Daycare.com Forum
Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>To Provide Lunch or Not....
lilcupcakes09 04:29 AM 06-16-2014
I have been providing all meals for the past 5 years since opening, but I'm seriously considering switching to just snacks and breakfast at the start of 2015. I'm not on the food program, it was too much hassle in my opinion. It's difficult to find something that all 9 kids will eat without having the same thing over and over again. How many of you have the parents provide lunches? Not to mention most of my income goes to daycare food....
cheerfuldom 04:50 AM 06-16-2014
I am not on a food program and I dont provide lunch. I have parents send a sack lunch. I open at 730 and I dont provide breakfast either.
Shell 05:27 AM 06-16-2014
I am thinking of switching to parents bringing lunch, too. As it so happens, 3 of my dc kids being their lunch due to food allergies and sensory issues. I still charge the same amount, but am saving on the grocery bills. It seems like in the beginning when I started a few years ago, parents wanted the convenience of not having to pack a lunch, but now they don't seem to mind packing one at all.
NightOwl 05:39 AM 06-16-2014
Oh how i wish I could have them bring lunches. I HATE cooking and how much time it occupies.
midaycare 06:14 AM 06-16-2014
I never even thought about this. It sounds lovely not to cook lunch. Hmmm...
KSDC 06:25 AM 06-16-2014
I think it would drive me crazy to deal with the lunches that I imagine my parents would send - based on how I know the kids eat when they are not with me.
But, then, I like cooking. And, I don't worry a great deal if they don't all like everything I make. They all have to try everything. They either eat it or they don't.
But, then, I like cooking. And, I don't worry a great deal if they don't all like everything I make. They all have to try everything. They either eat it or they don't.
Meeko 06:30 AM 06-16-2014
Is there a reason you aren't on the food program?
Claiming online with MM is easy. I am a large group daycare (16 kids) I buy in bulk and use a 5 week cycle menu. The cycle menu means I never have to think about what to serve. I serve breakfast, morning snack. lunch and PM snack.
I am tier one and make over a $1000 month on the food program. It's worth it if you are able to do it. It seems a lot at first to get set up... but it takes me about a minute flat to check off meals at the end of the day.
Claiming online with MM is easy. I am a large group daycare (16 kids) I buy in bulk and use a 5 week cycle menu. The cycle menu means I never have to think about what to serve. I serve breakfast, morning snack. lunch and PM snack.
I am tier one and make over a $1000 month on the food program. It's worth it if you are able to do it. It seems a lot at first to get set up... but it takes me about a minute flat to check off meals at the end of the day.
lilcupcakes09 06:34 AM 06-16-2014
Can I ask what your rates are?? I charge $175 for infant-3 years, $145 for 3 yrs, $130 for 4 whether in prek or not, $80 b&a and $100 for summer care. I don't want to change my rates either if I stop providing lunches.
Originally Posted by Shell:
I am thinking of switching to parents bringing lunch, too. As it so happens, 3 of my dc kids being their lunch due to food allergies and sensory issues. I still charge the same amount, but am saving on the grocery bills. It seems like in the beginning when I started a few years ago, parents wanted the convenience of not having to pack a lunch, but now they don't seem to mind packing one at all.
I am thinking of switching to parents bringing lunch, too. As it so happens, 3 of my dc kids being their lunch due to food allergies and sensory issues. I still charge the same amount, but am saving on the grocery bills. It seems like in the beginning when I started a few years ago, parents wanted the convenience of not having to pack a lunch, but now they don't seem to mind packing one at all.
Shell 07:34 AM 06-16-2014
Originally Posted by lilcupcakes09:
Can I ask what your rates are?? I charge $175 for infant-3 years, $145 for 3 yrs, $130 for 4 whether in prek or not, $80 b&a and $100 for summer care. I don't want to change my rates either if I stop providing lunches.
I charge about 40 a day, on average. I live in the Northeast, and everything is expensive here. I am still significantly cheaper than centers, that charge around 150 a week more. I supply organic meals, and if the parents want their child to have something else, they supply it.Can I ask what your rates are?? I charge $175 for infant-3 years, $145 for 3 yrs, $130 for 4 whether in prek or not, $80 b&a and $100 for summer care. I don't want to change my rates either if I stop providing lunches.
originalkat 07:43 AM 06-16-2014
In Kansas, we do not have the option of having parents bring lunch. I can see advantages and disadvantages to both options. But I make between $600-$900 per month on the food program with my kiddos so that is an incentive to making lunch myself.
DaisyMamma 08:20 AM 06-16-2014
I'm in New England. I charge $40/day and include all meals (well, not dinner). I make about $240/month on the food program.
I have seen providers offer "hot lunch" as service and charge the same as the food program pays. I've seen providers have kids bring lunches with no problem.
I personally find it easier to serve all of the same meal to all kids and it causes less arguments than each having a different food. There's enough components that they can pick what they want to eat and if they don't like something there is enough of other stuff not to go hungry.
I have seen providers offer "hot lunch" as service and charge the same as the food program pays. I've seen providers have kids bring lunches with no problem.
I personally find it easier to serve all of the same meal to all kids and it causes less arguments than each having a different food. There's enough components that they can pick what they want to eat and if they don't like something there is enough of other stuff not to go hungry.
llpa 09:47 AM 06-16-2014
I have parents pack a lunch. I open at 7 am and our first "snack" if they need it is at 830 for 7am arrivals & is something from their packed lunch. ( parents know this and pack accordingly)
My kids eat a good breakfast it seems and rarely want that first offering of food. Then about 10:30 I provide a small snack. Lunch starts at 12-12:15. Naps are from 1-3 and I provide a pretty hefty snack at 3:15. Generally they eat all or most of their lunch. And I charge $40/ day.
