Sugestions/Thoughts on my Lunch Menu

[Brooke91]

So as most of you know I am fairly new to running a daycare from my home.

I wanted your thought and opinions on what I have been serving the kids for lunch and snack.. keep in mind I have a mom with peanut allergies and she doesn't want her kids near the stuff, which has been a real pain in my ass lol never would have thought!!

I have 3 really picky eaters!!!

3yr old boy wont eat
water melon
cantaloupe
honey dew
any veggies
any type of meat ( except hot dogs) no chopped up chicken ect!!no deli meat I have to blend up spaghetti sauce in my blender for him to eaven eat spaghetti.

I don't really have the time to be making 3 different meals for all the kids( that is why I have opted to just make them things they will eat and make sure they are having lots of fruits at snack time..

So after a conversation with hubby about kids not eating what I prepared for them for lunch and being overly fairly picky, he said " just feed them what they like, at least you know they will eat it".

so that's just what I've been doing..

so this is basically my list I have compiled that the kids will eat for me.

hot dogs
chicken fingers
mac n cheese
grilled cheese
spaghetti
regular lasugna
pasta sidekicks

this is the list that I have not tried with them yet

ham,turkey,chicken, lettuce and cheese wraps
fish sticks
chicken qusadea
jam sandwhiches
hamburgers

for snacks

occasionaly yogurt
apples
oranges
grapes
strawberries
pretzels
granola bars
muffins

any thoughts and suggestions please!!!

[Momof4]

I have a picky veggie eater too so I feel your pain, but she will eat raw veggies, just not cooked ones. Have you tried that? I had a little girl who came to me at 11 months of age who had never eaten fruit for her parents. I gave her a little bit of fruit at every meal and now she's eating more fruit than anyone after just 3 months. Have you tried that?

Sometimes the children will eat for us when they won't for their parents. I serve chicken breasts or thighs, breaded fish, tuna casserole, pork tenderloin or pork chops, ham, beef in many forms, meatloaf, roast beef in the crockpot, shepherd's pie. I always serve 2 veggies for lunch and a fruit. I serve a minimum of prepackaged foods, mostly the bread items. Pasta or noodles are always a side dish with my lunches because the protein and veggies are more important to me.

For breakfast I serve fruit with a croissant or muffin or pancake or breakfast sausages. For afternoon snack I'll serve pepper strips, cucumbers, grape tomatoes with cheese or yogurt, or fruit again.

Yes, I'm a snob when it comes to what I feed the children, I also use as much organic foods as possible. But that is why a lot of people sign with my daycare.

[mimi]

I have a dcg who doesn't want to eat veggies/fruit. As I am serving snack/lunch she will say" xxxx no want fruit/veggie". I just ignore her, give everyone else their portion and wait. She sees everyone else eat and she is left out so then she will ask for her portion. When she eats it I tell her she is a big girl and I will let mom/dad know she ate her veggie/fruit and then I do.

[torontokids]

I have the pickiest eater in the world in my daycare and unfortunately he has some influence over the others. I cook what I want (healthy, unprocessed) and ignore his "yucky" etc. I tell him he can eat it or wait until snack. Slowly over the 4 months he has been trying different things because he has learned he will be hungry. Last week he "licked" some tuna casserole (this is big for him) and today he ate some chicken but ignored the quinoa. He now eats yogurt with me and cheese and pasta. One step at a time.

[kidzandme]

I also had very picky eaters. One little girl would only eat macaroni, one boy would only eat mushroom soup. I was going crazy trying to feed everyone. So I implemented a new rule. You have to try a very small amount, before you say that you do not like it. It has worked, they will usually say they really like it and eat it all up. I also keep everyone at the table until they are all finished. Takes patience and a strong will because they will try to get out of taking the small bites. Good luck. Who knew that feeding children would make you want to pull your hair out!

[Brooke91]

Also how do you guys go about serving the food start with the fruit and veggies then when they're done the meet? Or all at once, if they don't finish it should they be eating it for snack? Or what ever the snack is for that day.. I have a feeling that some of the kids will leave half the food on the plate because they think they don't like it without even trying it first.. How should I go about dealing with that?

[cfred]

In my experience, kids are only as picky as they're allowed to be. I've had a few, but one little girl sticks out in my mind. Her list of likes included pasta, hot dogs, cereal and maybe 1 or 2 more things. LOL! That's NOT happening here! By the time she left my daycare, she was eating everything I served. Everything. This included meals such as grilled fish and some grilled (not breaded) calamari at a restaurant. I let the banana bread go with her as I did have to clean up vomit once (texture thing), so that's legitimate.

Serve the foods you want to serve. I don't care how 'picky' kids are. They're not going to starve to death. If they don't want to eat it at lunch, they get it back for snack. They must (MUST) try everything on their plates. If it doesn't make them gag and barf, it's edible. If they spit it out, I'm there to put it right back in. If they throw it on the floor, there's more in the kitchen. On the kinder side of the coin, I do a LOT of positive reinforcement surrounding eating. I applaud the children and yell hurray throwing my arms in the air when they try something they were resistant to. Wanting the accolades again, they continue eating (usually) and the others do as well, wanting in on the action.

When it comes to food, I'm a complete hard ass about it. So far as I can see, children being too picky to eat that many things is absolute BS. It's simply bad habits and over accommodating parenting. I've never had a child that stayed "picky" in my care.

[torontokids]

Oh, just to add...I don't care if they eat it which I think helps me a lot in not getting caught up in the emotion of it all. A hungry child won't starve with food in front of them!

[Brooke91]

Could you ladies, give me some examples of the healthy meals you make? I like that they eat but I'd love it if I could get them to eat healthy, I'ts kind of been feeling like the kids rule the house

[Sassygirl]

I don't give them a choice LOL. In my case all the kids in my care are 12-15 months old and have only ever been in MY care. I give them everything. Some days, chicken strips and veggies for lunch, other days leftovers like chili, curry chicken, pasta, etc. I just stick it all on their high chair trays and after mealtime they get down and wait until snack.
I would do the same with the older kids. Tell them that there is a new rule in place, "Get what you get and don't get upset" every meal try including something you know everyone will eat so at least you know that the picky eater is having something.