Default Style Register
Daycare.com Forum
Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Separating Food???
My4SunshineGirlsNY 10:37 AM 07-19-2010
Do any of you separate your daycare food from your family foods?

I just recently started doing this and a part of me feels selfish and the other part feels justified.

I buy mostly brand name foods for my family and I have just started buying the off brand foods at the beginning of summer for the daycare kids. I was spending a lot in food and most of their weekly tuition was going for food with very little in my pocket for bills (especially during the summmer!).

I feel my husband's pay buys our groceries and if we want to buy the more expensive foods for our family, we should...but is this selfish?? Parents in our area don't like to pay any more than they have to and I'm already pretty cheap. I try to make sure I serve the same foods during daycare the only difference is I serve my kids the brand names and the daycare kids off brands (store brands). Once in a while I have something my kids want that I don't have for my daycare kids and I let them because it's their house, their food...is that bad?? I always have something else to serve my daycare kids and a lot of times my 9 year old daycare girl pouts because of it....but seriously, I only get paid $75/week for 11 hours a day, 5 days a week for her (I have her sister too so I give the mom a discount for having both...$150/week in the summer). I'm feeding her breakfast, morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack every day on $75/week!

Seems justified to me at how little I get per week with the hours I have the kids....Just curious how everyone else feels about it..
Reply
momma2girls 10:46 AM 07-19-2010
Originally Posted by My4SunshineGirlsNY:
Do any of you separate your daycare food from your family foods?

I just recently started doing this and a part of me feels selfish and the other part feels justified.

I buy mostly brand name foods for my family and I have just started buying the off brand foods at the beginning of summer for the daycare kids. I was spending a lot in food and most of their weekly tuition was going for food with very little in my pocket for bills (especially during the summmer!).

I feel my husband's pay buys our groceries and if we want to buy the more expensive foods for our family, we should...but is this selfish?? Parents in our area don't like to pay any more than they have to and I'm already pretty cheap. I try to make sure I serve the same foods during daycare the only difference is I serve my kids the brand names and the daycare kids off brands (store brands). Once in a while I have something my kids want that I don't have for my daycare kids and I let them because it's their house, their food...is that bad?? I always have something else to serve my daycare kids and a lot of times my 9 year old daycare girl pouts because of it....but seriously, I only get paid $75/week for 11 hours a day, 5 days a week for her (I have her sister too so I give the mom a discount for having both...$150/week in the summer). I'm feeding her breakfast, morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack every day on $75/week!

Seems justified to me at how little I get per week with the hours I have the kids....Just curious how everyone else feels about it..
WOW!! THis is such low pay!! Is this the going rate in your area???
I know we buy Schwan's stuff, I do not serve this to daycare, so I guess I do seperate daycare's food a little bit- I only make about $2.50 an hr. and I can only do so much on this pay!!! Let alone all the extra stuff you are buying, TP, kleenexes, soap, hand sanitizer, cleaning supplies, paper towels, batteries, books, toys, napkins, arts and crafts, ink, colors, color books, craft items, the list goes on and on and on.......
Reply
momma2girls 10:49 AM 07-19-2010
Originally Posted by My4SunshineGirlsNY:
Do any of you separate your daycare food from your family foods?

I just recently started doing this and a part of me feels selfish and the other part feels justified.

I buy mostly brand name foods for my family and I have just started buying the off brand foods at the beginning of summer for the daycare kids. I was spending a lot in food and most of their weekly tuition was going for food with very little in my pocket for bills (especially during the summmer!).

I feel my husband's pay buys our groceries and if we want to buy the more expensive foods for our family, we should...but is this selfish?? Parents in our area don't like to pay any more than they have to and I'm already pretty cheap. I try to make sure I serve the same foods during daycare the only difference is I serve my kids the brand names and the daycare kids off brands (store brands). Once in a while I have something my kids want that I don't have for my daycare kids and I let them because it's their house, their food...is that bad?? I always have something else to serve my daycare kids and a lot of times my 9 year old daycare girl pouts because of it....but seriously, I only get paid $75/week for 11 hours a day, 5 days a week for her (I have her sister too so I give the mom a discount for having both...$150/week in the summer). I'm feeding her breakfast, morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack every day on $75/week!

