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[Lee-Bee]

I'm sure you don't get any protesting when they are fed such high sugar, salt and fat foods but honestly while this is my opinion I don't hold it against anyone. I used to eat like that and it didn't make me a bad person, just not very healthy. I have never had a fussy eater in my daycare unless it is because a parent has fed junk food and the child has protested when in my care. That doesn't last long as healthy food and fresh food tastes so much better than processed foods. The Canada food guide is unhealthy and wrong, period, so if anyone follows that it is a disservice to the children. Get educated people, seriously!! I also don't feed the kids healthy food to please the parents I do it because it is undeniably what is best for the kids. I don't cook daily. I cook once every 9 weeks. I have a 3 week menu and with the quantity I cook per recipe it makes enough for each meal three times for a group of 5 good eaters. I tray everything up cook it, cool it and then freeze everything. Food comes out the freezer the night before and is reheated in the oven during the day for lunch. I am sure cutting out the organic and moving to conventional but still unprocessed will make a difference in my pocket but I pride myself on not serving processed foods and with just a little bit of time and research, cooking healthy CAN be affordable. It's all about priorities and personal preference. While others don't think it matters to eat healthy whole foods, I know it does.

I wish I was organized enough to cook once every 9 weeks!! I used to cook in large batches and freeze but with the daycare now I don't really do that. My system is that today during afternoon nap I prep a meal which is tonight's supper and tomorrow's lunch. I also make tomorrow's morning snack which is omelettes, French toast or the like.

I am lucky in that all my kiddos eat healthy at home and started here at 12months so they eat what they are served (for the most part) without any tantrums. If they really don't want it they just eat the other foods out and deal with it until next meal. I'm sure this is MUCH harder if the kids start at a later age with different eating patterns set! I serve cabbage rolls, stews, roasts, lots of beans and lots veggies. I make a point of consistently serving the veggies that they may not otherwise be exposed to (that we also eat here regularly) such as eggplant, mushrooms, swiss chard etc. I figure if they are tasting it now and seeing it regularly they may be more likely as adults to choose to eat such foods even if they may not see them at home through the rest of their childhood (plus my daughter and I like it and eat it at lunch).

I do have a lot of wasted food...but that comes with having five 13-18month olds self feed. I give small portions and many seconds. I scrub the floor after each meal and yes, I will pick up the food they drop up and reserve it (to the child that dropped it). They lick the floor and toys anyways so why should food be thrown out if it briefly touches?

I might try and get my act together to do the big cook off days and freeze meals so I can free up some nap times. But...it is nice to make the food daily and have a good supper ready at the end of the day.

We eat out every Friday night since I don't have to have lunch prepared for the next day and as a reward of not having to cook that afternoon.