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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Daycare Food Menu
Dreamer0311 08:51 AM 07-12-2019
I make three meals a day. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Dinner I only do sandwiches because I have two that stay until 7. I run out of ideas and things to make for every meal though. Also trying to keep costs down as well because I pay for the food out of pocket. Sometimes parents will bring things, but usually I end up funding it all. So what is your menu like? Do you switch it around, stick to the same thing every day iex mon is always chicken or tues is always ravioli etc... this is what I do typically Oatmeal, Yogurt, Toast, biscuits scrambled eggs and sausages, And fruit. Not all of these in one day just an example of different ones for breakfast and then I will switch them around diff days. But never twice in a row.
Dreamer0311 09:19 AM 07-12-2019
Also I do want to add how do you handle kids complaining about what they are eating and also always always asking for snacks when they have already eaten more then enough food?
Blackcat31 09:29 AM 07-12-2019
We have an entire section of the forum devoted to meal and snack ideas! It's an awesome part of this board so definitely check it out!
Here is the link
https://www.daycare.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=6
They eat or don't.
I do not engage in ANY type of discussion about whether kids like things or not. I don't allow kids to say anything negative about what is served. If they don't like it, don't eat it. period.
As for asking for snacks when it's not snack time.... I just tell them "We already ate snack" or "Snack is in X minutes"
If they continue to ask, I simply tell them stop.
Here is the link
https://www.daycare.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=6
Originally Posted by Dreamer0311:
Also I do want to add how do you handle kids complaining about what they are eating and also always always asking for snacks when they have already eaten more then enough food?
I serve what I choose to serve. Also I do want to add how do you handle kids complaining about what they are eating and also always always asking for snacks when they have already eaten more then enough food?
They eat or don't.
I do not engage in ANY type of discussion about whether kids like things or not. I don't allow kids to say anything negative about what is served. If they don't like it, don't eat it. period.
As for asking for snacks when it's not snack time.... I just tell them "We already ate snack" or "Snack is in X minutes"
If they continue to ask, I simply tell them stop.
CountryRoads 09:29 AM 07-12-2019
Originally Posted by Dreamer0311:
Also I do want to add how do you handle kids complaining about what they are eating and also always always asking for snacks when they have already eaten more then enough food?
I give a menu out before the week begins, so parents know what their kids are eating. If a parent knows their child doesn't like something, then I assume they know they may not eat it. I've never had a parent send in a replacement meal over for something.Also I do want to add how do you handle kids complaining about what they are eating and also always always asking for snacks when they have already eaten more then enough food?
I just say "this is whats on the menu today." I don't make a different meal if a child doesn't like what I'm serving. I will give seconds at lunch and sometimes I give seconds at snack. But when meal time is over, I don't let them snack. They would eat all the food in our house if I allowed that!
I will say that I recently added a protein to each afternoon snack after a parent complained that his child was always hungry after he picks her up. Ya know, after 5 when it would be close dinnertime?
But whatever, I did it hoping they would believe at that point that she gets enough snack.
Dreamer0311 09:33 AM 07-12-2019
Thank you I will def check them out. I had a problem with kids starting to go in my cabinets while I was in the bathroom etc... ohhh that did not go over well. If they don’t eat their whole meal I save it and if they want a snack I give them their lunch. A lot will intentionally not eat their lunch just so they can have their snack doesn’t happen here and snacks are way to expensive.
284878 11:06 PM 07-12-2019
Originally Posted by Dreamer0311:
Thank you I will def check them out. I had a problem with kids starting to go in my cabinets while I was in the bathroom etc... ohhh that did not go over well. If they don’t eat their whole meal I save it and if they want a snack I give them their lunch. A lot will intentionally not eat their lunch just so they can have their snack doesn’t happen here and snacks are way to expensive.
Interesting, here we can't go more than 3 hours without having a meal. We also can't save their meals and reserve. Thank you I will def check them out. I had a problem with kids starting to go in my cabinets while I was in the bathroom etc... ohhh that did not go over well. If they don’t eat their whole meal I save it and if they want a snack I give them their lunch. A lot will intentionally not eat their lunch just so they can have their snack doesn’t happen here and snacks are way to expensive.