Seems justified to me at how little I get per week with the hours I have the kids....Just curious how everyone else feels about it..
Do all of your families need you 11 hrs/day?? THat is terrible!! You don't even make $2.00 an hr. It's only a little over $1.00 an hr. that is pathetic!!! I don't know how you are living and still doing daycare on this amt. plus everything you put into it- at this rate I would be so negative after taking off everything at the end of the year!!
Reply
JenNJ 10:52 AM 07-19-2010
Nothing wrong with that. I cerainly do not share all of my family's food with daycre kids. I have a meal plan for daycare hours and stick to it. Just because I have homemade chocolate chip cookies from a neighbor doesn't mean I am passing them out to my daycare kids.
Reply
safechner 10:58 AM 07-19-2010
I bought two separate brand names/brand store foods for my daughters and daycare kids. I don't serve the same foods for my daughters and daycare kids since I have two breakfast/dining rooms. Both of my daughters eat their breakfast/lunch in the dining room so the daycare kids can't see what they eat in the dining room when they are in the breakfast room. My daycare kids love to eat all of their foods from store foods so I don't have any problems with that. I don't think it is selfish because you need to buy crafts, colors, paints, curriculum, etc. It is not cheap to buy materials like that.
Reply
melskids 10:59 AM 07-19-2010
well, me personally, i wouldnt give my kids cookies and juice boxes in front of DC kids who are getting carrot sticks and water....lol but if your giving your kids pepperidge farm 100% wheat bread, while the DC gets walmart wheat bread, that i dont see a problem with. however, in our house we ALL get store brands...lol
Reply
Pammie 11:02 AM 07-19-2010
I agree - I see nothing wrong with keeping your daycare food separate from your family food! In fact, it will help you tremendously on your taxes when you claim your food expense to be able to document different items

I've always had foods in my home that were for my family exclusively - and only rarely would any of the dc kids ever even notice. When one of the dc kids whines about it - and it's always a school-ager - my response is that they have special treats and things at their home that they don't have to share with everyone at daycare, and "whatever" here is the same. That's an explanation they seem to accept. However, when my own kids still lived here, just out of courtesy, they weren't allowed to eat things in front of the dc kids that they didn't want to share (but they could take the food into the tv room or into their bedrooms)

But now since my own kids are living away, I just hide any goodies/treats that I don't want the dc kids to see/beg for:-) Out of sight, out of mind
Reply
MarinaVanessa 11:06 AM 07-19-2010
All of my DC food is kept seperate from my families food. I have a shelf in my pantry designated for DC only and one in my fridge and freezer as well. I also keep my families snacks (cookies, "good" cereal, juices etc.) in a pantry in the garage so the DC don't see them and ask for them. It also keeps my own household from eating them up all of the time. I don't however let my own daughter have "Family" food during DC hours. It's too much a temptation for the DC kids for her to be allowed to eat it in front of them. She knows (5yo) that if she wants "good cereal" (fruit loops, special breakfast etc) that she'd better get up early with me or she'll have Cheerios (or whatever I'm serving the DC kids) for breakfast.

I don't see anything wrong with seperating the two foods though. I even pay for DC food seperately than my family's food even if it's the same trip. Makes things easier for me to keep track of for tax purposes.
Reply
Pammie 11:06 AM 07-19-2010
Originally Posted by My4SunshineGirlsNY:
I'm feeding her breakfast, morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack every day on $75/week! .

Just curious why you serve breakfast plus a morning snack? I've found that when I started skipping the morning snack, kids ate better lunches, and I saved lots of money from not serving the snack, and not throwing away so much food at lunch time that the kids didn't want to eat/weren't hungry for.

Here I serve breakfast at 8am, lunch at noon, and afternoon snack at 3:45. No more than 4 hours between meals, and the kids seem to do just fine.
Reply
Bizzymom1111 11:09 AM 07-19-2010
Are you on the food program? That helps alot! I buy my food at SAMs club so everything is in bulk- I don't really separate food. I guess it seems like too much work to do that when you already have to prepare meals for the dck's. IMO! Check out the food program though-also, I'd probably be charging more then $75/week especially when your serving that many meals and snacks!
Reply
MarinaVanessa 11:12 AM 07-19-2010
Originally Posted by Pammie:
Just curious why you serve breakfast plus a morning snack? I've found that when I started skipping the morning snack, kids ate better lunches, and I saved lots of money from not serving the snack, and not throwing away so much food at lunch time that the kids didn't want to eat/weren't hungry for.

Here I serve breakfast at 8am, lunch at noon, and afternoon snack at 3:45. No more than 4 hours between meals, and the kids seem to do just fine.
Not sure if she's on the food program but if she was then you have to offer it. For those like me that aren't actually on enrolled on the food program but still follow it's guidelines (what a child should be fed to stay healthy) then offering breakfast, AM snack, Lunch, and PM snack is the recommendation.
Reply
melskids 11:13 AM 07-19-2010
Originally Posted by Pammie:
Just curious why you serve breakfast plus a morning snack? I've found that when I started skipping the morning snack, kids ate better lunches, and I saved lots of money from not serving the snack, and not throwing away so much food at lunch time that the kids didn't want to eat/weren't hungry for.

