Parents supply the food

So I see some advantages to parents supplying the food and a small amount of disadv. I currently supply food, and thought it was silly making parents supply the food because its part of our job. However thinking it over, its almost a great idea. No more writing in the daily journal, working at night to chop up fruit/vegies, caring if they eat my food or waste it, having to tell the parents they aren't eating what I'm serving, shall I go on. Like this almost solves a big part of our sometimes miserable days. So I am still in the air about it. What are your thoughts?

Since it is not the norm for daycare parents to have to provide lunches around here you would have a hard time finding parents that would want to be bothered making them for their kids every day. I don't spend nights chopping. I do it just before lunchtime and set the kids up with activities I can supervise and cook at the same time such as puzzles or playdoh at the table. Yes I waste a lot of food and adjust the amount and kinds of food I serve to a certain extent to go along with appetites at the moment. It is a lot easier to feed everyone the same than have to deal with a myrid of containers and warming stuff etc.

Also parents would be expecting a reduction in their daycare fees and in reality would be asking for more off than you are probably spending in cost of food. Do some of the prep work while making supper for your own family and the rest during the day such as while waiting for kids to arrive or even cut up fruit as they eat and serve it only to those that finish the first course - less waste. If a child isnt' hungry no sense giving them several containers of food to face.

Not to mention that Suzie will inevitably want Tommy's strawberries, and Joey will complain because Sally has cookies and he has rice cakes. LOL!

The complaining amongst the kids would be my main reason for not doing it. If you think meals are a hassle now just wait - they would get a lot more difficult. What might be better is to rethink what you are serving. No matter how nutritious a food is if no one will eat it then it is off the menu. Keep it simple. Noodles cost only cents. Boil, add a bit of margarine and they will eat as is or add a spice - mine like celery salt on them to kick them up a notch (seasoned salt, garlic salt, etc.). Don't make extra work for yourself if you are not getting the response from the kids. That doesn't mean switch to a diet of cookies cause they will eat them but frozen mixed veggies for example work wonders. They can pick out the kinds they like and leave the ones they don't. Again toss in boiling water and you are done. No prep time. Make extra food when you cook suppers and some of that becomes lunch the next day. Again not a lot of extra time required.

I wouldnt want to have to prepare 5 different lunches every day. I would rather feed the kids healthy and nutricious foods that I know will fill them up and keep them happy then deal with the complaining. And I dont want to deal with little johnnys sugar high because mommy thinks that lunchables and cookies are a nutricious meal.

I do have one parent who supplies food but that is because of a diet restriction.

And, I've seen what kinds of food parents give their kids. I talked to one of my moms and she said that it's ok if her dd won't eat, give her the cookie anyways. Um...no! Some parents think fruit strips count as fruit. Again...no! I don't mind granola bars but one of my dc boys used to arrive in the morning with a chocolate dipped gran. bar.

I'd rather make a meal that I KNOW is healthy, so at least they get one healthy meal a day. If the parents want to screw up breakfast and supper so be it!

As I will care for all ages (5 months and up), the only food the parents provide me with is baby food, formula, and HOMO milk.

Otherwise, I provide the lunches and snacks (as they're leftovers from the night before!).

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I'd rather make a meal that I KNOW is healthy, so at least they get one healthy meal a day. If the parents want to screw up breakfast and supper so be it!

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I totally agree with mamabear here!

I used to send my own food for my kids when they went to daycare. I just didn't trust what my kids would be eating, the quality, the cleanliness etc. I can be so anal about germs so I sent my own food and drinks and I still paid the $35 a day.

Now as a provider I supply the snacks and beverages and food and I always try to make sure I serve things that I would have wanted.

There are days where I wish the parents were sending the food. Imagine not having to wonder what to serve the next day. There are days where I make food for my family that I know the dck won't like so I have to cook a separate meal for the daycare.

It took a long time for the DCK to get used to my meals and cooking. Now I rarely get a plate pushed away but during those times I was wishing that the parents would send something. Thankfully it was just a matter of time before they got used to the food. I guess different people cook with different flavours and it just takes time for the kids to get used to it.

I was reading all of the replies, and I can't help but wonder how many children are in your care not including your own.
My children are teenager's and not in care. I have 8 children in my care and the parents bring their own food. Meal times are never a problem. Children are very good at expressing to their parents what they want in their lunches :) And I usually see it in their kits not too much later :)

I have parents send snacks and lunches also. When I first started it was very difficult to make a meal and snack that all 7 children liked. I find when the parents send the food they know what their child likes and I send back what is left. They can then regulate what they are eating and guage dinner accordingly. When children eye other's treats, I suggest that they mention it to their parents that they would like to try that treat and that their parents will make the final decision as to what is the best for them. By having the parents supply the food it gives me more time to spend offering the parents the extras that they expect.

I think the ages you are dealing with make a difference in parents sending meals too. Most send any puree type foods for infants but I have a hard time imagining what kind of meals a parent could send for an 18m - 3 year old that wouldn't require me to warm it for a hot meal or chop or prepare in some way - even peeling a banana or apple if the parent didn't want it to go brown. A school age child would eat the fruit whole but a toddler would require it cut up. Also sending deli meat sandwiches everyday isn't my idea of an appropriate lunch and that is what could happen.

Parents send everything from sandwiches (meat, chicken, avocado, etc.) to left overs, which is easily heated in the microwave. They send cut up fruit and steamed vegetables, cut up cheese with crackers. It seems to work well for me and I do not have to do a lot of preparing. Parents are told that they must send nutritious snacks and lunch.
What ever works for the caregiver and makes your day run smoothly is all that is important. I am just glad that I do not have to cook for 7 kids everyday.

Cheers

So if you provide food now, and you want to transition to having the parents send meals, how do you do that? Do you have to lower your rate? Give ample notice? Just start the newbies on bringing their own food? Because I provide everything right now and I think I might like to have the parents supply as I hate making meals and snacks. HATE IT! lol... But then I like the tax deductions too. Hmm, which would be a better benefit to me? ;)

Oooooh, it does sound nice not to have to actually cook anything, I will admit! :)
I have to make lunch for my own kiddos anyway, so it's a moot point for me. And I think I am too much of a control freak, I don't think I could trust the parents enough to send food that I won't be all judgemental about, lol!!

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Originally Posted by mom-in-alberta

Oooooh, it does sound nice not to have to actually cook anything, I will admit! :)
I have to make lunch for my own kiddos anyway, so it's a moot point for me. And I think I am too much of a control freak, I don't think I could trust the parents enough to send food that I won't be all judgemental about, lol!!

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lol...my kids can cook for themselves now or make a sandwich. :) As for what parents send, uhhh, I'm kinda of the belief that I can turn a blind eye and let them pack whatever they feel is best for their kid even if it's not what I'd feed them. ;p And if they didn't pack enough, I wouldn't be the food police and turn down giving some of what we were having for snack or drink to the daycare kids but I'm just thinking how nice it would be to take some of the pressure (and expense!) off. I just spent $300 on groceries last night and that's about average every week...yikes!