So after my post yesterday about saving $$ on my grocery bill I decided to grow a little backbone at lunchtime.

I always wanted to put my foot down and say no 2nds on ANYTHING until your plate is COMPLETELY gone but I would always give in..."just take 2 bites of that and you can have some more fruit", "as long as you've eaten 2 servings on your plate you can have 2nds", etc.

But today I made an announcement before lunch that they could only get 2nds on something if they ate EVERYTHING on their plate.

This rule alone might save me $300/ month.

I had 4 of 8 make a "happy plate" (and we sang the Happy Plate song) and they only got 2nds and then were done.

Lunchtime was so much less stressful! Usually before I'm even done putting all the food out those that only eat one or two foods would already be asking for 2nds. Today it was a quiet 15 minutes and even gave me time to grab some food. I even had fruit and veggies left over which NEVER happen.

I love it!! I'm never going back.

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Good for you!! I am glad the new rule is working! I hope you save a ton of $$$. I think that if the kids refuse to eat everything in order to get seconds, then they probably weren't as hungry as you thought.

So glad it is working for you...keep us posted on the food/dollar savings!

P.S. What is the Happy Plate song?

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lol glad you had a peaceful lunch... I have always done that way, as this is how my mom raised me and I guess I just don't know any different.

I also don't allow the children to eat 4 bowls of cereal in the morn. too expensive. It's two bowls max, then you can have some toast or another grain item....

great job and stick to your guns....

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nice! I'm going to put my foot down and do that too....

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I do that too! Why should they load up on their "favorites"?

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cereal is not cheap and I have a few kids that could keep on eating and eating if I don't stop them. I have a cheap back up after the second bowl.

toast with butter/ cinnamon dash of sugar..........
I make a lot of rasin bread, banana bread and its cheap.

I hate food waste.....

One of the other things that I did to reduce food waste was start charging the parents a food waste fee for those kids that were supposed to be at breakfast, but the parents did not inform me that their child was not going to be attending breakfast in the morning, therefore causing food to go into the trash. $5.00 a meal. they all call now when their child will not be in attendance for breakfast.

Not sure if you have this issue or not, but if you do this might be helpful to reduce your cost and help reduce throwing food away

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I don't know how to explain the tune but I'll try and find out. The words go like this...
Bobby made a happy plate, a happy plate, a happy plate
Bobby made a happy plate, and we're so proud of you!

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I love that song! I swear, if we all got together and recorded all the silly songs we just make up during the day, we'd probably become millionaires.

And good for you for making those little ones eat their food. I would never have dreamed of asking for 2nds when I was young with a plate full of food in front of me still. My mother would not have taken too kindly to that.

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That is awesome......I am sooooo NOT musical but that is one of my personal and professional goals this year is to try to be more musical. I can't sing worth a s**t but I don't think the kids really care so I am trying.....

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I'm so bad about singing too and it's on my goal list as well. Their new favorite is the Hokey Pokey so we've been doing that about 5 times a day and then Bringing Home a Baby Bumble Bee. I sometimes forget how much they LOVE little songs like that so I really need to start incorporating those more into our day.

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I have always had this rule. I figure if they are really hungry they will eat what is offered first and if not then they don't need seconds. Saves me money from food not being wasted and teaches the kids about making healthy choices.

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I found this site and it is awesome!!: http://www.songsforteaching.com/index.html

Doesn't make me sing any better but it does make things more fun for the kiddos...

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one of my DCB told me a few weeks ago.... you should not try out for american idol, you might lose.......lmao hes only 2..............

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I think I might try this. I spend my whole lunch time saying 'how do you ask with manners, or you need to have 2 spots eaten (We use divided plates with three spots). Most of the time it's the fruit or meat that they want 2nd's of. I think I'll just give them a little more to begin with and have them eat all to get 2nd's.

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I give them the amount the food program suggests and that's all they get. They are allowed to ask for water but they get no seconds. They get plenty to eat and get fed 3 times a day so I don't see any point in letting them eat until they are stuffed. Kids need to learn portion control sometime.

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I started doing "family style" dining where I put the serving bowls and spoons on the tables and let the kids serve themselves, last week. I notice that we waste a lot less food because the kids actually eat more when they have serve themselves.

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lol wow you are brave. I could never see that happening here without it all ending up on the floor....
but glad that it works for your group... interesting what works for some but would never work for others

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The tune "Mary had a little lamb" works. That's what popped into my mind as I read this.

I've been doing it this way from day 1, though I don't usually allow the kids to serve themselves...

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This is exactly what I do... we get breakfast, two snacks and lunch including having water available all day. Food program portions are and should be enough for a child. I couldn't agree more that kids need to learn portion control.

I also have No Thank You bites.... they have to try one bite of everything on their plate... after that if they don't like it they can say No thank you to the rest of that food. Also they only get additional milk after their first serving if they have eaten all of their food.

All my parents appreciate the way I deal with meals/food and their children

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We wouldn't want kids to eat too many fruits and vegetables. Gracious no!

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This is how I do it as well, but I save milk for snack times, and serve juice or water with lunches. But if the kids wants 2nds after they finish and there is still more than I allow it. We don't have food program, and there is NOTHING that tells us how much of everything. So I give each kid a tiny bit of everything, expecting them to want more. But rather than throw away as much, I choose to give less and they get to decide if they want more of something. EXAMPLE...1 1/2 TBSP of corn, 2-3 TBSP of mashed potatoes, and some meat (no idea how to measure that) . Of course portions also vary depending on age and size of child.
milk is filling, and the kids decide to drink all milk and aren't as hungry for food. An hour later they are hungry again, and can't wait for snacks. SO I don't do this anymore.

Here's something my dad brought to my attention once....
Younger generations get drinks WITH meals or BEFORE meals. When my dad was alittle boy, they got drinks AFTER they finished eating. Whether this is true or not, it raises a good point. When you are raised with drink w/ food, your mouth has been trained to not salivate. You use the drink to "rinse" your mouth out inbetween. But you are filling up on drink whatever it is.
When you've always had a drink AFTER you eat, your mouth naturally produces the moisture to chew and swallow your food.

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That's not the point. The point is that kids need to not pick 1 thing out of 3 things on their plate and only eat that. They need to eat healthy.

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That's right. I'm glad you pointed it out. We wouldn't want to teach our children that any one food group will sustain them. We want the kiddos to eat, try, and enjoy everything on their plates. I don't see any providers saying "oh wow! No more broccoli for these kiddos! I sure wish they would eat snickers instead!"

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When I worked for the nutrition department in our school district, they taught a course on "Controlled Portions". I now know what is a portion for all ages and I utilize that in all of our meals and snacks. There is no 2nds. This saves me a lot of extra time in the kitchen, extra food to cook and refrigerate and walking back and forth offering additional helpings.

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So, I always have gone by the advice my doctor said to me since my DS was beginning to eat...it is your job to offer the variety and healthy meas/snacks it is their job to eat it....and if they don't then they don't...

I agree with him when I apply it to my preschoolers. They don't get to choose what they want to have more of unless they finish their plates!

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