Here I serve breakfast at 8am, lunch at noon, and afternoon snack at 3:45. No more than 4 hours between meals, and the kids seem to do just fine.
wow! i wish i could get away with that! breakfast is 8:30, lunch 11:30-12:00, and snack at 3:00. they dont finish any of their meals, and are contantly complaining theyre hungry and begging for food. the SA are the worst and driving me bonkers this summer!!!!
Reply
My4SunshineGirlsNY 11:13 AM 07-19-2010
Originally Posted by Iowa daycare:
WOW!! THis is such low pay!! Is this the going rate in your area???
The going rate in my area for one full time school age kids is $100/week...I am not sure what kind of discounts other daycare's in my area give a family. I get $100/week for the 2 school girls during school days for before/after care where I average about 4 hours each day with them during school so that equals out to about $2.50/hour each during the school year. This was one of my first families and yes, I cut her the BEST deal and I know I could be making more on them..I'm just afraid if I raise my rates on her, she will find other means of care and these girls are good kids. Plus she ALWAYS pays without issue and never uses any free days even though they are offered if the kids are not here. Now if these kids were "monsters" I wouldn't bother, lol.

I get $125/week for my infant-Pre-K. I have one full time 10 hours/day and one I get $100/week for part time care 5 hours/day..plus my school age neice just for the summer (she's 10 years old)...so I can afford to opperate but yes, all those extras do add up...I have been buying the oriental trading crafts to keep the kids busy...saving on food is a must.
Reply
misol 11:28 AM 07-19-2010
Totally nothing wrong with this. There is nothing in the food program or licensing standards (not in VA anyway) that indicate the use of specific brand names so you are well within your right to do this. Especially if your daycare kids are like mine and you end up throwing away most of the food you serve them anyway

I typically buy a mix of name brands and off-brands for my own family. I tried the method of buying all off-brands for dc kids but I found that I ended up wasting MORE money because the off-brand items would spoil before the dc kids could get through them. So now I am back to feeding them what we eat.
Reply
My4SunshineGirlsNY 11:29 AM 07-19-2010
Originally Posted by melskids:
wow! i wish i could get away with that! breakfast is 8:30, lunch 11:30-12:00, and snack at 3:00. they dont finish any of their meals, and are contantly complaining theyre hungry and begging for food. the SA are the worst and driving me bonkers this summer!!!!
Same here! My 9 year old daycare girl is VERY picky...if she doesn't like our main meal, it's peanut butter/jelly, which EVERY day she doesn't like my main meal so she gets a sandwich plus all the sides (fruit/veggies) which she doesn't touch...she says she's not hungry when I ask her if she's going to eat it... but then not even an hour later she's asking me what is for snack!! EVERY single day. Drives me batty!

No, I don't do the food program...I know i should be, but honestly I have been VERY overwhelmed with everything I need to catch up on..I don't want to start it right now. (I have a family of 4 girls and keeping up with everything is very difficult right now!).

For tax reasons...don't you guys get a standard meal rate instead of saving all grocery receipts? That's how I did it last year.
Reply
misol 11:48 AM 07-19-2010
Originally Posted by MarinaVanessa:
Not sure if she's on the food program but if she was then you have to offer it. For those like me that aren't actually on enrolled on the food program but still follow it's guidelines (what a child should be fed to stay healthy) then offering breakfast, AM snack, Lunch, and PM snack is the recommendation.
I think it depends on the times that you serve each meal. I am on the food program and I serve 3 meals. The kids eat every 3 hours. My meal times are:

9:30 Breakfast
12:30 Lunch
3:30 PM Snack

My breakfast is so late because one dcb doesn't arrive until 9:45a. I have 2 siblings that arrive at 8:30a who have already had breakfast at home at 7a. My own kids eat two breakfasts also (Dad gives them a small bowl of cereal at 7 while he is getting ready for work - then they eat again at 9:30breakfast.) So, I guess technically my "breakfast" is really a "morning snack" of sorts. But since the food program only reimburses for 3 meals and the reimbursement for breakfast is higher than for a snack, I call it breakfast.
Reply
Pammie 11:53 AM 07-19-2010
Originally Posted by MarinaVanessa:
Not sure if she's on the food program but if she was then you have to offer it. For those like me that aren't actually on enrolled on the food program but still follow it's guidelines (what a child should be fed to stay healthy) then offering breakfast, AM snack, Lunch, and PM snack is the recommendation.
I am on the food program. Participation in the federal food program does not require offering 4 meals/day - which is what breakfast, am snack, lunch and pm snack would be. The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) standard practice is for children not to go more than 4 hours between meals and reimburses for the maximum of one meal and two snacks per day OR two meals and one snack per day. So even though you aren't enrolled you might want to check their regulations before you quote their guidelines.
Reply
MarinaVanessa 12:40 PM 07-19-2010
Originally Posted by Pammie:
I am on the food program. Participation in the federal food program does not require offering 4 meals/day - which is what breakfast, am snack, lunch and pm snack would be. The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) standard practice is for children not to go more than 4 hours between meals and reimburses for the maximum of one meal and two snacks per day OR two meals and one snack per day. So even though you aren't enrolled you might want to check their regulations before you quote their guidelines.
I was on the USDA food program and this is what it says on the handouts:

"Meal Service times: Meals are to be served no less than 2 hours apart and no more than 4 hours apart when serving major meals and snacks. Meals that can be claimed include Breakfast, Morning Snack, Lunch, Evening Snack and Dinner. Meals can only be claimed for children that are in care at the time the meal is served."

