Food Program Inspection Cost Me

[DaisyMamma]

:( I failed to write down my menu ALL last week for the food program, and wouldn't you know that they showed up today? That mistake cost me about $75 :eek:

[MarinaVanessa]

:( I failed to write down my menu ALL last week for the food program, and wouldn't you know that they showed up today? That mistake cost me about $75 :eek:

Wow, they charge you there for citations? :eek: They don't do that here in CA. They give you a written warning in a report when you fail to do something but not charge you money for it. Jeez. Here the worst than can happen if you fail to correct something is that they kick you off the program for a few years but that's in very extreme cases.

[DaycareMama]

Ugh that stinks sorry :(
I have had that happen myself. Never fails

[MizzCheryl]

if they come out and we do not have it written down we don't get paid either.
Sorry they got ya. Don't beat yourself up. We all do the best we can and none of us are perfect.
I have found since our program has switched to minute menu I have no problem keeping my stuff up to date.
Of course if you don't do it every day by midnight you can't go back and fix it. So if you forget a day you are outta luck.

[DaisyMamma]

No, I didnt get charged, but I do not get reimbursement for that week, at all.

[Heidi]

Ok...do you want the silver lining?

In our state, they could claim you are committing fraud (your attendance records don't match your food program claim), kick you out of the food program, and then, because you've been kicked out of the FP, you will loose your license....and no, I am NOT exaggerating! :eek:

Count your blessings....and smack yourself up side the head...:lol::lol:

The one thing that is good about knowing just how strict my state can be is that I never let myself forget. No more playing catch up at the end of the week like I used to.

[daycare]

Wow, they charge you there for citations? :eek: They don't do that here in CA. They give you a written warning in a report when you fail to do something but not charge you money for it. Jeez. Here the worst than can happen if you fail to correct something is that they kick you off the program for a few years but that's in very extreme cases.
I think that depends on county....In my county, you have 48 hours to enter your claims./ ONce that third day comes, you don't get credit for the other 2 days not claimed. This is from Minute menu kids....

If they came here and you did not have your menu written down on the correct forms or entered, you would not get the credit either and you would lose out on all the meals.

[jojosmommy]

My fp lady says you can write on a notebook food counts and enter them at the end of the week. IF she comes and I'm not up to date she always says " let's look at your notebook ;)".

Sorry you got busted. That stinks.

[Blackcat31]

My fp lady says you can write on a notebook food counts and enter them at the end of the week. IF she comes and I'm not up to date she always says " let's look at your notebook ;)".

Sorry you got busted. That stinks.

Mine is the same way. If I forget to enter it in MMK, I have alternate records such as sign in sheets/receipts and planned and dated menus posted so I am able to use those items to show the things I forgot to enter into MMK.

We are also given a 1-2 day grace period. If I forgot to add todays stuff and she came tomorrow, I would be ok, as long as I am not more than one-two days out.

One thing that helped me to remember to ALWAYS enter my info is to do it at the end of every single day before the last kid leaves. If I set a time of day to do it every day, it is much easier to remember to get it in and never fall behind.

[DaisyMamma]

Ok...do you want the silver lining?

In our state, they could claim you are committing fraud (your attendance records don't match your food program claim), kick you out of the food program, and then, because you've been kicked out of the FP, you will loose your license....and no, I am NOT exaggerating! :eek:

Count your blessings....and smack yourself up side the head...:lol::lol:

The one thing that is good about knowing just how strict my state can be is that I never let myself forget. No more playing catch up at the end of the week like I used to.

HOLY CRA*
THAT'S CRAZY
I'm not too worried about it. It can always be worse! But now you can bet it won't happen again!

[sharlan]

That was why I quit the food program.

I had a monitor (my kids called her Stupid S******) that always showed up the minute I put the baby to sleep, yes my paperwork was kept in my bedroom. She showed up one time just after my dh fell asleep after being up all night with the flu. I would lose the whole month's payment because I couldn't go into my room to get the paperwork without waking someone up. (Yes, it was my fault for refusing to go into my room.) She would ask each of the kids their names several times. I guess she wanted to make sure the 9 yo knew who he was. She would ask the kids what they had for breakfast, lunch, and snacks the day before along with what they ate that day. I mean she even asked while the kids were at the table eating and she could see what they had on their plates. It always seemed like she was trying to catch me lying. I asked for a new monitor and they said she was the only one that served my area. OK, cancel me.

