Meals expenses

[ManicMum]

What do you charge for meals?

Last year I charged £1.50 for dinners but wondering whether to go to £1.75 or £2 now. That's two courses plus cost of running the oven etc. Food going up, electricity going up. Even school meals are £1.90 and that's on a large scale, so don't think too unreasonable. Leaving breakfast at £1 and snacks 50p. Lunch was £1 - not sure whether to keep that the same.

Hate hate hate tax returns. every year i say I will do it earlier and i never do.

thanks!!

[rosebud]

not sure if you mean charge as in charging parents or what you put through as expenses.
I don't charge parents separately for meals they're included in the daily fee. On my accounts I put through £1 for breakfast / babies and £2.50 for lunch / tea, this includes drinks and snacks too.

Hope that helps.

[Carol M]

I put £4 per day per child as food expenses , food is included in my fees.
I must get round to doing another pricing exercise and adjust the actual cost to me as more than likely this figure should be higher.
Carol xx

[PixiePetal]

I don't do breakfasts but put in £2.00 for cold meal and £2.50 for cooked meal, this includes snacks and drinks through the day. I worked out the actual costs of some regular meals and came up with that figure. Depends on what sort of food you provide. I buy everything in decent quality and cook a lot from scratch.

[ManicMum]

thanks for that. I meant as expenses that you put through on your tax return. sorry for confusion. I don't charge separately either, all inclusive. Think my expenses have been too low - going to increase them now.

thanks

[Zumba-mum]

I have only just started but i will/do charge £1.50 a meal but i will provide snacks.

[sarahjane]

I put through £5 per day if children have breakfast, lunch and dinner and then on a sliding scale depending on the meals they have.

[VeggieSausage]

there was a thread about this a little while a go and someone posted (could have been Debbie?) that look at your local school dinners cost and then up it a bit, so for example if schools dinners £2 per meal then you could put through £2.50. Important thing is to be able to show asked what your costs are based on ....apparently!

[MrAnchovy]

Important thing is to be able to show asked what your costs are based on ....apparently!

That's absolutely right - and it is NOT OK to say 'I looked at what another childminder/a school/anyone else does and do the same'. This is supposed to be your best estimate of what it actually costs you to provide the meals you provide. There are only two ways to do this: shop separately and claim the actual amount you spend each week or calculate for typical meals and multiply up as PixiePetal does.

[Velleity]

I don't shop seperately .. I just go through my receipts with highlights and show which bits were for the childminding and make notes on the receipt.

[Chatterbox Childcare]

there was a thread about this a little while a go and someone posted (could have been Debbie?) that look at your local school dinners cost and then up it a bit, so for example if schools dinners £2 per meal then you could put through £2.50. Important thing is to be able to show asked what your costs are based on ....apparently!

No wasn't me!

I work my costs out by receipt but it doesn't matter which way you do it as long as you can justify how you got to a figure you will be fine. Just imagine the inspector in front of you, brow faced, and you having to justify and explain your method. If you are confident with what you do you will be fine.

[VeggieSausage]

No wasn't me!

I work my costs out by receipt but it doesn't matter which way you do it as long as you can justify how you got to a figure you will be fine. Just imagine the inspector in front of you, brow faced, and you having to justify and explain your method. If you are confident with what you do you will be fine.

apologies Debbie!...and thanks everyone for clearing up x

[MrAnchovy]

I don't shop seperately .. I just go through my receipts with highlights and show which bits were for the childminding and make notes on the receipt.

Well that is fine as well of course...

[fluff1975]

Just a thought having read the op...

Its my understanding that if you claim gas & electricity, you can't then add the cost of running the oven on top as you're already claiming? Does that make sense? Can someone clarify please?

Re the cost of a meal: I looked at a typical weeks menu, did a costing for each individual meal (took me AGES ) and then worked out the average for snacks, lunch and tea. My meals are inclusive, but I guess still need to know how much I am charging for them, just incase the nice people at the tax office ever want a look!

[MrAnchovy]

Its my understanding that if you claim gas & electricity, you can't then add the cost of running the oven on top as you're already claiming? Does that make sense? Can someone clarify please?

That is correct.

[Chatterbox Childcare]

Just a thought having read the op...

Its my understanding that if you claim gas & electricity, you can't then add the cost of running the oven on top as you're already claiming? Does that make sense? Can someone clarify please?

Re the cost of a meal: I looked at a typical weeks menu, did a costing for each individual meal (took me AGES ) and then worked out the average for snacks, lunch and tea. My meals are inclusive, but I guess still need to know how much I am charging for them, just incase the nice people at the tax office ever want a look!

If you are using this way I would work it out once and use the per meal figure for 3 months and then do it again

If you use the receipt method you work it out each week but the calculation is faster and easier to do

Just go with whatever works for you