Fussy Eaters

[Mamma4Ya]

I intend to include meals in the price of my service. How do you manage fussy eaters. I don't want to be cooking several meals at once. Would you cook the meal and it be a case of dont want it don't eat it, or would you prepare something else?

[Maria Pia]

I already include meals in my prices and normally cook just one meal for everyone with a backup of a sandwich if the cooked meal is refused. I pretty much tend to provide things that I know they all like (I am Italian from Bologna, so guess what's the house dish!) If the mindee has special diet requirements, then I ask the parents to provide the food - for example, one of my mindees is pescatarian but mum doesn't want him to have any food with added sugar (not even organix apple rice cakes!) so they provide me with the food.

Hope this helps!

Cheers!

Maria x

[Mamma4Ya]

This is the way I want to start out too. I was thinking that at the time of signing them up I would ask parents to give me a list of foods they do like so that I can build on that. Having a sandwich alternative is a good idea as I dont want to be cooking another meal. Thanks

[QualityCare]

I would start as you mean to go on, if l provided meals l would cook one meal for all, unless there was a dietary need for a child not to have it, allow a reasonable amount of time for children to eat remove plates allow dessert for those who ate all or reasonable amount of dinner. Children will realise there is no alternative given if they do not eat dinner and nothing until next meal or snack. Might sound harsh but l would not want to be in the kitchen preparing different meals. Remember older children will have likes and dislikes and younger children are often influenced by older siblings at home and will automatically say yuk or don't like/want that when a meal is placed in front of them.

[AliceK]

I provide a hot tea. I will take into account a childs genuine dislikes but other than that I cook 1 meal and they all have it. If they don't eat it or at least make a good effort then they don't get a treat afterwards but can have yogurt or fruit. I will also tell parent at pick-up that child has not eaten much and then parent has the choice of offering something at home. I personally wouldn't be offering a sandwich if the hot meal isn't eaten.
I have successfully got a 3yr old who wouldn't eat hardly anything at all for his mum to now eat more or less whatever is put in front of him or at least make a good effort with it. I worked very hard with him, doing him reward charts and certificates for his eating and trying new things. He's still with me and is nearly 6 now and we no longer have any trouble with his eating.

xxx

[ziggy]

At the moment all of mine bring lunch boxes but when i do cook i only offer one meal for everyone. As mentioned before, i dont offer anything else or give treats/pudding if a child doesnt make a good attempt at eating whatever is on plate.

Found out recently boys i've had for 2 years eat lots of things here they dont eat at home!

One child who was supposed to be 'a fussy eater' brings a lunch box but often asks to try things i've cooked. Pleased to say he has now started having school dinners and loves them.

I have 2 children of my own (32 and 21) and did the same with them, both are healthy and neither are over weight.

[Maria Pia]

I personally wouldn't be offering a sandwich if the hot meal isn't eaten.

The children do not know that there is a sadwich alternative! I only offer it if I genuinely think that the child, after trying to eat the cooked meal, doesn't really like it. I have a toddler that eats a very restricted dieat at home, so when I introduce new things, sometime it takes a while for him to get use to them, but I do persevere! I normally do a cooked meal at lunchtime and cold tea in the afternoon, mainly because I have lots of afterschool children and clubs to take them too, so it gets very manic even without the trouble of cooking!

Maria