What I meant by "have to offer it" was that if it were more than four hours then you have to offer the child a meal or snack if the child is in care and they already havn't gone over their max. I hadn't heard of the CACFP food program sorry. This is for the USDA food program.
Reply
nannyde 04:07 PM 07-19-2010
Feed your famiy however you want. The only thing I would make sure is that your kids don't eat stuff in front of the kids that they can't have.

I feed the kids what we eat. I have always made all our meals from scratch but in March of this year I made a big change in our meals. I do a fully organic, grass fed, chemical free, gmo free, pastured meats, etc. I don't buy name brand foods because most don't meet what I need for our diet.

I make all of our food in advance and make in quantities and freeze. We put up seasonal fruits and veggies and buy our meats as they are slaughtered seasonaly. Our grains are also bought in bulk and I make our breads with these.

I don't go to the grocery store very often because I buy most everything directly from the farmers. I do get our organic milk from a specialty store here and buy our cheese from them in bulk when I can get it. It freezes really well so we use that for a source of protein too.

We eat beans and rice to balance out the high cost of the grass fed meats. My kids love beans and rice so we have that a couple of times a week and it's usually mixed in with some of our pastured meats. I make broth from the pastured meats to cook the beans and rice in. I make a ton of soups and stews with every kind of bean and rice you could imagine.

My cost per day per kid is about four dollars a day average. I get 3.50 a day on the food program. My new parents pay the premium rates to cover the cost of the labor and accessing the organic foods. Any incoming client will pay for it in their fees so eventually everyone will pay into the food service. Once the current group ages out I will replace them with children from families that only want a fully organic menu and are willing to pay for the food and the HIGH cost of labor to make it happen. That should take about two more years and then I'll be square.

If you are only getting 75 a week I would definitely keep the food cost as low as possible. There is no way you can feed them any other way. It shouldn't be a problem though because the parents are paying for the very lowest of low food service. You need to stick to the cheapest possible calories with the least amount of labor for that food.

If you are doing breakfast I would stop that immediately. The parents need to make sure they have a home cooked breakfast with protein, fresh fruit and milk to start their day. Then I would have them bring a packed lunch every day that is ready to eat out of the lunch box so that you don't have to do any preparing and the packaging and containers can be put right back into the pack for the parents to clean. I would just serve an afternoon snack of crackers and juice. Maybe even have the parents bring you a bag of that every week and a couple of big containers of the juice.

You shouldn't have to do much of anything except supervise them eating their packed lunch and a quick service of the treat they have for snack. With only 75 a week you need to stay out of the food as much as you possibly can other than supervision. You need the full 75 a week just for your salary for caring for them and the hard costs of having them in your home. Food shouldn't be included in that low fee.

I do a full home made meal service here with the highest quality food I can find. All of my parents pay for the labor to do the home made and my new kids pay for the specialty foods. I charge a much higher weekly fee to cover that service. If they don't want to pay for it then they can't have it. I don't care where you live... seventy five dollars a week buys ZIPPO in food service. You are NOT getting paid for meal service so don't offer it. Have the parents do breakfast, stop the morning snack, have them bring packed lunch, and do a CHEAP afternoon snack.
Reply
nannyde 04:31 PM 07-19-2010
Originally Posted by My4SunshineGirlsNY:
The going rate in my area for one full time school age kids is $100/week...I am not sure what kind of discounts other daycare's in my area give a family. I get $100/week for the 2 school girls during school days for before/after care where I average about 4 hours each day with them during school so that equals out to about $2.50/hour each during the school year. This was one of my first families and yes, I cut her the BEST deal and I know I could be making more on them..I'm just afraid if I raise my rates on her, she will find other means of care and these girls are good kids. Plus she ALWAYS pays without issue and never uses any free days even though they are offered if the kids are not here. Now if these kids were "monsters" I wouldn't bother, lol.

