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.