My first food program was WONDERFUL. They were out of Fallbrook, Rainbow Bridge, I think. The ladies were soooooo informative. One time they even brought out the monthly calendar from Red Leaf and showed me how to use to it my advantage. They always had info of some sort, articles written by Tom, catalogs for Red Leaf, etc. They had recipes to try out with the kids.

IF I could find someone like that again, I MIGHT consider rejoining.

[christinaskids]

There is a food program app for smartphones now, its called kids2go. Might help one of you that don't have time to get to the computer everyday :) Even so, I am REALLY bad about it too!

[Country Kids]

I've talked to some providers in my area and we wish they would let us do the old paper version. It actually seemed to take less time and just seemed overall easier!

[AmyLeigh]

I think that depends on county....In my county, you have 48 hours to enter your claims./ ONce that third day comes, you don't get credit for the other 2 days not claimed. This is from Minute menu kids....

If they came here and you did not have your menu written down on the correct forms or entered, you would not get the credit either and you would lose out on all the meals.

Wow, my FP lady is super-duper easy on me then!!! I enter my meals in MMK a week at a time. She actually changed the settings for me so that I could do that. I missed several meals because of missing the deadline a couple of months ago, and I think she felt sorry for me. She has been great from the get-go.

[DaisyMamma]

I've talked to some providers in my area and we wish they would let us do the old paper version. It actually seemed to take less time and just seemed overall easier!

My state is still on the paper version. It seems like such a waste of paper to me:confused: But it probably is easier.

[daycare]

I've talked to some providers in my area and we wish they would let us do the old paper version. It actually seemed to take less time and just seemed overall easier!
no way Jose, it takes me about 5 min to enter all of my meals for the whole day...I sit and do it as they are eating breakfast...If I need to make any changes, I do it at the last meal of the day

[Country Kids]

What I hate is all the paperwork that we have to print off at the end of the month. Even trying to double check it all is hard. It so jumbled and hard to follow! I hate the end of the month because of that-:(

[daycare]

What I hate is all the paperwork that we have to print off at the end of the month. Even trying to double check it all is hard. It so jumbled and hard to follow! I hate the end of the month because of that-:(
guess we are lucky there....we used to have to do that, but last year they stopped all of the mail in paper work each month. Now the only thing that we have to mail in is when we enroll a new child.

[itlw8]

I am glad Missouri is online It is so much faster and saves me tons of money on stamps. I thought it was a fed requirement that everything had to be posted before midnight.


Yes a few times I forgot to put it in but I never get caught a week behind... and yes that hurts been there done that.

[Blackcat31]

What I hate is all the paperwork that we have to print off at the end of the month. Even trying to double check it all is hard. It so jumbled and hard to follow! I hate the end of the month because of that-:(

We can choose either route. We can do the computer version or paper version. The choice is up to us.

What do you have to print off each month?

I do all my record keeping online and submit everthing electronically so I print nothing out at the end of the month. I can even check on my claim and payments online.

[Country Kids]

Its the whole menu part that shows what you served and who you served it to. We don't have to print it off but........it has helped several providers in our area when there was a issue between food program and provider.

[Heidi]

That was why I quit the food program.

I had a monitor (my kids called her Stupid S******) that always showed up the minute I put the baby to sleep, yes my paperwork was kept in my bedroom. She showed up one time just after my dh fell asleep after being up all night with the flu. I would lose the whole month's payment because I couldn't go into my room to get the paperwork without waking someone up. (Yes, it was my fault for refusing to go into my room.) She would ask each of the kids their names several times. I guess she wanted to make sure the 9 yo knew who he was. She would ask the kids what they had for breakfast, lunch, and snacks the day before along with what they ate that day. I mean she even asked while the kids were at the table eating and she could see what they had on their plates. It always seemed like she was trying to catch me lying. I asked for a new monitor and they said she was the only one that served my area. OK, cancel me.