I get $125/week for my infant-Pre-K. I have one full time 10 hours/day and one I get $100/week for part time care 5 hours/day..plus my school age neice just for the summer (she's 10 years old)...so I can afford to opperate but yes, all those extras do add up...I have been buying the oriental trading crafts to keep the kids busy...saving on food is a must.
If I'm reading this right you go from 2.50 an hour during the school year to 1.36 per hour in the summer. That's almost a fifty percent decrease in pay. If you are tolerating this summer pay so you can have the school pay please reconsider that in the future. A summer of 55 hours a week at such a low rate ends up being half the total hours you are caring for the kids over the year. When you average that you are only making less than two dollars an hour per kid over the course of a year. There is not enough money in that to be serving all of those meals especially if you are doing breakfast during the school year. You need that whole weekly rate for your salary and the hard costs of having the kids in the house.

I would stop doing any crafts that cost money and stop the food service. At some point the parents need to realize that you can't get more than basic supervison and basic utilities for that kind of hourly rate. It's okay if that's what they want but you should NOT have to use any of that money for food when they can easily provide the meals and do the work of the meals. If they want to save money they need to be willing to do the work and make the day to day decisions what kind of nutrition they want for their kids. At less than two dollars an hour you shouldn't even be THINKING about the kids food. They should be doing EVERYTHING except the direct supervision of the kids while they are eating lunch and afternoon snack.

You get what you pay for and they aren't paying for food and food service. Let them take it over.
Reply
Bizzymom1111 08:21 PM 07-19-2010
[quote=MarinaVanessa;36965]I was on the USDA food program and this is what it says on the handouts:

"Meal Service times: Meals are to be served no less than 2 hours apart and no more than 4 hours apart when serving major meals and snacks. Meals that can be claimed include Breakfast, Morning Snack, Lunch, Evening Snack and Dinner. Meals can only be claimed for children that are in care at the time the meal is served."

What I meant by "have to offer it" was that if it were more than four hours then you have to offer the child a meal or snack if the child is in care and they already havn't gone over their max. I hadn't heard of the CACFP food program sorry. This is for the USDA food program.[/QUOTE

I am on the USDA food program and we can not claim more than 2 meals and one snack per child. There is not even any space on the meal count form for more than 3/day. It is ridiculous for parents to expect a provider to serve all that food to their child. Most of the time the kids don't even eat their lunch if they are given a morning snack. At my daycare, the kids know that they don't eat until lunch, so they ALL eat up at breakfast. They eat better at lunch, and I find are more willing to try new foods when they are hungry. They don't need more then that. No one is going to starve if they don't get a morning snack. I can only imagine all the wasted food and money.
Reply
QualiTcare 08:52 PM 07-19-2010
i've always fed my children the same food as the DC children. that doesn't mean i wouldn't leave the steak in the freezer and make chicken when the DC kids were here, but i'd never give the DC kids one thing and my kids another. personally, i think that's cruel.
Reply
QualiTcare 08:54 PM 07-19-2010
Originally Posted by nannyde:
If I'm reading this right you go from 2.50 an hour during the school year to 1.36 per hour in the summer. That's almost a fifty percent decrease in pay. If you are tolerating this summer pay so you can have the school pay please reconsider that in the future. A summer of 55 hours a week at such a low rate ends up being half the total hours you are caring for the kids over the year. When you average that you are only making less than two dollars an hour per kid over the course of a year. There is not enough money in that to be serving all of those meals especially if you are doing breakfast during the school year. You need that whole weekly rate for your salary and the hard costs of having the kids in the house.

I would stop doing any crafts that cost money and stop the food service. At some point the parents need to realize that you can't get more than basic supervison and basic utilities for that kind of hourly rate. It's okay if that's what they want but you should NOT have to use any of that money for food when they can easily provide the meals and do the work of the meals. If they want to save money they need to be willing to do the work and make the day to day decisions what kind of nutrition they want for their kids. At less than two dollars an hour you shouldn't even be THINKING about the kids food. They should be doing EVERYTHING except the direct supervision of the kids while they are eating lunch and afternoon snack.

