How much do you spend on groceries for the family and for the daycare ?

[Woodsy]

Does anyone do freezer cooking for thier daycare?
Also, anyone out there have a menu that repeats? Or do you go based on the childrens taste?

[bright sparks]

Does anyone do freezer cooking for thier daycare?
Also, anyone out there have a menu that repeats? Or do you go based on the childrens taste?

When I am at full capacity I freezer cook. It saves prepping every weekend and/or cooking daily. I also don't serve left overs as my husband usually takes any to work the next day. Here is what I typically do.

I have a 3 week cycle which includes 15 meals. My recipes make enough for 3 of each meal so I have 9 weeks worth of meals. I can cook them all in a day at a push but as I typically have busy weekends I will split the cooking time between the two days Sat & Sun.

While I will make adaptions to my menu plan if the group specifically is not into soups for example or something else like that, I do not make my menu based on the current fad or power trip the kids are on lol I am not a restaurant where they get what they want. I am the adult and it is up to me to determine what they should have and then it's up to them to choose whether or not to eat it. The repetitive menu means that they get a few exposures to the meal to encourage them to acquire a taste to a particular food group that they may not necessarily favour initially.

I believe that by catering to their taste it encourages picky eaters. Once they learn that there is no alternative then they are more likely to try what I give them. Which by the way is delicious, homemade organic meals. Unfortunately if they are having heavily processed foods elsewhere that are gmo or full of , msg, salt, artificial sugars and simulated flavours then it does make this whole process more difficult. The fussy eaters get a much smaller portion initially so there is less waste and if they want more then I load them up :-)