Plus, meals are a write off, you can right off based on grocery receipt or the food allowance for each meals, even if you are illegal or licensed except.
I am on the food program and I get reimbursed for meals the following month. I am required to serve two items and milk for breakfast. Two items for snack with water. Four items and milk for lunch. If I serve a second snack then it becomes a fax write-off but I don't get reimbursed by the food program for more than three meals per per kid.
When I first opened I didn't serve breakfast, I required children to arrive already fed. I then did a morning and afternoon snack plus lunch. I even tried having parents send lunch and just provide snacks but it wasn't for me.
Do you shop in bulk? Preplan your meals? Do you ever make extra for dinner the night before and serve leftovers for lunch?
LysesKids 05:46 PM 07-15-2019
Originally Posted by 284878:
Interesting, here we can't go more than 3 hours without having a meal. We also can't save their meals and reserve.
Plus, meals are a write off, you can right off based on grocery receipt or the food allowance for each meals, even if you are illegal or licensed except.
I am on the food program and I get reimbursed for meals the following month. I am required to serve two items and milk for breakfast. Two items for snack with water. Four items and milk for lunch. If I serve a second snack then it becomes a fax write-off but I don't get reimbursed by the food program for more than three meals per per kid.
When I first opened I didn't serve breakfast, I required children to arrive already fed. I then did a morning and afternoon snack plus lunch. I even tried having parents send lunch and just provide snacks but it wasn't for me.
Do you shop in bulk? Preplan your meals? Do you ever make extra for dinner the night before and serve leftovers for lunch?
I always tried to do leftovers ... and if they didn't eat lunch, I revamped it into snacks lolInteresting, here we can't go more than 3 hours without having a meal. We also can't save their meals and reserve.
Plus, meals are a write off, you can right off based on grocery receipt or the food allowance for each meals, even if you are illegal or licensed except.
I am on the food program and I get reimbursed for meals the following month. I am required to serve two items and milk for breakfast. Two items for snack with water. Four items and milk for lunch. If I serve a second snack then it becomes a fax write-off but I don't get reimbursed by the food program for more than three meals per per kid.
When I first opened I didn't serve breakfast, I required children to arrive already fed. I then did a morning and afternoon snack plus lunch. I even tried having parents send lunch and just provide snacks but it wasn't for me.
Do you shop in bulk? Preplan your meals? Do you ever make extra for dinner the night before and serve leftovers for lunch?
CountryRoads 09:21 AM 07-12-2019
I switch things around. I like to use what I have on hand already since I also pay for everything out of pocket.
I used to do more expensive meals that required a lot of prep work and that got old real quick - plus, the kids didn't even like most of those kinds of meals
I like doing cheesy chicken roll-ups, sautéed sausage/onion/potato, pasta & veggies, etc. Just easy meals that are nutritious. I also will sometimes save the leftovers from my family's dinner and feed the kids that the next day.I add a fruit, veggies and grain or protein if needed to every meal.
For snacks, I always do a fruit with a grain and sometimes a protein. Something that is super easy that the kiddos love is peanut butter pinwheels - just a tortilla with peanut butter on it, rolled up and cut into pieces. They also love rice chex or cheerios with fruit.
I used to do more expensive meals that required a lot of prep work and that got old real quick - plus, the kids didn't even like most of those kinds of meals
I like doing cheesy chicken roll-ups, sautéed sausage/onion/potato, pasta & veggies, etc. Just easy meals that are nutritious. I also will sometimes save the leftovers from my family's dinner and feed the kids that the next day.I add a fruit, veggies and grain or protein if needed to every meal.
For snacks, I always do a fruit with a grain and sometimes a protein. Something that is super easy that the kiddos love is peanut butter pinwheels - just a tortilla with peanut butter on it, rolled up and cut into pieces. They also love rice chex or cheerios with fruit.
Cat Herder 09:27 AM 07-12-2019
Many of my menus are posted here. https://www.daycare.com/forum/showth...highlight=menu