You get what you pay for and they aren't paying for food and food service. Let them take it over.
you say they aren't paying for it, but at the same time - she's not charging for it (and i'm sure not saying, "by the way, your kids are just gonna get basic supervision")
Reply
Preschool/daycare teacher 09:44 PM 07-19-2010
The dc kids here get the off brand, generic food, if that's what happens to be cheapest. Nothing at all wrong with feeding the off brand food to the dc kids, and brand name to your own children, as long as they aren't eating something different from the dc kids while they're there. The easiest route, I'd think, would be during daycare hrs your kids eat daycare food like all the other kids. After/before hours they eat whatever you want them to (including brand name). If that makes any sense? Of course, if your kids are older and will know that during daycare hrs they don't get something as good as they do during off hrs, I'd definitely make sure they just eat seperate from the dc kids, but eat what you want them to.
At our daycare we have to offer them breakfast, am snack, lunch, and pm snack (because of the food program). However, it would save a lot of wasted food if we could eliminate am snack. They fill up on it, and then aren't hungry for lunch, and pretty much their whole plate goes to waste. Then at pm snack they eat a lot, because they're hungry from not eating lunch. But then part of the problem is that they are very very picky and no matter what we serve they "don't like it". We have to put a veggie and/or fruit on their plate at lunch. They NEVER eat the veggies, so they go completely to waste. The other food mostly goes to waste too, because they aren't hungry after am snack, and the food program requires us to give them too big of portions, in my opinion. We'd save a lot if we could only put on their plate what they'll eat, and only the amount they'd eat and then give them seconds as many times as they ask (during a meal; snack would be a different story). And eliminate am snack. They eat breakfast at 8:30, snack at 10:30, and lunch at 12:00. There's not enough time in-between for them to even need more food! So if you aren't on the food program, feel free to feed them whatever you want, when you want. If you choose to eliminate am snack so they'll eat lunch, go for it!
Reply
boysx5 03:30 AM 07-20-2010
I do the food program but that doesn't cover the cost of everything. I plan out my meals and my boys are allowed to eat what they want. I try to buy things at costco or B.Js to save money on snacks. Fruit is expensive and with having to serve it at breakfast and then lunch I find that I go through alot of that. Wow your rates are low I complain getting 150 a week for this six year old girl I watch who is a pain she hates most things I serve so I didn't put her on the food program and most days she will just eat peanut butter and jelly.
Reply
judytrickett 04:34 AM 07-20-2010
Originally Posted by QualiTcare:
i've always fed my children the same food as the DC children. that doesn't mean i wouldn't leave the steak in the freezer and make chicken when the DC kids were here, but i'd never give the DC kids one thing and my kids another. personally, i think that's cruel.

MY kids are not in daycare.

My kids NEVER eat with the daycare kids. MY kids eat with ME and hubby at OUR lunch time.

I don't think it's cruel AT ALL.

Daycare is daycare. The dckids are not MY kids.
Reply
TGT09 04:58 AM 07-20-2010
I seperate some things but we don't have any kids of our own. So some things are "luxury" items for us that the DCK's do not get. I buy almost all store brands for us and them though. I don't always even have a different lunch than the dck's but same days I do. The school agers will get all nosy and ask what I'm eating, my reply is "MY lunch".

I also think that it depends on what you're giving your kids that the dck's aren't getting and if they are eating it right in front of them. If they are eating it somewhere else then I wouldn't feel the least bit bad about it.

I was told many years ago that they aren't really store brands. Stores pay the brand name companies to use their product and then put their labels on it at a cheaper price. I had a friend that was a grocery stocker for YEARS and he found this out along the way. I have found very minimal differences over the years after being told that by him....maybe it's psycho****tic for me now though. :-)

Our local grocery store has 2 different levels of store brands....cheap and super cheap. I rarely buy the super cheap because I'm sure the quality is also cheaper.

Edited to add: that they are "bleeping" out a word that is no way a cuss word and I can't figure out why.
Reply
momma2girls 05:09 AM 07-20-2010
I quit serving breakfast about 4 yrs. ago, I do have an am snack around 9:00- 9:30, and dinner at 11:00. THis works so much better. THey were wasting breakfast(which honestly with babies coming in that needed fed, kids getting ready for school, etc.) I really didn't have time for breakfast, til around 9:00, so we made this our am snack instead. It works so much better!!
Reply
nannyde 05:51 AM 07-20-2010
Originally Posted by judytrickett:
MY kids are not in daycare.

My kids NEVER eat with the daycare kids. MY kids eat with ME and hubby at OUR lunch time.

I don't think it's cruel AT ALL.

