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Hi everyone,
I am new at the forum, and it's my first time writing here.
I am planning to open a daycare.
I am wondering how all the caregivers Manage children's daily meals and snacks everyday when the kids are around, some children have allergies some don't, some are fussy and picky.
Do you make meals on weekly or daily basis?
Do you keep everything ready and within your reach before children arrive? because you can't leave children and prepare to serve.
Please guide and thank you in advance.
Well, simply put. Accommodate the allergies and do NOT accommodate the picky eaters :-)
I've always just had a mix of new and favorite foods at each sitting so there is something for those that are weary of new foods. For example carrots are generally a safe food for most so I will include those on a day that the main food is possibly not a hit for some.
But my moto is that I pick healthy well balanced foods and the child picks whether to eat it or go hungry until the next meal. I also make a point of not having snacks that kids will just fill up on to avoid needing to eat at the main meals (so I go easy on crackers for example).
More often than not the families are catering to the picky eating (providing the child's favorite hit foods) for breakfast and supper so a child will not starve by not getting those foods here every day.
You will NEVER be able to accommodate every child's current food likes so I suggest you don't even bother trying. You will go bonkers if you try!
I have the clean dishes ready on my kitchen counter (plates, cups, cutlery ) night before, or early morning so I don't have to look for items when kids are here. My kitchen is adjacent to the daycare rooms so I do go in kitchen to plate the food. I don't know what I'd do if my dc was in basement ... all heck breaks loose when I'm gone for 2 min. I prepare a lot of food monthly and freeze (minced chicken, roast beef) and I'll cook 10 min brown rice with it and micro veggies at lunch. But when I first started out I had it all pre-cooked and chilled ready to serve til I got climatized to being a provider.
There's a ton of helpful threads about meal prep if u search the forum. A few of my dcks refuse any part of lunch. I let the parents know so they don't fill up on cookies at home. Always make sure they have their water cup throughout the day so no dehydration which affects behavior. All my five kids get their own colour cup.
Organization is the key, I cook in one shot rice, noodles, potatoes at once in the oven in pirex containers, while it cooks I chop the salads and steam veggies also ready in pirex containers, and at last I cut and cook the meats: beef, chicken, fish (I follow recipies for the gravies so it changes every week) and hard boiled eggs all ready to let it cool down and place it in the fridge. At last I do the daily snacks planning and packaging also ready to go. My fridge is turned to the coldest temperature, I love pirex glass containers they stack up very week in the fridge and you can see what you have in them, and washes absolutely clean.
There are also ideas to freeze certain foods ex. Lasagna, certain soups etc. When I cook I do my best to do at least more than three meals. (So, no waste of energy neither of my time .
My husband builted a tiny kitchenette (in a ikea closet) I have a mini fridge (for the snacks, milk and lunch of the day all fits perfectly); above the mini-fridge is a mini dishwasher (only daycare dishes so they never get lost ), above the dishwasher is a tiny oven (to toast, warm, bake, etc) and on top of the closet a microwave to warm thinks faster if needed. All this has been planned in order not to leave children unattended. I have in the closet a pull out counter when I do the servings. When we're all done it all goes to the dishwasher and last I close the closet and all is neat and clean and no stress.Visit pinterest you'll get lovely ideas. I also placed in the closed two baskets with clean bibs and face towels.
Try to check the tiny home ideas they have absolutely wonderful organizational ideas.
The more organized you are, the smoother your days go, leaving you time to really enjoy the children and doing activities with them. No worring what's for lunch every day. I hope it helps, good luck!!