My first food program was WONDERFUL. They were out of Fallbrook, Rainbow Bridge, I think. The ladies were soooooo informative. One time they even brought out the monthly calendar from Red Leaf and showed me how to use to it my advantage. They always had info of some sort, articles written by Tom, catalogs for Red Leaf, etc. They had recipes to try out with the kids.

IF I could find someone like that again, I MIGHT consider rejoining.

We get that calendar every year from our food program-have been since the beginning of time. :) I love it!

[Lucy]

I'd love the extra money, but that food program irked me. She would show up and if I didn't have something written, I didn't get paid for the whole day that it occurred on. This was back when it was all hand written and mailed in to them. I suck at paper work, so I would write it every few days when I remembered. Well, she came on, let's say, the 10th of the month, and I hadn't written ANYTHING yet. Therefore, I don't get paid for the 1st through the 10th. Ouch. But that wasn't the worst.... I watched my sister's kids, and I liked to keep a copy for myself, so one time, on the last weekday of the month, I pre-wrote that day's meals in, and sent it with sis to make a photocopy at work. Well, wouldn't you know... the lady showed up that day. I felt so stupid saying I sent the sheet with sis to work. I'm sure she thought I was lying. I offered to let her call my sister and have her fax it in, but she said no, the rules are I have to have it HOME and filled out ready to look at with no notice. Needless to say, I did not get paid for that WHOLE month!! I hated the paperwork anyway, and I had gotten "caught" at least those two times that I remember, so I just quit. Thinking about starting it up again. Is it easier now? You can submit it online? Do they still do the random visits? What is the training like? I remember she just came out and showed me stuff for 30 min or so. No classes or anything. This was 15 yrs ago or so when I was on it! Sorry for the run-on paragraph!! LOL

[WImom]

Ok...do you want the silver lining?

In our state, they could claim you are committing fraud (your attendance records don't match your food program claim), kick you out of the food program, and then, because you've been kicked out of the FP, you will loose your license....and no, I am NOT exaggerating! :eek:

Count your blessings....and smack yourself up side the head...:lol::lol:

The one thing that is good about knowing just how strict my state can be is that I never let myself forget. No more playing catch up at the end of the week like I used to.

Was just thinking about signing up for the food program but was on the fence. Was signed up about 5 years ago but didn't like filling out all the forms by hand. Now I see they are electronic so was considering. That helped me with my answer. I don't want to deal with that.

[MyAngels]

I'd love the extra money, but that food program irked me. She would show up and if I didn't have something written, I didn't get paid for the whole day that it occurred on. This was back when it was all hand written and mailed in to them. I suck at paper work, so I would write it every few days when I remembered. Well, she came on, let's say, the 10th of the month, and I hadn't written ANYTHING yet. Therefore, I don't get paid for the 1st through the 10th. Ouch. But that wasn't the worst.... I watched my sister's kids, and I liked to keep a copy for myself, so one time, on the last weekday of the month, I pre-wrote that day's meals in, and sent it with sis to make a photocopy at work. Well, wouldn't you know... the lady showed up that day. I felt so stupid saying I sent the sheet with sis to work. I'm sure she thought I was lying. I offered to let her call my sister and have her fax it in, but she said no, the rules are I have to have it HOME and filled out ready to look at with no notice. Needless to say, I did not get paid for that WHOLE month!! I hated the paperwork anyway, and I had gotten "caught" at least those two times that I remember, so I just quit. Thinking about starting it up again. Is it easier now? You can submit it online? Do they still do the random visits? What is the training like? I remember she just came out and showed me stuff for 30 min or so. No classes or anything. This was 15 yrs ago or so when I was on it! Sorry for the run-on paragraph!! LOL

Are you in Illinois? If so, you should try the Association for Child Development as a sponsor. That's who I've always used and they are easy to get along with. They still do unannounced visits a couple of times a year, but I always have a pretty good idea of when they're coming based on their last visit. I do all my planning and recordkeeping online, and you do have to keep up with it, but it's not hard at all. I pre-plan the days meals and then just enter attendance after the last snack of the day for all meals that day.

[Lucy]

Are you in Illinois?

No, I'm not. Thanks for the info though. I may check into it again. The money is nice, but I hate all the paperwork and visits.