Could you and would you give uneaten lunch as snack?

**venus89** · 24-06-2009, 12:27 PM

If, for instance, you gave the child a sandwich and they only ate a tiny bit of a bit of a sandwich could you put the untouched bits in the fridge and give them to the mindee later? And would you do this?

**Blackhorse** · 24-06-2009, 12:31 PM

I think I would be inclined to say yes I would.
Depends on the state of the sandwich...but in general I can't see an issue with this.
I do this with our own food. left overs get put in the fridge and will be eaten at a later point or made into new food iyswim

**huggableshelly** · 24-06-2009, 12:34 PM

i dont see why not but I dont ......

i throw all left overs away and have fresh snacks, mainly because i forget i have left food in the fridge then end up getting more out LOL

**little chickee** · 24-06-2009, 12:46 PM

I was raised on the mantra "waste not want not" and can't seem to get over it. I hate wasting food and would and have "recycle" a leftover lunch into a snack for later.

Sandwiches especially can be wrapped up and put in the fridge and then put in the toastie machine later.

**Spangles** · 24-06-2009, 01:11 PM

I wouldn't give anything back to the child that they'd already nibbled but if it was untouched I can't see why not.

Surely if it's been nibbled it will have bacteria on it? That's probably just me though, I wouldn't want to eat a sandwich later after I'd started it and left it.

**devoncm** · 24-06-2009, 01:14 PM

I might do if it hasnt been touched

**venus89** · 24-06-2009, 01:22 PM

Originally Posted by Spangles

I wouldn't give anything back to the child that they'd already nibbled but if it was untouched I can't see why not.

Surely if it's been nibbled it will have bacteria on it? That's probably just me though, I wouldn't want to eat a sandwich later after I'd started it and left it.

Oh no, not if it's been nibbled. Or squashed, or poked. But the Lo that started my thinking this has picked up one half of her sandwich and nibbled the edge and the other half hasn't been touched at all.....

**tinkerbelle** · 24-06-2009, 03:21 PM

i would not no my dad did this to my brother when he was younger every time we went to his house if he didnt eat his sandwhich at lunch then he got it later and it gave him issues with eating
mine goes on a plate and if left in the bin i never re serve anything sorry

**venus89** · 24-06-2009, 03:46 PM

Originally Posted by tinkerbelle

i would not no my dad did this to my brother when he was younger every time we went to his house if he didnt eat his sandwhich at lunch then he got it later and it gave him issues with eating
mine goes on a plate and if left in the bin i never re serve anything sorry

You don't have to say sorry!
I certainly wouldn't do this every time, and nor would I attach any emotion to it (like anger or stress - it would be more a case of 'oh, you don't want it now? Have it later for snack......). Nor would I do it if I knew the child didn't like what they were being offered.

**Louise_Oaktree** · 24-06-2009, 04:03 PM

My 16 month old mindee never eats at lunch time - he is usually too tired and won't sleep in the mornings so he has most of his lunch when he wakes up. At this age they tend to graze throughout the day so I only offer him small amounts, if I put it all on highchair it would get thrown about - so he has a few pieces of things and the rest I fridge for later.
I don't think I would give him food to eat and then save it if he had handled it

but it would probably not resemble anything at that stage anyway

**Helen79** · 24-06-2009, 04:07 PM

depends what it was & why it wasn't eaten. if it was something that they didn't like then I wouldn't.

If ds has fallen asleep in his highchair & not touched his lunch it goes in the fridge for when he wakes up.

If it's something like fruit that they don't want cos they're full up, but would like later I'd pop it back in the fridge as long as it hasn't been prodded or nibbled.

**venus89** · 24-06-2009, 04:08 PM

Originally Posted by Louise_Oaktree

My 16 month old mindee never eats at lunch time - he is usually too tired and won't sleep in the mornings so he has most of his lunch when he wakes up. At this age they tend to graze throughout the day so I only offer him small amounts, if I put it all on highchair it would get thrown about - so he has a few pieces of things and the rest I fridge for later.
I don't think I would give him food to eat and then save it if he had handled it

but it would probably not resemble anything at that stage anyway

I also have one who grazes - he always asks for his sandwiches as his morning or afternoon snack and eats the lot but at lunch he hardly eats at all..... But this LOs mum has specifically told me that she wants her to have proper meals (I suggested grazing as analternative to mealtimes....)

