Has anyone stopped providing dinner?

[Minstrel]

I'm thinking of stopping due to a few reasons.

Main mindee is vegetarian so I cook something different (whether it's a substitution or a different meal entirely). This mindee is very very fussy and so 9/10 the meal will go in the bin therefore wasting my time, money and effort.

The children all have a hot dinner at school (compulsary) and so they are eating a hot meal each day.

None of the parents seem fussed if I say they haven't eaten much and will just say they'll feed them at home (one has a younger child at nursery who doesn't get a dinner so she has to feed him anyway).

I charge amoung the cheapest in the area and so would keep my price low instead of raising it in April.

I find it all quite stressful! I would prvide them with a 'light tea' a bit earlier. Something a bit more substantial than a snack but enough to see them through until hometime.

So has anyone else stopped doing dinners and how did it go?

Thanks!

[EmmaReed84]

I havent stopped meals but did discuss meals with parents as I had to put my prices up, so from April they are increasing. I think as long as you are honest and talk to the parent, they can't ask for more really...

[funemnx]

I stopped providing a cooked meal 2 years ago. It was so stressfull, there is always a child who doesn't like something and with 6 children around the table all saying I don't like this that or the other, I just gave up trying to please all of them (unless it was chicken nuggets and chips which I wasn't prepared to do).

The after school time is so much more relaxed, we have crumpets, tea cakes, cheese on toast and so on so they aren't starving when they leave. Two younger ones bring their dinner for me to heat up which is no problem, I don't spend time and energy trying to get them to eat it, if they don't want it, I bin it and tell the parents. None of the parents have objected, except 1 and the children don't come any more anyway as I couldn't accomodate their after school clubs.

[sillybeans]

LO's have hot lunch (Chicken, rice and veg/Casserole, mash and veg) etc and the older ones get a similar lunch at school.

I therefore offer a light tea such as beans on toast, jacket potato, soup and bread etc with as much fruit as they want

[watgem]

i stopped 2 years ago as 2 mindees switched to days when I didn't need to cook and i didn't want to feed some and not the others, so I just do a snack now and its cheaper and less stressful

[Minstrel]

Thanks everyone.

I think I'm def going to go for it. I can't see any down sides to it (apart from parents not liking it!).

Cheers!

[Penny1959]

I stopped in October last year when I reviewed contracts - parents can still request tea here - but it is quite likely to be more of a snack such as beans on toast or a ready meal - and I charge them extra now if they want their child to have tea here.

All but one parent has opted to have tea at home now - such a relief as like you I was preparing and cooking lovely home cooked meals with fresh veg etc - and putting most of it in the bin.


Penny

[Goatgirl]

I didn't stop cooked diners but did stop providing a very often cooked lunch. I did as you are and explained my fees had been the same for x amount of time but instead of a rise I would stop providing midday meal.
I have always provided a substantial snack after school: bowl of fruit; then yoghurt; then bread/toast/sandwich/ hot cross bun , and these are still included in my hourly rate as are drinks

Parents it affected were fine Good luck: life's too short for a stressful teatime

best wishes, wendy

[onceinabluemoon]

I stopped doing food at one point because the children were wasting it all the time and told parents exactly why I was stopping. Everybody understood and aside from the parent that insisted on sending her 3 year in with cow&gate baby food and smarties it went well.

[funemnx]

I stopped doing food at one point because the children were wasting it all the time and told parents exactly why I was stopping. Everybody understood and aside from the parent that insisted on sending her 3 year in with cow&gate baby food and smarties it went well.

[mushpea]

I stopped providing them last year,, most of mine were term time only so come June I send a letter out stating that as of the start of the 6 week hols I would no longer provide evening meals but they were welcome to send a pack lunch or somthing that I could reheat,, non of them sent anything and non of them were upset that they stopped infact one parent said it woudl be nice that their child could join them for the evening meal (they didnt want him to feel left out when the others ate theirs here).
I do now offer meals again but I send out a menu at parents request and they choose which meals from the menu also they now pay £1.50 per meal this way I dont throw food away as parents only request the meals they know their child will eat.

[Andrea08]

I provide a good lunch but no evening meal as i suggest its best for families to do this together ...

although atm most of mine are part time and my after school mindees eat with family so im off the hook lol

[ChocolateChip]

Yes, I've recently stopped it ........ sort of!

As one of my mindees left at Christmas and currently none of the others were staying past 5pm I took the opportunity to stop offering cooked teas as part of my normal a/s service, and boy what a relief!
However I had just taken on a 2yr old who is here until 5.30pm one day a week, who needs to eat early else she falls asleep bless her so I have said that I will only give tea to any under 5's who are here (just her at the mo) and then got asked to take on someone else until 6pm, one day a week so I have also said I will only feed schoolies if they are here until 6pm (which costs extra as I 'close' at 5.30)

Confused? so am I, lol!
But I can't do right for doing wrong, as it turned out that one of the fussiest eaters who has literally cried into her dinner plate on a number of occasions was having tea here and then going home for tea there aswell Then the other day (she still comes but goes at 5pm so no tea) she told her mum that she felt left out because everyone else was eating tea
The only reason she was still here was cos dad didn't pick her up till 5.30 and it was a dinner she wouldn't have eaten anyway

[rosebud]

Light tea / snack here too at 4pm and it was such a relief when I stopped doing cooked teas. I do a cooked meal at lunchtime for LO's and then dinner for our family for 6.30pm so I was cooking 3 times a day - ridiculous! On my website it says I do a cooked dinner for 6.30 and any children still here are welcome to join us but I don't actually work that late

[jane5]

I offer a hot meal at lunch and a light tea of sandwiches, fruit and yoghurt's for tea.

There is no way I could stand cooking in the kitchen whilst the lo's are grouchy.

One parent said her lo preferred sandwiches for lunch and a hot meal in the evening because that was the routine at home Thankgoodness I stood my ground.

[Bananabrain]

I stopped doing tea about 6 months ago. It was either that or get carried off to the funny farm
After the day I've had today, I might stop lunch as well.................and breakfast
At what point did we stop giving our children real food?

[singingcactus]

I stopped providing lunches a couple of years ago. I was really happy to stop to begin with.....but after opening pot after pot after pot of fromage frais, and serving sausage roll after sausage roll after sausage roll I just couldn't do it anymore.
I've gone back to providing proper lunches for the little guys I have. It is working so much better. They do still have the odd sugar laden fromage frais, but not every blessed day!
I cook simple things, meat, veg and potato. Pasta meals. Casseroles. etc. Nothing that takes more than 20 minutes to cook from start to finish. All whole foods....usually. Whole fruit for dessert. So by time kiddies have gone home I know they have had small amount of protein, 3-4 kid sized portions of fruit and veg, and ample carbs servings for the day. As well as having had fresh air, and learning opportunities.
It was nice to start with, the not cooking thing, but it grew old quickly cos I just didn't feel I could provide good all round child care without the healthy eating aspect of it. It's not that parents were providing crap deliberately, just after a couple of years they were running out of packed lunch inspiration. Plus, I actually enjoy cooking.


(I realise casseroles take more than 20 minutes lol but I do them one day ready for next )

[mr man]

ive jsut changed mine around - and i wish id done it sooner.
i do hot meal in day ( all schoolies inc my own 3 have school dinners) and then when we get in it fruit and then about 4 - 430 choice of someting on toast, bagel / crumpets / or soup ( i make homemade and we all love them ) potatoe cakes with beans / filled wrap.
on a fri i take them to the bakers to choose a saus rol, pasty or pie. they love this day but only on a friday - then my kitchen on a fri is not like a bomb site .

quite a few choices there but all things that last a few days so dont get wasted.

i wish id done it ages ago, im not so stressed now after school

[The Juggler]

i also stopped but by natural selection. I had mindees leaving that were eating, the one that was staying with me, never had tea anyway. I just made a decision to tell all new parents that I didn't offer it but would happily feed a cooked meal provided by them BUT NOT COOK IT - just reheat it.

I offer a substantial snack which keeps most of my LO's going - they all leave by 5.30 latest.

I would NEVER go back to meals. I have more time now to play and interact with the LO's whereas before it was a juggling act of keeping babies entertained whilst I cooked, supervising toddlers, sorting out the biggies arguments, dishing up, washing dishes, wasted food

[Vickster]

Interesting and I think I will ask for feedback from parents....I ask for packed luches for lunch time, but may look at doing hot lunch and high tea!