Daycare is daycare. The dckids are not MY kids.
Yup

My ds10 has never eaten a meal with the day care kids. We eat our meals together. He's not a member of the day care and never has been.
Reply
MarinaVanessa 06:02 AM 07-20-2010
Originally Posted by Iowa daycare:
I quit serving breakfast about 4 yrs. ago, I do have an am snack around 9:00- 9:30, and dinner at 11:00. THis works so much better. THey were wasting breakfast(which honestly with babies coming in that needed fed, kids getting ready for school, etc.) I really didn't have time for breakfast, til around 9:00, so we made this our am snack instead. It works so much better!!
For whatever reason, my DC kids that I've had all always shown up after 8am sometimes even 9am so I never have to serve breakfast (I schedule it at 7:30). Even though I could also claim dinner (if I was still on the food program) I schedule that at 6:30 (same time that my family eats dinner) but I close at 6pm so unless the parents are late they don't get dinner either.
Reply
Unregistered 08:28 AM 07-20-2010
My kids eat what the daycare kids eat for breakfest, lunch, and afternoon snack all my food is off brand lol mainly ALDI's brand and BJ's brand food I can't afford name brand for my own family lol It's also cheaper to have my own kids stick to the daycare menu also plus they like what's on it anyways and I honestly dont think its fair to the daycare kids I dont allow the parents to bring them any special food so I'm not gonna let my own kids have special foods during daycare hours.
Reply
momma2girls 09:47 AM 07-20-2010
Originally Posted by MarinaVanessa:
For whatever reason, my DC kids that I've had all always shown up after 8am sometimes even 9am so I never have to serve breakfast (I schedule it at 7:30). Even though I could also claim dinner (if I was still on the food program) I schedule that at 6:30 (same time that my family eats dinner) but I close at 6pm so unless the parents are late they don't get dinner either.
I know all of my families show up within 15 min. of each other, sometimes all at 7:30am- there is no way, I can feed babies, burp, change, get 2 children ready for school and out the door. Now I may be having 2 other children as well, to get ready for school, and out the door around 8:15. There is only one of us to go around!!!!lol!!!! I only get to claim am and pm snack, and lunch.
Reply
Janet 10:32 AM 07-20-2010
I don't make my daughter eat with the dcks or even eat the same thing that they eat. But I also don't prepare a separate meal for her either. She's a big girl so she can do it herself. She's 14 now so I trust that she can figure out what she wants. I frown on her eating "fun" snacks in front of the dcks and I make her eat in her bedroom or downstairs if she has something that the dcks aren't having. As far as the timing of meals and snacks go, I have the schedule in my contract, so if someone shows up after breakfast is over, then unfortunately, they'll have to wait for snack time. Here's my schedule:

Breakfast 7:30-8:00
AM snack 10:00-10:15
Lunch 12:00-12:30
PM snack (whenever naptime is over, usually 4:00-4:15)
Dinner (I almost never serve dinner) 5:30-6:00
Evening snack 8:00-8:15
Reply
Daycare Mommy 11:17 AM 07-20-2010
Between the food allergies, lactose intolerance, and special diets, I gave up the fantasy of a single menu feeding everyone during daycare hours looong ago. We typically have 3 different dishes served at lunch. One for the general population (generally anyone who can eats this, some days all of us do), one or more for the allergic/lactose intolerant/vegetarian kids (parent supplied), and what I'm eating (usually our leftovers from dinner the previous night or something else since I'm on a diet, and sure if my kids want what I'm having and it's appropriate and I have enough then I share with them.)

But all meals served are healthy balanced meals, so it's not as if we're talking serving filet mignon to our own children and then stale bread and a hunk of cheese to the dckids. Today is a good example:
Dish #1 Dckids & my ds ate Sausage Pizza
Dish #2 lactose intolerant kid brought soup
Dish #3 vegetarian kid brought veggie/pasta/with what looks to be a chicken-like meat substitute chopped up in there
Dish #4 dd and I ate Rice mixed w/leftover chicken.
Sides for all were strawberries, broccoli, & whole wheat crackers. So just because we are all eating differently doesn't mean someone is getting gypped here. Nothing cruel or unfair about it imho.

And as far as the generics vs. name brand, generic pears and bread are still pears and bread. I'd say go for it. I'll bet this parent would say the same if it was a choice between generics or raising the rates.

And when kids leave here they're typically headed off to Kindergarten where they're going to have to deal with the other kids' different lunches in school anyway. Not a big deal to introduce the concept a bit earlier.
Reply
QualiTcare 04:52 PM 07-20-2010
Originally Posted by judytrickett:
MY kids are not in daycare.

My kids NEVER eat with the daycare kids. MY kids eat with ME and hubby at OUR lunch time.

I don't think it's cruel AT ALL.

Daycare is daycare. The dckids are not MY kids.
it doesn't matter. when friends come over, their kids aren't part of my family. i'm still not gonna give my kid a snickers bar and the visitors a "chocolate log" since they aren't MY kids.

do you not remember being a kid? i really don't think you do.

kids notice these things and they think it's not fair because it isn't.
Reply
sahm2three 05:05 PM 07-20-2010
Heck ya! Although, if in the evenings one of my kids wants something from the daycare side, I will let them (unless I am getting low on it and will need it before I can get to the store again). I totally agree with you!
Reply
JenNJ 05:38 PM 07-20-2010
I do not allow my kids to eat special foods in front of the daycare kids. It's not an issue with my 1 year old, obviously, but my 4 year old sometimes wants "special treats." I make him take it to his room so the other kids do not see. I don't see a thing wrong with that. It's his house and he doesn't have to follow a meal plan in his own home. My mother in law often sends him home from visits with homemade baked goods. I don't think he should have to share that with other kids if he doesn't want to - they were a gift from his Grandma.

Kids eat different things all the time. My dc kids don't all bring the same breakfast each day and not one child has issues with that. If one asks if he can have a donut (like my one dc kid always brings), I just say, "No, that is So-and-so's breakfast. Your Daddy packed you a yogurt and fruit."

