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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Minute Menu for ppl who don't plan meals in advance
AnneCordelia 09:55 AM 01-06-2012
I just got the free version of MMK.

I'm interested in using it to track attendance, fees and to send daily reports. The food part of the program seems to be a huge pain in my butt. I don't do monthly or even weekly meal plans to the extent of the info that they want. I mean, I plan my meals but not which day they will land on (depends on how I feel on the day). I plan snacks based on what the children are interested in that morning/afternoon, and based on what we have.

Is there an easy way to enter this? Why is it so complicated? I hope I get used to it soon. So many have said they love MMK but this seems like way more work than I'm currently doing and I'm not sure I want to invest in that.

Thanks,
Emily
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AnneCordelia 10:00 AM 01-06-2012
And all the snack options list milk or juice. I don't serve milk or juice with snacks. I serve water. How can I change that? So confusing. Milk is at lunch only and I don't ever serve juice. Seems this is more frustrating than anything.

ETA: Ok I figured this out.
I still haven't figured out how to put my own lunches in though. PITA. LOL.
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daycare 10:02 AM 01-06-2012
you dont have to enter you menu for the full month. You can do it day at a time, just as I do it.

I have teens in my home who eat everything in sight, so I when I used to do the monthly planed out menu, I would go to grab one of the ingredients out of the fridge and it would be gone.

I don't have space to separate the DC food from family food, so I plan it day at a time.

Go to record meals and then a new window should open for you. Then from there just fill out the boxes needed. All of the food items are number coded and it does take time to learn the food codes, but it won't take long.
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melskids 10:03 AM 01-06-2012
I dont pre-plan my meals either. I just enter my meal components at the end of each day.

And water is on the same list with the milk.
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Cat Herder 10:06 AM 01-06-2012
Go into "utilities"

Then "food item maintenance"

Delete ANYTHING you don't want to see on the menu selection tabs.

Then go to "meal planner"

then "create new meal" and add your own just the way you want.

I make one then go back to "meal planner", "meals", "copy current weeks meals", click ok when it tells you it has been copied

Click the "4 weeks" tab twice (8 weeks out).....then paste it.

I use 8 menus, rotated every 8 weeks...for the year.

You can edit ANYTIME, by double clicking any meal, for days you want to do something different, but will have one available to follow at all times.

I do it mainly so it prints on the AWESOME daily sheets. I am not on the food program. They rock because they keep all the memos stored... If a parent says I did not notify them of an injury, reaction, etc...I can re-print any sheet from the past at the drop of a hat. Also if an injury/behavioral pattern starts to appear, I have ongoing documentation.
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daycare 10:08 AM 01-06-2012
Originally Posted by Catherder:
Go into "utilities"

Then "food item maintenance"

Delete ANYTHING you don't want to see on the menu selection tabs.

Then go to "meal planner"

then "create new meal" and add your own just the way you want.

I make one then go back to "meal planner", "meals", "copy current weeks meals", click ok when it tells you it has been copied

Click the "4 weeks" tab twice (8 weeks out).....then paste it.

I use 8 menus, rotated every 8 weeks...for the year.

You can edit ANYTIME, but double clicking any meal, for days you want to do something different, but will have one available to follow at all times.

I do it mainly so it prints on the AWESOME daily sheets.
what version do you have?

I dont even have an option that says utilities???
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Cat Herder 10:15 AM 01-06-2012
Originally Posted by daycare:
what version do you have?

I dont even have an option that says utilities???
Minute Menu Kids Pro Version 4.2

Utilities is on the very front page when you open the program. It has a picture of a child climbing a jungle gym.

Once you get it things get simple.

Doing a years menus takes me one afternoon. (after I come up with 8 menus on paper, of course... That is why I thought the menus thread would be helpful...)
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daycare 10:16 AM 01-06-2012
Originally Posted by Catherder:
Minute Menu Kids Pro

Utilities is on the very front page when you open the program.
version 4.1?
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AnneCordelia 10:20 AM 01-06-2012
Thank you ladies! Especially the tip about the water. LOL.

Also, am I missing something or does it completely ignore potty issues? Things like bowel movements are important for my parents to know.
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Cat Herder 10:25 AM 01-06-2012
Originally Posted by daycare:
version 4.1?
Mine just updated to 4.2... Maybe you should go into accounts and "check for updates" ?

Originally Posted by AnneCordelia:
Thank you ladies! Especially the tip about the water. LOL.

Also, am I missing something or does it completely ignore potty issues? Things like bowel movements are important for my parents to know.
I think it is because the trend is to "no pressure" potty train. By stopping the constant focus of discussion on it....the pressure goes away.

At least that is what happened here..... Once I stopped making it a big deal so did the parents and the kids train themselves more in peace.


Wow! I just realized if you click on the child name you can choose from SEVERAL daily sheets.... Some with potty info... Ugh....something new with every click AFTER A WHOLE YEAR.

Maybe they should give 5 year trial.....or I should FINALLY read the dang handbook...
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Blackcat31 10:51 AM 01-06-2012
Originally Posted by Catherder:
Mine just updated to 4.2... Maybe you should go into accounts and "check for updates" ?




Maybe they should give 5 year trial.....or I should FINALLY read the dang handbook...
Yes, the manual is really nice and easy to read (it has pictures ).

http://www.skyhillkids.com/winui/manual.pdf


My 'check for updates' though is listed under "FILE" in the top left corner of the main screen


CAT~ Have you checked out the Resource Center tab that is now available with the 4.2 version? Some VERY interesting stuff there......
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Cat Herder 11:08 AM 01-06-2012
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
Yes, the manual is really nice and easy to read (it has pictures ).

http://www.skyhillkids.com/winui/manual.pdf


My 'check for updates' though is listed under "FILE" in the top left corner of the main screen


CAT~ Have you checked out the Resource Center tab that is now available with the 4.2 version? Some VERY interesting stuff there......
I have!!! I just got some new books I learned about there (I also joined NAFCC). I am really enjoying it.

I think they should sell gift subscriptions, I swear!!!

It is pretty pathetic that the first time I heard of Tom, Childcare Associations or Provider Tax Programs was from an online forum AFTER already being registered for 17 years. Obviously those "Super Saturdays" did not do a whole lot of good...
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AnneCordelia 12:40 PM 01-06-2012
I just downloaded the sandbox program too. Oooo gonna see whocj I like more. Although the sandbox program is much more expensive .
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Tags:minute menu, minute menu kids, minute menu kids pro, mmk, mmk - food program, mmk - reports
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