food. again sorry

[auntym]

Ive decided to increase food prices as with 3 fulltime 4 after and before school im spending fortune. Please be honest does this appear excessive. 75p breakfast. 175 lunch time. 250 tea. 1.25 for snacks milk and juices. I cook tea for 4 minded children but all eat at different times as come and leave at different times after school. It just makes is easier so for example a before and after school I would put through breakfast and tea through books.

[Dragonfly]

I dont think the lunch and tea sound too much but I dont charge for snacks and juice/milk thats included in my £3.25 per hour fee.
Be intresting to know what others think as I charge £2.00 per meal but only provide for 1 as the others all bring packed lunches:jump for joy:

[auntym]

Sorry I should have explained I dont charge parents a bean. Its for expenses for tax . So it is what I want to put through my weekly expenses

[MaryMary]

I find it easier to put food expenses through my books this way. I currently do £1 for breakfast, £1.50 for lunch, £3 for dinner and 50p for snacks (if here all day, 50p morning, 50p afternoon) I am reviewing it at the moment. I think £3 dinner may be too high :blush: (although I don't have any stay for dinner, so it's not really an issue!). These are figures I put through expenses, not what I charge parents.

I am going to try Debbie's method, but it may be too complicated for me, because the mindees don't have dinner, and even the amount of 'family' changes from week to week!! (DH is away a lot, and a daughter at uni) I am keeping my receipts, and will have a proper look.

Your figures look reasonable, assuming the snacks are per day :thumbsup:

[jane5]

I am told that schools charge £2.50 for lunch (I dont have school age children so I am not sure) so that is what I put as expenses. £1.00 for breakfast, £2.50 for a hot lunch or tea and £1.00 for morning or afternoon snack. It can work out at £8.00 a day for a full day.

I justify this as I buy organic food :rolleyes: and the mindees waste a lot or say I dont want that. 3 of them have food intolerances and I often have to cook different food to work around this. As for snacks, yoghurts cost about 40p each and I also offer fruit as well.

[TheBTeam]

I am told that schools charge £2.50 for lunch (I dont have school age children so I am not sure) so that is what I put as expenses. £1.00 for breakfast, £2.50 for a hot lunch or tea and £1.00 for morning or afternoon snack. It can work out at £8.00 a day for a full day.

I justify this as I buy organic food :rolleyes: and the mindees waste a lot or say I dont want that. 3 of them have food intolerances and I often have to cook different food to work around this. As for snacks, yoghurts cost about 40p each and I also offer fruit as well.

This is my calculation too, i have compared this to the proportion of shopping bill and it works out amazingly close so i go with the set price per meal because it is quicker for me to calculate.

[MrAnchovy]

A set price per meal is fine, but it does need to be based on what you actually spend, not what other places charge or anything else.

Perhaps price up a few example meals, or shop separately for mindees for a fortnight and work it out from there - TheBTeam it sounds like this is what you have done.

[Chatterbox Childcare]

I find it easier to put food expenses through my books this way. I currently do £1 for breakfast, £1.50 for lunch, £3 for dinner and 50p for snacks (if here all day, 50p morning, 50p afternoon) I am reviewing it at the moment. I think £3 dinner may be too high :blush: (although I don't have any stay for dinner, so it's not really an issue!). These are figures I put through expenses, not what I charge parents.

I am going to try Debbie's method, but it may be too complicated for me, because the mindees don't have dinner, and even the amount of 'family' changes from week to week!! (DH is away a lot, and a daughter at uni) I am keeping my receipts, and will have a proper look.

Your figures look reasonable, assuming the snacks are per day :thumbsup:

This method is based on the number of mindees you actually have in the week that have food (including snacks) regardless of how many so I add all of mine into the equation

If I worked it out on a per meal basis without checking every few months then I would be claiming more than I am spending - not good :D

[brighter]

OMG, I had no idea!!! I charge £4 a week for breakfast/snack/lunch/snack!!! On the expenses not the parent. Right from this tax year I will adjust! I think I will do a flat rate for £3 if that is allowed? (per day) The full timer at the moment I have is only 13 months so I don't want to make it too high and I keep all recipes if the Inland Revenue ever likes to look at them for fun ;-)

[Chatterbox Childcare]

OMG, I had no idea!!! I charge £4 a week for breakfast/snack/lunch/snack!!! On the expenses not the parent. Right from this tax year I will adjust! I think I will do a flat rate for £3 if that is allowed? (per day) The full timer at the moment I have is only 13 months so I don't want to make it too high and I keep all recipes if the Inland Revenue ever likes to look at them for fun ;-)

Yes charge the parents if you want but do add the food bills into your expenses