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Daycare Menus, Breakfast, Lunch and Snack Ideas>Okay Snack?
Baby Beluga 10:37 AM 01-29-2019
Sometimes I eat strange food combinations, just because I will need the protein/healthy fat/whatever and it's in my house.

Today I was thinking of serving the kids fruit salad (strawberries, pineapple, cubed apples, cubed pears and blueberries) with pecans on the side. All of my children can eat nuts, etc. Or should I swap the nuts out for cheese? My own kids are dairy free, plus we already had cheese with lunch so I tend to only serve it once or twice a week.
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Cat Herder 10:41 AM 01-29-2019
I serve nuts often. It is a healthy choice. They are also on the food program allowed list.

We had almonds with breakfast this morning.
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Cat Herder 10:50 AM 01-29-2019
This is a chart I use that makes tree nuts easy to add into a balanced diet. Kids love them and they provide quite a few nutrients that are difficult to get into their bellies (like iron). https://www.almonds.com/sites/defaul...Web%20File.pdf
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Baby Beluga 11:14 AM 01-29-2019
Awesome, thank you CH

My own family nuts all.the.time. But I hesitate to serve them to DCK's...because, IDK. Society's weird stigma on nuts?
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Cat Herder 12:35 PM 01-29-2019
Originally Posted by Baby Beluga:
Awesome, thank you CH

My own family nuts all.the.time. But I hesitate to serve them to DCK's...because, IDK. Society's weird stigma on nuts?
I know. Luckily it is a new enough issue for it to not have hit here (rural area) too much. I have only had one "possible" nut allergy in all my years. I did go nut-free for them while they went through testing. That child was cleared by age 2 and her mother who had been diagnosed in another state in childhood also tested negative, after her child's test. She was bent. They have been making up for lost time at a record pace ever since.

Here the bigger issue is kids being overfed/malnourished with accompanying anemia (Iron-Deficiency Anemia). Kids drinking too much cows milk preventing absorption from the already limited intake from too much fast food and carb only diets. https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/ida.html

For anyone I have confused: "Toddlers can run into problems if they drink too much cow's milk (more than 24 ounces a day) and eat fewer iron-rich foods, like red meat and green leafy vegetables. Cow’s milk is not a good source of iron. In fact, milk makes it harder for the body to absorb iron and can contribute to iron-deficiency anemia."
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Baby Beluga 12:56 PM 01-29-2019
Originally Posted by Cat Herder:
I know. Luckily it is a new enough issue for it to not have hit here (rural area) too much. I have only had one "possible" nut allergy in all my years. I did go nut-free for them while they went through testing. That child was cleared by age 2 and her mother who had been diagnosed in another state in childhood also tested negative, after her child's test. She was bent. They have been making up for lost time at a record pace ever since.

Here the bigger issue is kids being overfed/malnourished with accompanying anemia (Iron-Deficiency Anemia). Kids drinking too much cows milk preventing absorption from the already limited intake from too much fast food and carb only diets. https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/ida.html

For anyone I have confused: "Toddlers can run into problems if they drink too much cow's milk (more than 24 ounces a day) and eat fewer iron-rich foods, like red meat and green leafy vegetables. Cow’s milk is not a good source of iron. In fact, milk makes it harder for the body to absorb iron and can contribute to iron-deficiency anemia."
The nut issue is big here. But we neighbor California, so a lot of weird things are becoming issues here

I totally understand and empathize with true allergies. They can be scary. But the others who think they have an allergy but don't want to go through the testing process to confirm/deny...nah. If you're not concerned enough to be tested, why should I be concerned?

I had a child enroll a while back. Mom is allergic to nuts so she was cautious about her child eating them and asked that I avoid giving them to child. Mom said she was going to get child tested but just couldn't bear to have child poked with needles.... okay, no worries. My allergen form from the doc will solve that problem. Gave mom the form will all of the required information on it:

What child’s food allergies are.
Date the allergy was diagnosed.
What symptoms child experiences if exposed to a food allergen.
What steps need to be taken should child be exposed to a food allergen.


Form needed to be filled out and signed by the child's regular pediatrician.

Pedi wrote on his prescription pad "Child does not have food or other allergies and has never tested positive for them. Avoidance of certain foods is not necessary. Should child have a surprise reaction, child can take X dose of children's benedryl." I laughed so hard when I read that note. Solved THAT problem!

Don't even get me started on the cow milk issue...
Kids are given so much darn milk it's ridiculous.
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CityGarden 01:45 PM 01-29-2019
Originally Posted by Baby Beluga:
The nut issue is big here. But we neighbor California, so a lot of weird things are becoming issues here
I am located in California.... Southern California which actually may be worse when it comes to all the allergy and food preferences - that is the #1 reason I do not provide meals. I only offer morning snack.

Originally Posted by Baby Beluga:
I had a child enroll a while back. Mom is allergic to nuts so she was cautious about her child eating them and asked that I avoid giving them to child. Mom said she was going to get child tested but just couldn't bear to have child poked with needles.... okay, no worries. My allergen form from the doc will solve that problem. Gave mom the form will all of the required information on it:

What child’s food allergies are.
Date the allergy was diagnosed.
What symptoms child experiences if exposed to a food allergen.
What steps need to be taken should child be exposed to a food allergen.


Form needed to be filled out and signed by the child's regular pediatrician.

Pedi wrote on his prescription pad "Child does not have food or other allergies and has never tested positive for them. Avoidance of certain foods is not necessary. Should child have a surprise reaction, child can take X dose of children's benedryl." I laughed so hard when I read that note. Solved THAT problem!

Don't even get me started on the cow milk issue...
Kids are given so much darn milk it's ridiculous.

I am also guilty of being so "California" I ended up with a dd with a peanut allergy. As an allergy mom I know a simple kiss with someone who recently had peanuts could kill her... so even tough I do not have a peanut allergy I do not enjoy peanuts anytime I may have contact with my child (which is all the time)
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Baby Beluga 02:28 PM 01-29-2019
Originally Posted by CityGarden:
I am located in California.... Southern California which actually may be worse when it comes to all the allergy and food preferences - that is the #1 reason I do not provide meals. I only offer morning snack.

I am also guilty of being so "California" I ended up with a dd with a peanut allergy. As an allergy mom I know a simple kiss with someone who recently had peanuts could kill her... so even tough I do not have a peanut allergy I do not enjoy peanuts anytime I may have contact with my child (which is all the time)
I think having families providing meals is a great move. May I ask how that works with your DS? Are your families cautious about sending in safe foods? Or is it a non issue since she is away at school (if I remember she is SA, right?)

I 100% get avoiding foods your child is allergic to. DS is allergic to peanuts. Anaphylaxis. We carry two pens, as I am sure your DD does too It started off with him not being able to ingest peanuts but was able to be around them. One day DD was eating crackers with peanut butter and afterward kissed DS on the forehead. He broke out in the worst rash with facial swelling. So now we are totally peanut free. No one can bring food into our home except DH and myself. No bulk bin purchases that DS will consume. Family members have to wash hands upon arrival at our house. No kissing on the lips. And now I am fighting with the insurance company on issuing a second set of pens. Our insurance will only cover generic. All of the pharmacies within a 50 mile radius of us only have the brand epi pen. If this can't be sorted out before the current pens expire we will be forking out the money for the brand name epi pen.

The difference between this mom and me though is I actually had my children tested. She didn't. Mom had the allergy and wanted to be on the safe side for her child in case her child also had allergies. Which I totally get. But if she was so concerned for her child's well being I would have assumed "not wanting her child to be poked with needles" would not have been her reason for opting out of testing. I mean, you go to the ER in anaphylactic shock you will be poked with a lot more needles than what is necessary for an allergy screening blood draw.
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hwichlaz 07:13 AM 02-01-2019
Originally Posted by Baby Beluga:
I think having families providing meals is a great move. May I ask how that works with your DS? Are your families cautious about sending in safe foods? Or is it a non issue since she is away at school (if I remember she is SA, right?)

I 100% get avoiding foods your child is allergic to. DS is allergic to peanuts. Anaphylaxis. We carry two pens, as I am sure your DD does too It started off with him not being able to ingest peanuts but was able to be around them. One day DD was eating crackers with peanut butter and afterward kissed DS on the forehead. He broke out in the worst rash with facial swelling. So now we are totally peanut free. No one can bring food into our home except DH and myself. No bulk bin purchases that DS will consume. Family members have to wash hands upon arrival at our house. No kissing on the lips. And now I am fighting with the insurance company on issuing a second set of pens. Our insurance will only cover generic. All of the pharmacies within a 50 mile radius of us only have the brand epi pen. If this can't be sorted out before the current pens expire we will be forking out the money for the brand name epi pen.

The difference between this mom and me though is I actually had my children tested. She didn't. Mom had the allergy and wanted to be on the safe side for her child in case her child also had allergies. Which I totally get. But if she was so concerned for her child's well being I would have assumed "not wanting her child to be poked with needles" would not have been her reason for opting out of testing. I mean, you go to the ER in anaphylactic shock you will be poked with a lot more needles than what is necessary for an allergy screening blood draw.

I've been in your shoes with my ex husband. A road trip to get the generic pens is much cheaper than buying the name brand pens. Just putting that out there.
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CityGarden 08:50 AM 02-01-2019
Originally Posted by Baby Beluga:
I think having families providing meals is a great move. May I ask how that works with your DS? Are your families cautious about sending in safe foods? Or is it a non issue since she is away at school (if I remember she is SA, right?)
Yes my dd is SA and away at school - my program is peanut free which I have in red bold text in the contract and they initial that line. All my parents have been respectful to this.... I also open lunches prior to giving them to the kids so if there are any issues (choking concerns, peanuts, etc.) I pull those out and will return them with a little note reminding them of our policies. We have not had any issues with the peanut policy and parents in my area are used to it and respect allergies, many are thankful for my policy - others just know it is the new reality even one of our public elementary schools is completely peanut free & most of the private schools either have peanut free classes or peanut free schools.


Originally Posted by Baby Beluga:
I 100% get avoiding foods your child is allergic to. DS is allergic to peanuts. Anaphylaxis. We carry two pens, as I am sure your DD does too It started off with him not being able to ingest peanuts but was able to be around them. One day DD was eating crackers with peanut butter and afterward kissed DS on the forehead. He broke out in the worst rash with facial swelling. So now we are totally peanut free. No one can bring food into our home except DH and myself. No bulk bin purchases that DS will consume. Family members have to wash hands upon arrival at our house. No kissing on the lips. And now I am fighting with the insurance company on issuing a second set of pens. Our insurance will only cover generic. All of the pharmacies within a 50 mile radius of us only have the brand epi pen. If this can't be sorted out before the current pens expire we will be forking out the money for the brand name epi pen.
I allow people to bring food in our home, etc. we all wash hands and I always ask prior to them entering if they have any items with peanuts. Maybe my dd is older than yours but everyone in our lives know about dd's allergy..... and all have been respectful and supportive.

With changes to insurance drug coverage my insurance switched to generic only as well... My pharmacist/pediatrician was able to dispute the insurance company denial because it was a life threatening item. It was a process and took about a week between the pharmacist, pediatrician and the insurance company but they did all the work ---- I just had the hassle of going to the pharmacist twice and having to wait about a week. I would talk to your child's pediatrician - if they are unwilling to allow the generic either due to lack of availability or because it is not as effective for life saving drug there are ways to contest.

Hopefully the new congress will get a handle on these extreme cost of drugs so insurance companies don't feel forced to put consumers in corners like these - in this case it is the rug companies charging so much that is the blame, insurance companies are just reacting to those crazy drug prices by limiting us.


Originally Posted by Baby Beluga:
The difference between this mom and me though is I actually had my children tested. She didn't. Mom had the allergy and wanted to be on the safe side for her child in case her child also had allergies. Which I totally get. But if she was so concerned for her child's well being I would have assumed "not wanting her child to be poked with needles" would not have been her reason for opting out of testing. I mean, you go to the ER in anaphylactic shock you will be poked with a lot more needles than what is necessary for an allergy screening blood draw.
I disagree with your statement above mom knows she has a peanut allergy... the difference is you have no food obligation to the mom. If your son with a peanut allergy as you describe above was the parent in the description above. I would be concerned about the following...