We eat genertics as a family and I serve them to my daycare kids as well. Again, nothing wrong with that. But I don't serve my dc kids anything I wouldn't serve my own kids. I make most meals from scratch and the premade I do buy is high quality. I serve 2 snacks and lunch.
Reply
nannyde 06:18 PM 07-20-2010
Originally Posted by QualiTcare:
it doesn't matter. when friends come over, their kids aren't part of my family. i'm still not gonna give my kid a snickers bar and the visitors a "chocolate log" since they aren't MY kids.

do you not remember being a kid? i really don't think you do.

kids notice these things and they think it's not fair because it isn't.
No

She's saying her kids don't eat with the day care kids. How in the world would the day care kids notice what her kids are eating if they are never with her kids when they eat anything?

My day care kids don't have ANY idea EVER what my son or I are eating. We eat together as a family. We eat in a completely separate room at a different time. If you asked any of my kids to name anything that my son has eaten they couldn't tell you if their life depended on it. They have NO clue what he eats, when he eats, how much he eats, what he likes or doesn't like.

My son knows not to discuss meals with the kids. He has always eaten separately so they don't have anything food wise in common. I don't allow him to ask me for food around the kids. I don't allow him to eat anything in front of the kids or with the kids.

What my son eats in his home has nothing to do with my business and more than what the kids eat at their home has to do with him.

The OP should feed her kids whatever she wants whenever she wants. Having a child care in your home doesn't have anything more to do with your own kids than what you want it to have to do with your own kids.

Just be curteous as you would in any other life situation. If you are going to eat in front of a guest in your home you should offer that guest what you are eating or drinking. If you don't want to provide the guest with what you are having then wait until you aren't around the guest to enjoy your food and drink. Simple

We eat all healthy home made food here. The kids aren't big treat eaters ... they are meat eaters. They wouldn't give a flip about anyone having anything sweet or having goodies. I make fruit breads for our snacks. That's the sweetest thing they get. We don't make a deal about sugar and processed junk food. They all get a big belly full of delicious nutritious food and that's enough. Enough for the kids and for us.

I know Judy does pretty much the same with her kids and day care kids. When you devote a lot of your resources to home made and healthy food the "issue" of food between the kids becomes a non issue.
Reply
misol 07:52 PM 07-20-2010
Originally Posted by nannyde:

Just be curteous as you would in any other life situation. If you are going to eat in front of a guest in your home you should offer that guest what you are eating or drinking. If you don't want to provide the guest with what you are having then wait until you aren't around the guest to enjoy your food and drink. Simple.
Yes. This is what it boils down to.
Reply
judytrickett 12:09 PM 07-21-2010
Originally Posted by nannyde:
No

She's saying her kids don't eat with the day care kids. How in the world would the day care kids notice what her kids are eating if they are never with her kids when they eat anything?

My day care kids don't have ANY idea EVER what my son or I are eating. We eat together as a family. We eat in a completely separate room at a different time. If you asked any of my kids to name anything that my son has eaten they couldn't tell you if their life depended on it. They have NO clue what he eats, when he eats, how much he eats, what he likes or doesn't like.

My son knows not to discuss meals with the kids. He has always eaten separately so they don't have anything food wise in common. I don't allow him to ask me for food around the kids. I don't allow him to eat anything in front of the kids or with the kids.

What my son eats in his home has nothing to do with my business and more than what the kids eat at their home has to do with him.

The OP should feed her kids whatever she wants whenever she wants. Having a child care in your home doesn't have anything more to do with your own kids than what you want it to have to do with your own kids.

Just be curteous as you would in any other life situation. If you are going to eat in front of a guest in your home you should offer that guest what you are eating or drinking. If you don't want to provide the guest with what you are having then wait until you aren't around the guest to enjoy your food and drink. Simple

We eat all healthy home made food here. The kids aren't big treat eaters ... they are meat eaters. They wouldn't give a flip about anyone having anything sweet or having goodies. I make fruit breads for our snacks. That's the sweetest thing they get. We don't make a deal about sugar and processed junk food. They all get a big belly full of delicious nutritious food and that's enough. Enough for the kids and for us.

I know Judy does pretty much the same with her kids and day care kids. When you devote a lot of your resources to home made and healthy food the "issue" of food between the kids becomes a non issue.
EXACTLY. Well, it helps that nannyde already knew how I do it here. And she is correct...my kids do not eat WITH the dckids - EVER!

Of course I think it would be rude to eat a chocolate bar or anything else for that matter in front of someone and not offer them that. Good gravy, I DO have common courtesy and manners as part of my wonderful character.

But, NO, my kids do not eat WITH or IN FRONT of the dckids. WHY? Because my kids are NOT dckids.

If I wanted my kids to follow someone else's rules and live by their expectations and standards then I would put my own kids in daycare. But I don't.

Enough said.
Reply
Tags:meals
Reply Up