On average, how much do you allow per child for food, drinks and snacks?

[Tinglesnark]

I am including lunches now and want to know how much i should allocate per child on average without having to calculate it...
I know each child is different but just as a rough estimate, would £5 per child, per day be enough to cover your average 4 year old for lunch and snacks?
thanks folks!

[mama2three]

You must be offering some amazing lunches if they cost you£5 per child! I have averaged out my costs and it worked out approx £1.50 per child for a cooked lunch , and around 50p a day for snacks. I recalculate every few months as costs change , and i keep my calculations incase hmrc ever ask for them .

[Tinglesnark]

thanks for the sarcasm :thumbsup:
i dont do lunches, i was estimating...that is why i am asking because i dont want to put too much through the expenses. i did actually ask for drinks and snacks costings too which may cost a little more too i would expect? :rolleyes:

thanks for the figures also

[Alibali]

Mine are £4 per day, and that is worked out from my shopping list for my rolling menu:thumbsup: A punnet of strawberries is £2, a melon is £2 and blackberries are £2, and that would be for snack between 6 children, therefore before drinks it's already £1 per child:) Organic chicken breasts are over £6 for 4, so that is £1.50 per child before anything else. 2 snacks per day plus lunch would easily add up.

[Tinglesnark]

Thanks Ali, it isnt cheap is it? :thumbsup:

[mama2three]

I wasnt actually being sarcy , but can see how it was misconstrued so sorry anyhow.
I have added up my costs , and yes things like chicken breasts are expensive but to be honest the dont get one each at lunchtime. i do things like spaghetti bolognese ,chicken stir fry , casseroles etc . Some meals cost more but then some days I might do pasta with a tomato and veggy sauce or jacket potato with tuna which works out very cheap. Same with snacks , fruit can be expensive such as raspberries etc but they also have cheaper things like crumpets or breadsticks.

I think to be safe you need to add up your costs over a few days and come to a realistic 'average' - incase you are ever asked to justify the costs.

[lma]

Like the others have said the costs soon add up and when your cooking for 6 or in my case 8 in the holidays the price of my shopping is astronomical. To make a mince and dumplings dinner for 8 kids costs well over £10 when buying the mince, dumpling mix x 2, potatoes, carrots, and yorkshires.

I put through:
£1.00 for breakfast (cereal, toast, yoghurt, fruit, etc)
£0.50p for each snack and some children have 2 a day (fruit selection, breadsticks, crumpets, etc)
£1.50 for lunch/dinner (spaghetti bolognase, roast dinner, casserole, curry, mince and dumplings, pizza, sandwiches, etc)

I work out how many breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks i have given each child for that week and put that through as my meal expenses for that week.

Every so often I do a rough working out and see if prices have increases/decreased and adjust my prices but it generally doesnt change much.

It's complicated at first but you get used to it.:)

[Chell]

Like the others have said the costs soon add up and when your cooking for 6 or in my case 8 in the holidays the price of my shopping is astronomical. To make a mince and dumplings dinner for 8 kids costs well over £10 when buying the mince, dumpling mix x 2, potatoes, carrots, and yorkshires.

I put through:
£1.00 for breakfast (cereal, toast, yoghurt, fruit, etc)
£0.50p for each snack and some children have 2 a day (fruit selection, breadsticks, crumpets, etc)
£1.50 for lunch/dinner (spaghetti bolognase, roast dinner, casserole, curry, mince and dumplings, pizza, sandwiches, etc)

I work out how many breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks i have given each child for that week and put that through as my meal expenses for that week.

Every so often I do a rough working out and see if prices have increases/decreased and adjust my prices but it generally doesnt change much.

It's complicated at first but you get used to it.:)

This is the same as I think I will take out as expenses. It is difficult to work out a price as we all eat the same meals. I don't make specific meals for mindees and obviously everyone eats a different portion size.

[Chatterbox Childcare]

I average my shopping bill so for 10 children it is about £96.00 per week

[JCrakers]

I do the following for each child

50p for snack and drink
£1.50 for sandwiches with salad, yogurt,fruit,bisc
£2.00 for a cooked meal


Becky x

[christine e]

I think it all depends on what food and meals you give. £5 per day for breakfast, lunch and dinner plus snacks seems reasonable to me, also I tend to take the children out for lunch or tea once a week so that has to be included in your calculation too. Just cos another person charges less it doesn't mean you have to, try and work out how much you are spending over a short period of time and average it out. If your books were every inspected by HMRC they would want to see some evidence as to how you got to your figures.

Cx

[Chell]

I think it all depends on what food and meals you give. £5 per day for breakfast, lunch and dinner plus snacks seems reasonable to me, also I tend to take the children out for lunch or tea once a week so that has to be included in your calculation too. Just cos another person charges less it doesn't mean you have to, try and work out how much you are spending over a short period of time and average it out. If your books were every inspected by HMRC they would want to see some evidence as to how you got to your figures.

Cx
I'm not taking out a set amount for morning snacks, instead I'm submitting receipts. One morning a week we have Babychinos in Costa Coffee to kill time between the school run and Rhyme Time, another day they are included in the toddler group fee and sometimes we might have a snack in Asda cafe (it is so cheap and the little love going). It would be a PITA working out when I'm in and out so easier to not count morning snacks.