**mushpea** · 24-06-2009, 05:30 PM

you could do it but i personally wouldnt becuause you letting the child know that if they dont eat at lunch time then they will get it later anyway and they cant do this when they go to school.
if they dont eat their lunch then theres nothing till dinner time only takes a couple of times and then they soon realise they go hungry, especialy when they see the other children happily eating dessert when they havent got any!

**ORKSIE** · 24-06-2009, 05:57 PM

I personally would not do this if the child had nibbled the food, but if it had not been touchrd I dont see a problem. but i would put the food in to a sandwich bag. after saying this I have never actually done it

**venus89** · 24-06-2009, 05:59 PM

Originally Posted by mushpea

you could do it but i personally wouldnt becuause you letting the child know that if they dont eat at lunch time then they will get it later anyway and they cant do this when they go to school.
if they dont eat their lunch then theres nothing till dinner time only takes a couple of times and then they soon realise they go hungry, especialy when they see the other children happily eating dessert when they havent got any!

I appreciate that they can't do that at school, which is a fair point. I think to starve any child between lunch and dinner - especially if they haven't eaten their lunch - is inadvisable for so many reasons. I gave the LO her lunch again in lieu of the snack the others had in the afternoon. So she missed out on pudding at lunchtime and also didn't get fruit for snack this afternoon, which hopefully reinforces the message I'm tryng to send..... ('eat your lunch'

)

**MissTinkerbell** · 24-06-2009, 06:08 PM

I would and have done but only if untouched. My mindee won't eat sandwiches so tried toasting the bread and then making into a sandwich and she has loved eating it this way.

Last week the toaster knobbed got knocked and the bread wasn't as toasted as it usually is. She thought it was normal bread and refused to eat. I couldn't convince her that it was toast. She didn't get dessert like the others.

I wrapped in clingfilm and popped in fridge as I knew after about an hour she'd be hungry. She asked for a biscuit as she was hungry so I said she couldn't have a biscuit but could have her toasty sandwich instead. She ate it all and since then has eaten all her lunch everyday.

**Helen79** · 24-06-2009, 06:21 PM

I also have one who grazes - he always asks for his sandwiches as his morning or afternoon snack and eats the lot but at lunch he hardly eats at all..... But this LOs mum has specifically told me that she wants her to have proper meals (I suggested grazing as analternative to mealtimes....)

I wouldn't offer their lunch as a snack even if they asked for it, they get a small snack, enough to keep them going til lunch but not enough so that they're too full at lunchtime.
If he has his sandwiches as a morning snack, what do you give him at lunchtime ? He's probably too full from his sandwiches to eat a lunchtime meal.

**MissTinkerbell** · 24-06-2009, 06:36 PM

Originally Posted by Helen79

If he has his sandwiches as a morning snack, what do you give him at lunchtime ? He's probably too full from his sandwiches to eat a lunchtime meal.

I think people are talking about giving left over lunch as snack in the afternoon.

**venus89** · 24-06-2009, 07:04 PM

Originally Posted by Helen79

I wouldn't offer their lunch as a snack even if they asked for it, they get a small snack, enough to keep them going til lunch but not enough so that they're too full at lunchtime.
If he has his sandwiches as a morning snack, what do you give him at lunchtime ? He's probably too full from his sandwiches to eat a lunchtime meal.

That's a fair point and generally if he has a sandwich for morning snack it's one quarter of a sandwich rather than the whole thing, though he has been known to eat it all when offered.

A friend of mine gives her kids one packet of crisps each per day. She said they asked for them after breakfast once and she thought 'why not? What does it matter at which stage of the day they eat their crisps?' To a degree I think she's got a very valid point.

**Deb** · 24-06-2009, 07:08 PM

I would and have done under certain circumstances - I know a minder who saves left over hot food from playcentre and gives it to the kids for tea (same child) - that is out of order but a sandwich or packet of crisps or something is fine.