After school/afternoon snacks

My mindee (6) is complaining about the snacks on offer after school and I'm just wondering what you all do?
We do snacks of strawberries, cherry tomatoes, cathedral city cheddar nibble packets, fromage frais and sometimes things we've baked or cooked. Sometimes we have home made Lollys if it's hot. She's a fussy eater anyway but yesterday she was whining she was hungry...she was offered two lots of strawberries, offered a sandwich - she said no, offered a banana, she said no. Wanted crisps, chocolate yoghurt etc which I didn't have and wouldn't give her as its unhealthy and sets a precedent. When I get more children it will become even harder to cater to her fussiness as there will probably one be one or two snacks on offer each day and that'll be it. It's getting really annoying to be honest! Dreading the summer holidays, should I tell parents to send s packed lunch with her?

decide what snack you are giving and how much followed by a piece of fruit or a yogurt not both no choice except take it or leave it, remind child they will be eating later and can wait they do not get constant food at school the longer you give in pander to them the children will keep on and on if a child has a real genuine dislike of something offer a slice of toast as a replacement ignore the comments from other children l don't like it l want toast.

Okay, you have a choice - carry on as you are (with it being annoying and you dreading the summer holidays) or you can man up. You need to just tell her what is on offer and that is that. How on earth will you cope if all of your mindees turn out like her? Stop letting her take you for a ride.

I know it's easy for me to say that - it's always more difficult in reality, but those are basically your options. I have a set of parents to whom I need to 'man up' (though they are never rude to me like that child is to you, but 'sloppy' with pick up times, noise etc.), but I am 'choosing' not to man up and 'choosing' to carry on getting annoyed and stressed (and counting down the days until they leave, which is soon).

There is only one issue with your relationship, although there are many symptoms (snacks, activities, no please/thank yous, name calling your baby, running ahead, birthday present). The issue is that you are not being firm enough with her.

You have to offer healthy snacks as per EYFS so it's tough. I offer 1 snack to all of my mindees. If one doesn't like it they can have a piece of fruit if that's not accepted they wait until Dinner. You do have to toughen up! I don't have a problem with my mindees as I am clear and consistent with my rules and they know that if they respect the rules they have a great time here - trips to the park, bigger trips in the hols, treat puddings, new resources. They never ask for crisps, choc etc as they know they don't have it here.

Also it is clear in my policy that school children get offered one choice (I don't serve food I know they hate) and if they refuse they don't get an alternative and can eat at home.

I have a menu for the afternoon/after school snack. It's consists of something, fruit and yoghurt. The something can be an English muffin/bagel/sandwich, beans on toast, homemade cheese scones, homemade leek and potato soup, pizza slices with vegetable sticks, pasta salad etc.
They have a menu plan up on my board in the playroom so they can see what's for the snack that day. If they don't want it or don't like it, that's fine, but there's nothing else. Side note: they never pass up what's on offer when they know there's nothing else!

I've found that children do get very hungry after school, so need something filling. Sometimes fruit and salad type snacks really just don't fill them up.

I usually do something like sandwich, toast, bread & butter, crackers, crumpets or toasted muffins. With that they have some cheese and/or ham, some fruit or salad (cucumber, tomato, carrot sticks, peppers) and a drink. I try to do enough that they aren't hungry, but not enough that they won't eat when they get home. If they are still hungry I will offer a little bit more of whatever they've had.

I don't give a choice, but then I don't give anything I know they don't like or won't eat. If they have a particular favourite I will make an effort to give it on the day they are with me.

From all your posts about this child it does seem to be that she is running rings round you and you are letting her. You can't really blame her for trying it on when you give in to her every time. You might actually find she is happier and more settled if you set some boundaries and enforce them. She'd then be able to get on with enjoying the food (or activities) you provide without the need to constantly push you a bit further - she could concentrate on enjoying herself rather than using her energies thinking up new ways to put you down or get one over on you :thumbsup:

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Originally Posted by HTSMumma

I have a menu for the afternoon/after school snack. It's consists of something, fruit and yoghurt. The something can be an English muffin/bagel/sandwich, beans on toast, homemade cheese scones, homemade leek and potato soup, pizza slices with vegetable sticks, pasta salad etc. They have a menu plan up on my board in the playroom so they can see what's for the snack that day. If they don't want it or don't like it, that's fine, but there's nothing else. Side note: they never pass up what's on offer when they know there's nothing else!

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I don't have a menu up yet but plan on doing this and I think this will help :-)

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Originally Posted by natlou82

Also it is clear in my policy that school children get offered one choice (I don't serve food I know they hate) and if they refuse they don't get an alternative and can eat at home.

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That's a good idea, I better check my policy to see what I put!!!

In my first year I made loads of changes to policies. Basically as soon as an issue came up I made sure I covered myself. There's so many small things that crop up over time that you don't realise are going to be an issue until you get into it.

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Originally Posted by natlou82

In my first year I made loads of changes to policies. Basically as soon as an issue came up I made sure I covered myself. There's so many small things that crop up over time that you don't realise are going to be an issue until you get into it.

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Thanks natlou, I've learnt tons already and I've only bee going 2 nearly 3 months! :-)

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Originally Posted by mumofone

That's a good idea, I better check my policy to see what I put!!!

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I am not sure we require a policy on what type of snack we offer as long as we offer a healthy choice and a variety to suit all children...not sure we can offer the same snack day in and day out...children will be bored with that?
The choice can easily be put on our weekly menu list and rotate it.

Just to be clear I obviously offer a full variety of snacks and not the same snack every day. They just get the particular days snack offered.