New dcb is vegetarian - help!!!

[Momof4]

We're running daycares, not restaurants. I plan my menu for the week as I make up my grocery list and I have some picky eaters but I've learned what they like and don't like so I adjust the meals accordingly. However, I've had a little one with peanut/nut allergies in care and I did read labels carefully but since I cook everything from scratch it wasn't a big issue.

I now have a lactose intolerant child in care and it's a bit of a pain because I can't make my home made mac n cheese or other casseroles with milk in them. So I made a policy that states that specialty foods must be provided by the parents from now on. I learned another lesson. You should get on top of this before you become exhausted by trying to accomodate this client.

[cfred]

Becel have actually got a vegan margarine available at most big grocery stores and the other one available that I recommend is Earth Balance. Becel is required by law to test on animals though due to the ingredients where as Earth Balance doesn't have to. Earth Balance is available at most if not all large grocery stores like Metro, Superstore, sobeys, fortinos etc.

I use Earth Balance myself. I'm not vegan but making more vegan choices for health. That stuff is really good! Every once in a while, it even goes on sale

[Calgarymom]

Thanks everyone - well u made it through my first day with him lol. It was fine. Turns out he's more the unhealthy kind who eats cheese a lot. Mum wasn't too concerned with butter or even jello as he has eaten it before! More just they don't like to kill animals for their own means- but according to dcb he has eaten meat that died of old age I will have a word with the butcher in sobeys see if he has any that died of natural causes. I just gave scrambled eggs, whole wheat toast, and beans as all my kids love this anyway. Plus he only comes 2 times a week so I think I can make this work as we don't always have meat with each lunch!!! And he was a lovely little boy no trouble at all!!!!!!!! (hope that lasts)

[BlueRose]

I am glad everything worked out for you.

[mom-in-alberta]

I have it in my contract that any "special" dietary needs equals the parents supplying the food.
However, it does sound like I could work with this family, as it appears that they are vegetarians in name only, if you know what I mean.
"Meat that died of old age"?? Peeing myself laughing over that one!

[Momof4]

Soooo, if a cow gets hit by a truck it's ok to eat? Hmmmmmmmm!

[DisneyPrincess]

Loll ok I have no more comments, that last one is pretty good

[Inspired by Reggio]

Yes that does not sound like a very 'committed' to being vegetarian family at least for the 'child' ... however I have had clients where the mother was a total vegan by choice including not wearing clothes or footwear and so forth made from animals however respected both her husband and her children's right to choose their own moral compass around consuming animals or animal byproducts ~ so dad and the kids ate meat when dad was the one cooking dinner and they were allowed to eat meat here.

I agree with Cfred that IME cooking vegetarian is really quite easy ... we have a 'vegetarian' meal at least once a week here with a protein being served that is not 'meat/animal' related such as tofu stir fry or legumes in a soup/stew/chili or what not.

I currently have a child with Celiac and two children with a dairy allergy and I accommodate both without challenge and everyone able to eat the same meal so I am not dealing with a 'why does Johnny get to have X while we are having Y' debates ~ takes some creative thinking sometimes for sure but not too much challenge.

For example I still make my 'homemade mac and cheese' for them but use gluten free quinoa pasta or brown rice pasta and I replaced the milk with almond milk, butter with the Earth's Best and cheese with a non cow's milk source... just do not buy that Dalya brand cheese replacement it tastes like ASS but there are some vegan cheeses out there that are actually not too bad and melt nice and creamy ... fortunately both my little dudes are ok with 'goats milk cheese' at the moment so I can use that thankfully and in the past when it was only 1 child with the allergy what I have done is just taken the dairy allergy child's noodles and put them aside and tossed them with the Earths Balance butter replacement and than topped with some of the more expensive 'cheese substitute' grated on top and made everyone else the normal mac and cheese recipe.

I think meal prep for a group while accommodating food allergies is like everything in life it you just need to be motivated to want to do it and than it just takes practice to get a groove that works for ya ~ my last centre I worked at made all their own baby food in the kitchen and on top of that 'accommodated' food allergies / restrictions as long as they were not 'anaphylaxis'. So when I use to cover to cook in the kitchen you could be dealing with cooking for 20 infants in varying stages of 'adjusting to table food' plus up to another 20 children's varying food allergies and restrictions needing substitutions out of 100 or so children you were cooking for so I kinda got a groove for the 'group cooking' while checking that everyone's dietary needs were met ... so now doing it for 1 or 2 kids out of only 5 seems like a piece of cake!

[Kidsandstuff]

We are a vegan family and serve plantbased meals at my dayhome. The parents are surprisingly in love with our menus and always ask for recipes! I care for a one year old and that mom always sends a big jog of cow's milk for the little guy, which of course I serve him.

Plantbased food is way quicker, easier and cheaper to serve - and good for you! Don't get scared off because of a little green eater. I wouldn't stress too much either - you aren't a restaurant. If moms want certain menu served, they should send it along.

Good luck!

[Suzie_Homemaker]

I don't cater to dietary needs whether they are allergy based or life style based. I provide one meal. Done. If someone does have dietary needs, they provide all food from home.