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View Full Version : Meal Advice please



claire'scherubs
08-02-2011, 02:55 PM
I have been minding for nearly 2 years now (where has that time gone) and I have always offered breakfast, lunch and tea to all the mindees (at a small charge)

I know have a dilema and wonder what you all think.

I have 2 exceptionally fussy eaters and now end up having to cook tea at 4.30 every night so that the children are fed and watered before collection.

I don't feel that because of the time element and the fussiness of the 2 minders that I am providing a healthy variety of food and then I always end up cooking something quick and simple for me and DH later, which really isn't doing anything for my waist line lol.

I am thinking of stopping cooking for the mindees in the evening for 2 reasons.

1. I can't offer a healthy variety of food due to the fusiness
2. I feel that way I will be able to spend more time with the children after
school.

However I am feeling guilty about the children that do eat well at my house and are here later, so in fact they could eat at 5.00 - 5.30 with us as a family.

Personally I would prefer to eat at 6.00

Oh guys put me straight I don't know what to do

little chickee
08-02-2011, 03:38 PM
The way i read it you want to not feed the 2 fussy eaters who go home before the other mindees and then are willing to cook for yourselves and other mindees who stay later?

I think this is perfectly acceptable - 4.30 is quite early for tea and they can easily eat at home.

My rule for these things tends to be if i dont want to do it i don't!:)

green puppy
08-02-2011, 06:59 PM
I used to do a tea aswell at 5 before one child went home. I found that alot got wasted and they all had stuff at home later so gave notice that I would no longer provide tea. Instead they have a decent snack at 4 and this works much better, they all then have tea at home with parents. All meals were included in my fees.

funemnx
08-02-2011, 07:11 PM
I don't like to provide an evening meal for those very reasons! If you still want to do an evening meal, perhaps a notice to parents that you can provide dinner to children staying after 5.30 and to those leaving before that tea-cakes, crumpets ect?

Daisy1956
08-02-2011, 09:47 PM
How old are the children? I ended up making different meals for different children then I came to my senses now I do a snack and they can enjoy having their evening meals with their parents.

Noomie
08-02-2011, 09:53 PM
I provide tea - at about 5 (or a little before if it actually happens I'm running on time!) I cook a variety of foods and over time have come up with about 15-20 different things the children will eat and that we like too. It is usually always food that my OH and I can eat later on. Eg, jacket potatoes tonight. I just put ours in the oven as the last mindees were going, the cheese, salad, etc were already done earlier today. Or I slow cook different meat / sauce dishes and then make the rice, pasta, cous cous, mash, etc fresh for mindees and our course. If mindees don't like it, they can wait and eat at home. At least they are offered food.

claire'scherubs
08-02-2011, 10:12 PM
The fussy eaters are 4 and 8.
The 4 year old leaves at 5.15 the 8 year old leaves at 6pm, but often refuses the food and says she will eat with her mum, and she obliges with ice cream:eek:

Im thinking crumpets etc to keep them going until they are collected by parents.

I feel too that I am chucking more food away than is actually eating, and some of the fussiness is being 'copied' by my DD 4 and other mindees 2 year

The Juggler
08-02-2011, 10:30 PM
i used to do tea at 4.45. mindee went home at 5.15 others at 6pm. i knew 5.15 mindee ate again at 8,00 with his family, I struggled to keep the children entertained whilst cooking tea. Best thing I ever did was stop tea and offer after school snacks.

Now I can play with midnees after school run until they go home:) Took me 6 years to take the plunge though and stop it

Noomie
08-02-2011, 10:42 PM
After 6 months, Juggler I hear you! I only cook easy things so that time 'cooking' is limited. I definitely see where you are coming from.

mushpea
09-02-2011, 07:07 AM
i used to cook for 8 children,, most ate what i cooked but i cooked early for my children who are now older so last summer hols when the 4 term timers stopped for the 6weeks i stopped doing meals,,at this time i was only cooking for one child and also it meant we could stay out longer in the holidays if we wanted to
I didnt have one mum complain and ifnact one mum said it was a good thing as she found it easier to eat with her child then wait untill he had gone to bed.
mine all get fruit then a biscuit at snack time and they go home at 5.30pm.
if parents want me to give a evening meal i ask them to send somthing i can reheat.

The Juggler
09-02-2011, 07:18 AM
After 6 months, Juggler I hear you! I only cook easy things so that time 'cooking' is limited. I definitely see where you are coming from.

:laughing:

AnnieM
09-02-2011, 10:20 AM
I don't 'cook' tea, when I have lo's in the day, I cook at lunchtime, but teatime is always sandwiches, pitta pockets, wraps etc., crisps, fuit and a yoghurt. :thumbsup: If they leave before 5.30pm they just get a snack and have tea at home with their parents.

Bridey
09-02-2011, 11:00 AM
I provide tea - at about 5 (or a little before if it actually happens I'm running on time!) I cook a variety of foods and over time have come up with about 15-20 different things the children will eat and that we like too. It is usually always food that my OH and I can eat later on. Eg, jacket potatoes tonight. I just put ours in the oven as the last mindees were going, the cheese, salad, etc were already done earlier today. Or I slow cook different meat / sauce dishes and then make the rice, pasta, cous cous, mash, etc fresh for mindees and our course. If mindees don't like it, they can wait and eat at home. At least they are offered food.

Exactly what I do here. I feed 6 - 8 mindees every day at 5pm (keeping plates warm for myself and my son as we eat when they have all gone home at 6pm), they are all fantastic eaters and each new child I take on follows their example. I'm very lucky :thumbsup: