Meals, snacks drinks costs

[Petshrinklj]

How much would you say you spend approximately on meals, snacks and drink per child a week. Here's my attempt at working it out

I was thinking a bottle of milk is about £1, packet of pasta £1, ingredients to make sauce £1, salad bits to go with it £3, packs of apples bananas etc £1 each. Breadsticks/ rice cakes £1 a box. Cereals £2 a box.

So I'm thinking I'd spend about £5 on one example meal may feed 4 so 1.25 a kid
Snacks £2 would fed about 3 kids twice so maybe spend about 50p on snack
Drink £1 would do about 2 maybe 5op a kid

So if a kid came to me for 3 meals a day had two snacks and drinks a rough guess would be £4.75 a day. Does that seem way off or about right

[mama2three]

I put £5 a day through my expenses for food costs per full timer . I have the receipts to show where I came up with the figures and now put this through as a daily amount. Of course it varies , some days I actually spend more , some less - but hmrc are happy with this averaging method.

[Koala]

Yes, I think £5 per day, per child is reasonable, just make sure though any extras are put down, those extra ice creams in this weather add up.

[FizzWizz]

Think I may need to review mine!! I only claim £2.50 per day per child. I don't do dinner but do ensure breakfast, snacks and hot lunch are provided.

[Little miss]

That's interesting to read, where would you stand if you claimed for taxes more than you charged parents?

[Petshrinklj]

Thanks all for your replies.

[mama2three]

That's interesting to read, where would you stand if you claimed for taxes more than you charged parents?

What you claim and what you charge are completely different. Your expenses are genuinely what the food costs you - its up to you whether you charge parents a premium , a discount , or not at all .... and that is counted as income separately anyway.

[bindy]

I spend between £60-£80 per week on food for 6 kids who have 3 meals a day and snacks. They drink water only juice as a treat! For that I buy all meat/veg/fruit from M and S or Waitrose organic if possible. One packet of pasta will last for 3 meals, if not more. This is for 2 and 3 year olds, do not over full their plates! Pudding is only fruit or yogurt but do buy biscuits for snacks. I do buy ice creams at the park for treat and also milk shakes. I do not charge for food so I claim all back on my expenses. If parents pay for food, you can not claim it as an expense. If I did charge £5 per day per child that would be £150 per week! The thought is nice lol!!

[LittleAcornsThatcham]

Bindy of course you can claim food as an expense, even if parents pay extra. The extra is income, the food is expense from that income.

I did the hmrc webinar, and said you can guesstimate £5 per child per day for food (although it's personal, eg if you we're organic it could be higher.) they said use school meals as a guide ie £2.50 per hot meal. They also said you don't need to keep food receipts, but you should keep them for food safety people incase of an incident.

[sarah707]

A few members are confused so just to clarify -

You spend money on food for minded children = a business expense. The amount you claim back must be reasonable. Each of us will come up with a different amount.

You charge parents for food you buy for their child = income.

You have to show both expenses and income on your tax return.

Keep receipts for environmental health we were told 3 months - check your local recommendation

[bindy]

Bindy of course you can claim food as an expense, even if parents pay extra. The extra is income, the food is expense from that income.

I did the hmrc webinar, and said you can guesstimate £5 per child per day for food (although it's personal, eg if you we're organic it could be higher.) they said use school meals as a guide ie £2.50 per hot meal. They also said you don't need to keep food receipts, but you should keep them for food safety people incase of an incident.

Well you learn something new every day! Lol Good job I have never charged for food, I would not have put it as income lol. Some one told me it was not income but could not put at an expense either.