Rate increases

[Momof4]

Bright Sparks, I also serve mostly organic produce and sometimes organic breads, bagels, nacho chips, rice, pasta, etc. But I draw the line when the prices are too expensive for me. I advertise myself as a PARTIALLY organic daycare and make no promises. Can you do that? For instance, I'm not going to pay $4 for a green pepper! But the parents know that all my food is cooked from scratch, very little is prepackaged (breads), so they are all happy and I don't have to explain what is and what isn't organic.

[bright sparks]

Bright Sparks, I also serve mostly organic produce and sometimes organic breads, bagels, nacho chips, rice, pasta, etc. But I draw the line when the prices are too expensive for me. I advertise myself as a PARTIALLY organic daycare and make no promises. Can you do that? For instance, I'm not going to pay $4 for a green pepper! But the parents know that all my food is cooked from scratch, very little is prepackaged (breads), so they are all happy and I don't have to explain what is and what isn't organic.

This is pretty much what I changed it to when I took on my last lot, so November to now. I state on my website that all food served is Organic and ABF when available and nothing processed. When I am face to face I also explain that sometimes especially in the winter that organic produce is so much more expensive so then I will limit my organic purchases using my best judgement....followi ng the dirty dozen list. For example, in the summer we have lots of variety but in the winter months I will end up just buying more of the same fruit for the week because it was on sale bringing the cost to the regular summer pricing. I think if I was to eliminate organic all together then I'd see a saving but otherwise not enough to make me see more than a few dollars a month. Non organic goes against the grain with me. It's not a fad or something to be taken lightly like some people think. Once you are educated on the goings on of conventional food and how it's grown or how the animal is raised, and you learn the devastating impact this can have on the body, most people with any sense change their tune. I obviously could continue feeding my family organic and just change the daycare food but it will take some adjusting my mentality but if that's what it takes, I can still try my best to buy the best quality conventional product and seek out the organic sales that price both options as equal.

[bright sparks]

Agree with 5 Little Monkeys - your market is not allowing for you to increase your rates so you must adjust your business to accommodate. That is one of the down sides to having your own business, but that is just how it is sometimes.

I love that

you must adjust your business to accommodate

so true. Thing is you make it sound so easy. I'm sure that giving the daycare families this explanation wouldn't gain their understanding though as adjusting my business means taking something away from their program.

[5 Little Monkeys]

If it were me I would either

A. Keep rates the same but cut back on the organic groceries or

B. keep rates the same and ask parents to supply lunch and either supply the snacks or ask parents to supply that too ( it would be interesting to see who sends organic meals now that it's on them)

I would explain the reason for the change being that you are no longer making a profit and in order to stay in business without raising the fee this is what you have to do. I'm willing to bet most parents will be fine with either decision so long as it doesn't affect their daily fee.

There are disadvantages to parents supplying the food but you have to decide if they are worse than not making a profit.

[Fun&care]

I also advertise as partially organic. Which is nice because it is pretty open to interpretation. Sometimes I buy a LOT of organic produce, sometimes very little. I understand it's hard to change your mentality on stuff like this...There is a lot of info on the net these days about conventionally raised food and how crappy it is and once you get on the organic bandwagon it's very hard to get off because it feels almost unethical. I really feel for you for having to make a tough choice like this because I know it's not easy. I honestly think you can absolutely continue with organic for your family and buy conventional for daycare. As much as it might be difficult for you to wrap your head around at first, at the end of the day how many of these families eat organic at home and if it's really important then maybe they can have the option to send a lunch.

[Lee-Bee]

Wow! There is a significant difference in eating organic or conventionally grown versus being a vegetarian and eating meat at daycare. Why would they need an exclusively vegetarian daycare to accommodate vegetarian meals? It's not hard to accommodate that in the slightest or have the parent send food. Sorry going off topic but I just find that alarming!!

As easy as it seems to skip out on the meat for a vegetarian child I don't think it is THAT easy. For one the meat is a huge source of protein and if I just cut it out the child is now left with starch and veggies everyday. A vegetarian incorporates other sources of protein in place of meat in their diet to compensate for the lack of meat. In addition a LARGE amount of my meals are made in the crock pot...so even the starch and veggies are soaked in meat juices for hours :-) It's hard to get around the meat when cooked like that!! Obviously the family isn't so hard core vegetarian that their child having meat here is an issue.

