charging separately for meals?

**mrsgreen** · 20-11-2009, 05:56 PM

hi all, I am just trying to review my fees and I am thinking of charging separately for meals. I wondered if anyone had any advice and how many of you do that? what works out better for you? any help would be great. thanks

**chels55** · 20-11-2009, 05:59 PM

I dont charge extra but some childminders charge £2 per day for meals

**mama2three** · 20-11-2009, 06:01 PM

I initially said i would include meals , but in hindsight i should have added on a daily charge. I think £2 is fair. I will be doing this with any further mindees.

**Jen 10** · 20-11-2009, 06:05 PM

I charge £2 per meal. I thought that would give the parents an option to bring their own food whenever they would prefer. This works well for me.

**beccas** · 20-11-2009, 06:12 PM

I charge my after school kids hourly rate and £1 for tea. this is what most charge in my area

**Blackhorse** · 20-11-2009, 06:13 PM

I include breakfast, lunch and snacks but charge £2 for dinner...

**mamasheshe** · 20-11-2009, 06:22 PM

I'm planing to get them to bring their own lunch (don't know how well this will work as have my own two children at home mindees lunch could be much more interesting anyone got any advice on that?) and the same price for dinner as the schools i think this is £2. but this is in theory!

**nokidshere** · 20-11-2009, 06:28 PM

My charges include everything - much simpler than working out who ate what and when.

**The Juggler** · 21-11-2009, 10:00 AM

Originally Posted by nokidshere

My charges include everything - much simpler than working out who ate what and when.

this has always been my thought but shopping is now getting sooo expensive. I've been looking into charges and thought a monthly fee best. This won't work for me though because some kids eat tea once a week,some 3 days etc, some have breakfast some don't and all lo's have lunch but not babies who bring own food!

I don't know where to start really. I wanted to make it a low nominal fee that would be enough to help with shopping bill but if i charge this on a per-meal basis, this will make it seems a silly (low amount). I don't know where to start but I do need to raise my hourly rate OR start charging for food. I don't want to give option of bringing own food as don't want to deal with unhealthy lunchboxes and kids coveting each others lunch!

sorry, hijacked your thread a bit there

**mushpea** · 21-11-2009, 10:06 AM

i used to charge for meals but found i could get more back from the tax man by putting the cost through the books and i was told you cannot charge and put it through the books so now i put 2.50 per child per meal through the books and i only used to charge 1pound per meal to the parents.

**Cazz** · 21-11-2009, 10:12 AM

Originally Posted by norwichshelley

I'm planing to get them to bring their own lunch (don't know how well this will work as have my own two children at home mindees lunch could be much more interesting anyone got any advice on that?) and the same price for dinner as the schools i think this is £2. but this is in theory!

I'm finding this is a bit of an issue! One of my mindees brings her own lunch and always has a packet of crisps and at least one chocolate bar - occasionally a piece of fruit

They have seen my lunch menu which I have tried to make reasonably healthy but presumably they don't want to pay the lunch charge so they send their own. Fortunately on that day I only have this mindee and her baby sister and my own dd who is almost 2 so its not too much of a problem - I just position my own daughter's highchair so she can't see the mindee eating chocolate bars!

My charges are as follows:- Breakfast - 75p, Lunch - £1.50 (75p for under 1's), Tea - £2.00. Drinks and snacks are included in my fees though.

**mamasheshe** · 21-11-2009, 10:35 AM

i think i need to re think this maybe if they the mindees lunch-boxes to the schools standards my local school won't accept chocolate bars crisps cakes but don't know how i'd enforce that theirs a lot to think about isn't there

**Chatterbox Childcare** · 21-11-2009, 10:38 AM

My lunch/dinner/tea have just been charged at £2.50 per meal and breakfast at £1.00 and I include all drinks and snacks

I work out my daily cost and then put on the food requested and that becomes my final fee.

You can claim 10% off of all income so it is in your favour to include it in the final figure.

**PixiePetal** · 21-11-2009, 10:43 AM

I charge £1.50 for pre schoolers and £2 for schoolies meals. Snacks and drinks included in fees.

**Chatterbox Childcare** · 21-11-2009, 10:47 AM

Originally Posted by mushpea

i used to charge for meals but found i could get more back from the tax man by putting the cost through the books and i was told you cannot charge and put it through the books so now i put 2.50 per child per meal through the books and i only used to charge 1pound per meal to the parents.

You are losing money this way? You only gain the tax element and not the whole cost, so if you put £2 through for a meal the amount you are saving is approx .50p because that it is the tax part and you are paying the £1.50

You can charge the parents and put it through as income, get your 10% wear and tear as it is part of your cost and then put the expense through for the tax man

**Curly Quavers** · 21-11-2009, 10:47 AM

My hourly rate includes morning and afternoon snack and all drinks. Lunch is £1.00 and I do not offer an evening meal I close at 5pm.

**mrsgreen** · 27-11-2009, 03:52 PM

thanks all, very useful

**Mollymop** · 27-11-2009, 03:53 PM

I charge £1 for a light lunch. All snacks are free

**The Juggler** · 28-11-2009, 06:17 PM

I think I am going to start charging in the New Year or Feb. Not sure. decided on £.75 for breakfast, £1 for lunch and £1.50 for dinner.

**loocyloo** · 28-11-2009, 07:50 PM

all snacks are included. i ask for babies to bring own food, until eating what we eat ( all be it a bit mashed up sometimes! )

then i charge £1.50 for lunch, and £2.50 for tea, £3.50 if both meals are taken with me. i used to charge under 5's less, but having had a couple of LO with HUGE appetites, i changed to one fee for all. children are welcome to bring their own packed meals, but i much prefer them to all eat the same thing. i have a couple of afterschoolers who don't eat tea with us, but join us at the table for a snack. i would find it hard to have a fee that includes meals, as i have some who don't require a meal!, so find charging in advance easier. plus then, if child is ill/doesn't attend, then the food already bought is paid for!

x

ps, i was advised that a reasonable charge for an evening meal is what it would cost to buy a happy meal !!!