Do you ever feel like you are always serving the same things to the kids? I do, and I dont plan it that way.
Do you tend to serve most of the same things or do you change it up frequently? Do you have a set meal plan?
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Do you ever feel like you are always serving the same things to the kids? I do, and I dont plan it that way.
Do you tend to serve most of the same things or do you change it up frequently? Do you have a set meal plan?
I do not have a set meal plan. Hubby makes enough food for dinner so that I can just heat up the leftovers for the kids lunch the next day or two! Those end of the weeks days might be zoodles/KD/Chefboyardi lunches (and I let the parents know before the kids start that there might be a day like that once every two weeks - time for more groceries!).
Most of the time it is leftovers from the night before. I don't have a set menu as I try to go with the mood of the kids that day. Right now I could serve grilled cheese sandwiches every day and I would have the happiest set of kids.
playfelt - that's so true! If I made mashed hard-boiled eggs, and fried potatoes every day, my little one would be happy as can be!
I have a 2 week menu rotation I use but it's not written in stone. I change some things out here and there for left over meals (like stews and chili, etc) but my dck are such wasters that I don't like wasting our stews, pot pies and chillies on them. I don't ever serve kd, Chef Boyardee, or any canned/boxed processed junky food to my dck. I rarely feed them to my own kids so never have them in my cupboard. I can have a box of kd sit in my cupboard for weeks before it gets used.
I prepare and post a weekly menu . I serve vegetarian dishes, sandwiches, meats etc. They like to have their meals colourful lol A little red, orange here or there helps. Shred cheese instead of serving as cubes, cut 1/2 bananas lenghtwise instead of circles /half circles. I try to change things up because I do run out of ideas.
I have a set meal plan that I provide the parents once a month with. This allows me to plan the daily snacks and lunches well in advance. It also allows the parents a good idea on what they will plan ahead for their dinners as well as myself. For example if I am making Shepherds Pie for dinner on a Monday night I will make sure there are leftovers for Tuesday's lunch. I find I can really budget well for groceries doing this. I make lots of muffins and baked goods well in advance and can freeze them and just pull them out the day of, based on what the daily meal plan is.
Ever thought about having parents bring the childrens lunches? Wouldn't it just be easier on you as a provider? Thoughts on this?
The parents would then expect to pay less for daycare - can't afford to work then!Quote:
Originally Posted by Jenn-FSFCC
Problem with parents sending lunches is the kids are too young to understand that one kid get a granola bar for snack and another gets orange wedges and another gets pudding. They are also too young to unwrap, open containers etc so you still end up doing part of the prepping anyways. Also unless it is sandwiches every day the parents may be expecting you to warm the food so by the time you zap five lunches in the microwave it is easier to make a meal and serve it to everyone. And it means deductions from taxes. As someone said parents would expect to pay less so for all the hassles you are going through in helping out with the meal you are getting no money for it. Also since it isn't common for parents to have to send the meals you would likely lose out in getting kids as parents would consider it too much hassle to deal with everyday and go to someone that provides meals.