I wasn't so much comparing organic to meat/vegetarianism but to point out that a lot of families are comfortable flexing on some issues to keep their child in quality care. Therefore I don't think informing a family that is keen for organic meals will result in pulling a child out of care.

I wouldn't have signed the family on if they wanted to send their own meals to avoid meat. I would possibly (possibly) consider doing it for a family that has been in care for a long time and needed to suddenly change their child's diet for health reasons...but I have no desire to start serving different children, different foods.

[bright sparks]

As easy as it seems to skip out on the meat for a vegetarian child I don't think it is THAT easy. For one the meat is a huge source of protein and if I just cut it out the child is now left with starch and veggies everyday. A vegetarian incorporates other sources of protein in place of meat in their diet to compensate for the lack of meat. In addition a LARGE amount of my meals are made in the crock pot...so even the starch and veggies are soaked in meat juices for hours :-) It's hard to get around the meat when cooked like that!! Obviously the family isn't so hard core vegetarian that their child having meat here is an issue.

I wasn't so much comparing organic to meat/vegetarianism but to point out that a lot of families are comfortable flexing on some issues to keep their child in quality care. Therefore I don't think informing a family that is keen for organic meals will result in pulling a child out of care.

I wouldn't have signed the family on if they wanted to send their own meals to avoid meat. I would possibly (possibly) consider doing it for a family that has been in care for a long time and needed to suddenly change their child's diet for health reasons...but I have no desire to start serving different children, different foods.

My son has been vegetarian for nearly three years and I know first hand how easy it is to make veggie meals. It's not about eliminating meat but replacing it. I understand that if you make everything in the crockpot then this really isn't feasible but it's not impossible just obviously personal preference to what a person wants to do. I cook in bulk and in advance so really it's not a daily issue to cook two meals, and I make veggie meals a number of nights a week for all of us regardless of being veggie or not. What are people thinking saying they are vegetarian but they will eat meat if it means they get a daycare spot. Jeez that's nuts!!

[bright sparks]

I also advertise as partially organic. Which is nice because it is pretty open to interpretation. Sometimes I buy a LOT of organic produce, sometimes very little. I understand it's hard to change your mentality on stuff like this...There is a lot of info on the net these days about conventionally raised food and how crappy it is and once you get on the organic bandwagon it's very hard to get off because it feels almost unethical. I really feel for you for having to make a tough choice like this because I know it's not easy. I honestly think you can absolutely continue with organic for your family and buy conventional for daycare. As much as it might be difficult for you to wrap your head around at first, at the end of the day how many of these families eat organic at home and if it's really important then maybe they can have the option to send a lunch.

I love the way you have out this. It's exactly how I feel. It feels unethical for sure and hypocritical. I think once I've done it for a period of time it will become easier. Thanks for your understanding

[5 Little Monkeys]

Bright, do you follow the dirty dozen, clean 15 list? If not, might be a good place to start the decrease of organic produce.

http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/60...6ad33b3752.jpg

[mickyc]

I am curious - do you know for sure that your families all eat only organic foods at home?

Here is my thoughts - when I first started my daycare I tried the healthy foods, followed the Canada food guide etc. what a crock!! Kids don't eat that much (my kids anyways). I was wasting so much food and half the time all the kids were fed at home was KD and hot dogs anyways!! (ok not really but you get what I am saying). I decided I wasn't going to stress so much over it anymore. We eat fruit/vegies for morning snack, sometimes yogurt. We eat basics like Noodles/cheese or meat sauce, grilled cheese, KD, hot dogs, hamburgers, pancakes, different sandwiches, pizza, sausage/hashbrowns, chicken fingers/fries etc. Sometimes I throw some vegies on their plates, sometimes I don't. Afternoon snacks are usually cookies, granola bar, pudding, rice cakes, popsicles (now that we can eat snack outside). Some days we have milk but most days it is just water. Heck today we had corn dogs for lunch (kids love them by the way!). I personally don't know how you have the time/energy to cook from scratch and in all honesty I am not a great cook to start with. I feed my family a great deal of produce (we juice and do a lot of smoothies). I try to make things homemade when I can but don't beat myself up when I don't. I have yet had any parent complain about what their child eats here and I don't have to fight with kids to eat what I serve for the most part. I actually never have any parents ask what we have eaten nor do I post it for them to see.

I just wonder if your families are taking advantage of the fact that you feed organic knowing the costs or do they actually buy it for themselves?