Providing food.............

[MaffAnna]

Hi All,

I was just wondering who provides food and who doesn't? If I do provide food, what extra requirements are there? Or do parents prefer to provide their own? Or does it work on a case by case basis?

Erm.......... HELP!

[LolaBags]

Hi

I provide food, but let parents make the decision. I tell them that if they want to sent their own then they are welcome to and I will keep in the fridge and reheat etc.

I have 5 mindees in total, 2 bring their lunches but have my dinners, and the rest have all of my meals. I offer breakfast and snacks for free but charge for lunch and dinner.

If you decide to provide food, you could get in touch with the Food Standards Agency www.food.gov.uk or 020 7276 8547 and ask them to send you the folder - 'safer food better business for childminders'. It has a comprehensive checklist covering the hygiene and safety side of preparing food.

I also rang the local council's Environmental Health dept to register as a food provider and they told me I needed to have an inspection to qualify for the food register. This requirement apparently varies with different local councils, some apparently don't come out to you but just take your details and add you to the food register anyway.

When an officer came out she was surprised/impressed to see I already had the folder from the food agency (we were told we had to have this on my childminder course!), and because I had filled it out already she had a flick through it, looked (briefly) at my kitchen, had a cup of tea and was on her way. She left me with a signed report - proof of hygiene inspection. Her main interest was how clean everything is and what my processes are when making food, storing it and freezing, reheating safely etc. Basically, because I had the folder already and had filled it out already there wasn't much for her to do so I would recommend having that in advance.

The other consideration is time and storage. I do spend a lot of time cooking and planning balanced menus. I had to get an additional chest freezer to store bulk.

I hope that's helpful! :)

[mrs_scottydog]

I ask the parents to provide lunch and 2 snacks, I only provide extra snacks and drinks. I do find that my mindee seems to want what my DS is eating instead though and vice versa!
I also have the 'Safer Food, Better Business for Childminders' pack and have registered with the Local Environmental Health as we were advised to by our DO. Hx

[Chatterbox Childcare]

I give the parents an option and charge £2.50 for lunch/dinner/tea and .50p for breakfast - most take it up as the children are here until 6pm and it is easier for them to go home fed

[grindal]

I provide lunch, but parents provide their own snacks for mindees. I also ask that all mindees eat their breakfast at home before being dropped off.

I used to get parents to provide lunches, but found I was messing around with reheating 2 or 3 different meals on some days. Now they all eat the same thing at the same time!

[caz3007]

I do all meals. One parent sends a packed lunch, but she pays a slightly lower hourly rate and it was agreed that she would provide lunch rather than a rate increase.

I do offer an evening meal but as the home circumstances of my after schoolies are changing, I have decided that I will be giving notice that I am stopping this as they go home by 5 and some stay for after school clubs and arrive independantly (at high school) so its really stressful and difficult. Will offer a cooked meal if they are here after 5 though

[Tink]

All my parents provide food and I provide snacks. I made this decision because when I first started I provided meals and started having parents saying "a wont eat that or this or this" so I thought it best for parents to provide what their child will eat much easier and cheeper

[mrsoliver]

I like to provide food as it is part of welcoming the children into my home and family. It is better for all to have the same!

[miffy]

I like to provide food as it is part of welcoming the children into my home and family. It is better for all to have the same!

I feel the same.

Miffy xx