Providing lunches

[AmandaKDT]

I think there are pros and cons to the whole lunch situation. I've done daycare for 9 years and have always provided food. I cook from scratch and nothing processed and while I love it, it is an incredible amount of work. I could see a lot of parents preferring meals to be included because if that parent is leaving the house at 7 and not getting in until 5 or 6, making that extra meal is extra work for them. It's just a case of being organized and making sure there are leftovers from evening meals and doing weekend meal and snack prep, but some parents are not good at being organized. We all have strengths and weakness' right!

I also think it is another thing similar to paid vacation where it depends on your market and the norm for your area. In areas that are saturated with providers and the norm is to have meals included, if a provider were to request meals from parents, there is a greater chance of losing potential clients to the other providers who provide meals. Inclusive meals is a major convenience for parents. If there is no option at large for included meals, then parents will accept it as a norm and not question it.

I would really like to not have to cook for anyone but my family, perhaps I would eat better as a result because I wouldn't give my everything to all the kids in my care and my own children and then resort to take out and drive thru because I can't bear the thought of cooking again. In reality though, not providing meals would be a deal breaker for most families.

Totally agree with everything you wrote. That is too bad that you don't have enough energy to be eating all the amazing food you provide the kids.

When I had my own daughter in daycare I loved that meals were all included, but when I opened my daycare I really had no desire to do it myself. I consider myself a good cook and make homemade wholesome meals for my own family, but I mostly only tolerate cooking and (especially) cleaning because it is something I have to do. Preparing food for my own family of 4 is enough. Thankfully my husband is really helpful because he takes over the cleaning on the weekends and does all the vacuuming so I don't have to do it.

[bright sparks]

Totally agree with everything you wrote. That is too bad that you don't have enough energy to be eating all the amazing food you provide the kids

I think it's a combination of being to lazy and also zero appetite after all that cooking. I never desire anything in particular that I have in my fridge. I try very hard to prep food on a Sunday for myself. Like today I've made and portioned out salmon and asparagus lasagne, meatballs & mashed potatoes and a fish pie. I've also got lots of things on hand if I am energized enough to make something from scratch. A braised chicken stew that's relatively easy to prepare and stuffed peppers my or may not make it onto my plate this week for dinner. My daycare kids have got a Kale and lentil curry for lunch tomorrow and all of there meals are made way ahead of time and frozen weeks in advance so that helps.