My kids eat a good breakfast it seems and rarely want that first offering of food. Then about 10:30 I provide a small snack. Lunch starts at 12-12:15. Naps are from 1-3 and I provide a pretty hefty snack at 3:15. Generally they eat all or most of their lunch. And I charge $40/ day.
TwinKristi 10:19 AM 06-16-2014
I provide food and participate in the FP. I had parents packing lunches when I first started watching a friends' kids and it was a wreck. They pack foods I wouldn't serve nor did they pack whole meals and snacks so I ended up providing food anyway at some point for the families who packed their own food. When I started the FP 2yrs ago it was pretty easy to make everyone happy. Now I have more kids, food allergies, food aversions and yeah it's not as easy but still well worth the $500-600/mo I get. Plus my own kids count so summer break always adds some income for me. Also, if I had 4 families packing their own food my fridge would be a mess. If I didn't have to feed my own kids anyway and only had a few kids maybe it would be worth it but not at this point. I charge between $45-50/day depending on age and PT-FT status.
melilley 10:49 AM 06-16-2014
I too thought the fp was going to be a pain, but once you get used to it, it's a breeze, especially if you do your meals/counts online! I get around $350 a month, but I only have 7 kids on the program, of which 3 are full time and 4 pt, and 2 are babies so the money definitely does help with my grocery bill! Plus, you don't have to make elaborate meals either. I tend to go above and beyond most of the time, but you don't have to. 
Crazy8 11:01 AM 06-16-2014
I think you will find the majority of providers here provide lunch and are on the food program. But I don't know of a single daycare in my area (home or center) that provides lunch and when I started 13 years ago even my licensor said no one does, so some of it may be regional.
I have a family of 5 to deal with, I couldn't imagine cooking for daycare too - just way more time out of my day than I would like. I also don't feel its my place to decide how a parent feeds their child, that is their responsibility - I've had a slight few crunchy moms who are all organic, health nuts, etc. and I have a few that live on pb&j or chef boyardee but most are somewhere in the middle.
I have a family of 5 to deal with, I couldn't imagine cooking for daycare too - just way more time out of my day than I would like. I also don't feel its my place to decide how a parent feeds their child, that is their responsibility - I've had a slight few crunchy moms who are all organic, health nuts, etc. and I have a few that live on pb&j or chef boyardee but most are somewhere in the middle.
Rachel 04:47 AM 06-22-2014
Originally Posted by Meeko:
Is there a reason you aren't on the food program?
Claiming online with MM is easy. I am a large group daycare (16 kids) I buy in bulk and use a 5 week cycle menu. The cycle menu means I never have to think about what to serve. I serve breakfast, morning snack. lunch and PM snack.
I am tier one and make over a $1000 month on the food program. It's worth it if you are able to do it. It seems a lot at first to get set up... but it takes me about a minute flat to check off meals at the end of the day.
I would love to see your menu if you would share. I am happy to put mine up too in one of the file sections.Is there a reason you aren't on the food program?
Claiming online with MM is easy. I am a large group daycare (16 kids) I buy in bulk and use a 5 week cycle menu. The cycle menu means I never have to think about what to serve. I serve breakfast, morning snack. lunch and PM snack.
I am tier one and make over a $1000 month on the food program. It's worth it if you are able to do it. It seems a lot at first to get set up... but it takes me about a minute flat to check off meals at the end of the day.
earlystart 11:36 AM 06-25-2014
I've always had the parents provide lunch. I'm on the food program and provide breakfast and PM snack. Yes, the kids have some junk food in their lunch, and it does bother me, but not enough to take the extra time/effort out of my day and money out of my pocket to provide them with healthier lunches
As far as wanting to keep your rates the same and remove the lunch option (removing "value" for the parents), you can explain that in lieu of a rate increase you will be removing the lunch option. If your contract states that lunch was included, then you'll have to give notice of a contract change and have everyone sign a new one. If nothing about lunches was in a signed contract, then you can simply call it a policy change and send a notice about the change.
As far as wanting to keep your rates the same and remove the lunch option (removing "value" for the parents), you can explain that in lieu of a rate increase you will be removing the lunch option. If your contract states that lunch was included, then you'll have to give notice of a contract change and have everyone sign a new one. If nothing about lunches was in a signed contract, then you can simply call it a policy change and send a notice about the change.
AmyKidsCo 12:10 PM 06-25-2014
Originally Posted by Meeko:
Is there a reason you aren't on the food program?
Claiming online with MM is easy. I am a large group daycare (16 kids) I buy in bulk and use a 5 week cycle menu. The cycle menu means I never have to think about what to serve. I serve breakfast, morning snack. lunch and PM snack.
I am tier one and make over a $1000 month on the food program. It's worth it if you are able to do it. It seems a lot at first to get set up... but it takes me about a minute flat to check off meals at the end of the day.
It's TOTALLY worth it, especially if you provide meals already! It does take a while to set up but if you record meals every day on MMK it's less than a minute to do. (If you do a whole week at once like I sometimes do it takes longer...)Is there a reason you aren't on the food program?
Claiming online with MM is easy. I am a large group daycare (16 kids) I buy in bulk and use a 5 week cycle menu. The cycle menu means I never have to think about what to serve. I serve breakfast, morning snack. lunch and PM snack.
I am tier one and make over a $1000 month on the food program. It's worth it if you are able to do it. It seems a lot at first to get set up... but it takes me about a minute flat to check off meals at the end of the day.