wouldn't even if parents said it was ok, my personal choice though.

[~Chelle~]

I would give them a bit more of a variety, they may be getting bored of toast every day.

I offer mine, fruit, yoghurts, breadsticks, cheese and when it is cold they love tea and biscuits. I dont give them crisps though, as they tend to have these in their packed lunch at school and I personally feel that one pack a day it sufficient.

HTH

[wendywu]

Perhaps you could do crisps on a Friday if they have had healthy snacks the other days.

The others have given good ideas of more snacks.:)

[Adiamond]

I would give them a bit more of a variety, they may be getting bored of toast every day.

I offer mine, fruit, yoghurts, breadsticks, cheese and when it is cold they love tea and biscuits. I dont give them crisps though, as they tend to have these in their packed lunch at school and I personally feel that one pack a day it sufficient.

HTH
Thanks for all your replies, I offer them fruit,raisins cucumber,carrot sticks etc but all they say they want is toast until today.....
I thought he could be using nanna to get what he wants mmmmm we will see later.x x x

[Hebs]

sorry i can't help as i provide an evening meal

i use my slow cooker and bung everything in first thing in the morning and it's cooked by the time we get in after doing the school run.

[Chatterbox Childcare]

Are the children hungry because they are not eating their school dinners.

Do you give your children toast as a snack after school, every day?

Variety should help as above but mine do have a couple of biscuits or cake once a week, ice creams too.

Also you could give crisps as a snack but with carrot sticks. Skips, Wotsits, French Fries are all low in fat and calories and properly less than bread.

[The Juggler]

No I personally would not give in and let them have what they want but I would vary the selection a bit offering various healthy snacks.
Don't take it personally, the child may well be using nanna as an excuse to get what he wants!!!
I know exactly how you feel, it is hard when a little one starts telling you what to do and especially when they say mum or dad have said to do it when they haven't said a dickie bird to you!
You are doing great but have a quick word with mum and see what she says x

or nanna doesn't mind them stuffing crisps and all sorts down their necks. or, she thinks you SHOULD provide tea for them. Either way don't give in. I provide tea for mindees at 4.45 but if I had chosen not too then I would be saying the same as you.

You could vary, crumpets, pitta's, fruit, yoghurts, french stick. If you give them too much mum will complain they won't eat their tea and she'll be wasting her time cooking at home!

[youarewhatyoueat]

Whats wrong with a few crisps once a week, if you don't want to do snacks why not ask mum to supply a meal or a packed tea. If they have a cooked lunch they could have sandwiches. Ours love toasted sandwiches and scotch pancakes and welsh cakes which are both quick and easy to make,but there was a thread the other day about snacks and some others had some fab ideas like malt loaf. I also buy the baby organix crisps(as I love them too, have you tried the carrot sticks theyre yum).

[miffy]

I'd give them 3 healthy choices and let them pick which one they want.

Miffy xx

[mushpea]

i do the mindees dinner for 5pm if they are hear they get it if they are not they dont. after school they have a choice of fruit or breadsticks , sometimes we have biscuits or home made buns but if they dont like the choice then they get nothing, if they are hungry then they will eat what is on offer.

[fionamal]

My afterschoolers dont even get toast unless its the winter.

I offer them a peice of fruit each or we have pancakes, cheese and crackers, cookies and milk, breadstick and dip.

They are only here for about 1 hour and are going straight home for their dinner so its just to keep them going until then.

Some days if we go to the park on the way home then they dont get a snack cos they get collected from the park by their parents.

[tinkerbelle]

i refuse to do afterschool snacks as we all have tea at 4pm and i know some of them would pig out so they didnt want tea but if i did i wouldnt offer toast all the time

[mum2two]

I cut up a selection of fruit and place it on the table for them to help themselves to.

Consists of, banana, pear, apple, raisins, melon, satsuma, cucumber, carrot, breadsticks etc...

If they tell me they don't like any of it, (I normally offer 3 on the plate) then that's it! I try and place at least one thing each child likes, so I know there is something they will eat if they are hungry!!!

Sometimes we can have 11 kids after school, so I can't offer each child individually, but do the best to offer a choice on the table.

xx