Providing meals

**cs01** · 27-07-2010, 12:12 PM

I currently provide a hot lunch for mindees over the age of 1, as well as am and pm snacks. I am finding that as they get older, they are becoming increasingly fussy as their tastes change so frequently find myself preparing different meals (usually in advance). One doesn't like peas, the other used to eat carrots etc etc!

For future mindees, I am considering not providing meals and asking parents to provide food. However, I am worried I may put prospective families off as I do consider a nice home cooked lunch a good selling point. I know if I was to send my children to a childminder, I would want them to have a nice lunch and not just a packed lunch.

What would you do?

Thanks

**Cammie Doodle** · 27-07-2010, 12:17 PM

I used to provide hot meals, but no longer due to shift workers.etc. It has not put any Parents off so far. My life is soooo much easier

**little chickee** · 27-07-2010, 01:39 PM

I do not provide any meals - parents supply a packed lunch which can be sandwiches etc or can be something that i can heat up in microwave if they want them to have a hot lunch.

It has never been an issue for me.

If i was to provide a cooked lunch i would make one thing - they can eat it or leave it - i would not be making lots of different meals. Thats the rules i have for my own kids so it applies to everyone - i'm not a cafe!

**cs01** · 27-07-2010, 01:59 PM

I think I'll stop providing lunches for new mindees but continue for now with current ones.

Thanks for your comments.

**karensmart4** · 27-07-2010, 03:34 PM

I always ask parents to provide a packed lunch, some put in a tin of something they want me to heat up or some bread to toast...

sorry just remembered, one little girl insisted she brought an egg in for me to boil for her...."cause Karen does best soldiers" bless

she carried it in sooo carefully with a little grin on her face .... monster

**Chatterbox Childcare** · 27-07-2010, 03:41 PM

I do meals but do not accomodate fussy eaters if they have eaten it before.

My only rule is try it once and if you don't like it then leave it.

I won't do two meals - it is what I cook or go without but I do plan my meals around the childrens likes

**Ali56** · 27-07-2010, 05:07 PM

I only ever provide a choice if there is a reason eg veggie, religious etc and then I might still give the same food to everyone, because i'll try to cook something everyone can eat

I provide a cold lunch and a hot dinner, parents all know I wont cook several different meals it would take forever! on the upside tho eating all together sometimes encourages fussy eaters to try to eat a wider variety of food....
If children havent eaten much then i'll let the parents know and they can 'top up' at home!! I do give parents the choice to provide their own but they rarely want to-I think they like not having to cook for the kids after a long day at work

**miffy** · 27-07-2010, 05:33 PM

I do provide meals but it's the same meal for everyone - I try and make sure there is something on everyone's plate that they like.

Miffy xx

**tulip0803** · 27-07-2010, 05:39 PM

At one point a few years back, although I provided meals in the fees, all my parents provided packed lunches. Perhaps they had heard about my cooking?

I now provide meals for extra cost if they want but only one meal and although designed around likes and dislikes they all have the same on the plate. I only put a little of veg they don't like or are not sure of so they can try a bit of the veg if they want.

**FussyElmo** · 27-07-2010, 05:41 PM

Originally Posted by cs01

I think I'll stop providing lunches for new mindees but continue for now with current ones.

Thanks for your comments.

THe only thing with this is you could just have one mindee with a packed lunch and feeling left out when you cook for the rest.

**cs01** · 27-07-2010, 05:57 PM

Originally Posted by FussyElmo

THe only thing with this is you could just have one mindee with a packed lunch and feeling left out when you cook for the rest.

I know! Wouldn't I feel like a right old meany

In my parent info pack, my meal suggestions are easy things like something on toast or sandwiches, pitta's etc but when I signed my first mindee, mum said he was used to a nice cooked lunch (at nursery) so I stupidly said yes, no problem. Then mindee no 2 came along and I thought I couldn't give them something completely different but have ended up doing exactly this as they don't like the same food at all!

I have to break this vivious circle at some point because I really do not want to be cooking meals at the weekend, then throwing them away because they don't like it

.

So now I don't know whether to stick with my original simple menu ideas, for new mindees, or just scrap them altogether and let parents worry about what they eat instead.

**FussyElmo** · 27-07-2010, 06:05 PM

I only prepare simple foods for dinner just to make my life easier. If I was doing tea that would be my main hot dinner.

Personally I would go back to whats in your parent pack and then let what the tea is like to decide your what your are doing and something quick and easy.

I considered the pack lunch for mindees but seeing as I have to prepare for mine anyhow it seemed easier to have then all the same