Your son, now DCD picks up child not knowing child had peanuts at snack. Signs child out, buckles child into the car seat in close range of ingestion, gets in car to drive home, goes into anaphylaxis shock, crashes car, kills both himself and the child.

another example

Your son, now DCD picks up child not knowing child had peanuts at snack. Signs child out, gives child kiss before putting them into the car and goes into anaphylaxis shock in the middle of the street / parking lot leaving a preschool in a street / parking lot to potentially be hit by a car and possibly killing them both.

another example...

Your son now DCD picks up child, provider informs him the child had peanuts at snack DCD now needs to stay away from his own child and leave the daycare w/o child, child is upset DCD came and did not take them, DCD calls the mom to pick up now making pick up time late and owing a late fee. DCM picks up child ensures child is clean and safe, to be overly cautious DCD should still not kiss child for period of time.

It is not about the not wanting to poke the little one with shots it is about IF YOU KNOW YOU HAVE AN ALLERGY YOU TAKE CERTAIN PRECAUTIONS. None of those example above are dependent of IF the child had an allergy.... Sorry to be so blunt in my examples above but these are the types of situations I try to think out with my daughter as she becomes more independent and out in the world without me and while I do not recall the age of your son I hope you arm him with this sort of knowledge when he gets to the right age as well.

You do not have an obligation to the mom's health but mom was right to ask for an accommodation based on her own allergy, it is your as the provider right to deny that request and IF it were my daughter and grandchild I would hope my daughter would just move on to a daycare that would not put her life (and my grandchild's life) at risk.
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Baby Beluga 10:18 AM 02-01-2019
Originally Posted by CityGarden:
Yes my dd is SA and away at school - my program is peanut free which I have in red bold text in the contract and they initial that line. All my parents have been respectful to this.... I also open lunches prior to giving them to the kids so if there are any issues (choking concerns, peanuts, etc.) I pull those out and will return them with a little note reminding them of our policies. We have not had any issues with the peanut policy and parents in my area are used to it and respect allergies, many are thankful for my policy - others just know it is the new reality even one of our public elementary schools is completely peanut free & most of the private schools either have peanut free classes or peanut free schools.




I allow people to bring food in our home, etc. we all wash hands and I always ask prior to them entering if they have any items with peanuts. Maybe my dd is older than yours but everyone in our lives know about dd's allergy..... and all have been respectful and supportive.

With changes to insurance drug coverage my insurance switched to generic only as well... My pharmacist/pediatrician was able to dispute the insurance company denial because it was a life threatening item. It was a process and took about a week between the pharmacist, pediatrician and the insurance company but they did all the work ---- I just had the hassle of going to the pharmacist twice and having to wait about a week. I would talk to your child's pediatrician - if they are unwilling to allow the generic either due to lack of availability or because it is not as effective for life saving drug there are ways to contest.

Hopefully the new congress will get a handle on these extreme cost of drugs so insurance companies don't feel forced to put consumers in corners like these - in this case it is the rug companies charging so much that is the blame, insurance companies are just reacting to those crazy drug prices by limiting us.




I disagree with your statement above mom knows she has a peanut allergy... the difference is you have no food obligation to the mom. If your son with a peanut allergy as you describe above was the parent in the description above. I would be concerned about the following...

Your son, now DCD picks up child not knowing child had peanuts at snack. Signs child out, buckles child into the car seat in close range of ingestion, gets in car to drive home, goes into anaphylaxis shock, crashes car, kills both himself and the child.

another example

Your son, now DCD picks up child not knowing child had peanuts at snack. Signs child out, gives child kiss before putting them into the car and goes into anaphylaxis shock in the middle of the street / parking lot leaving a preschool in a street / parking lot to potentially be hit by a car and possibly killing them both.

another example...

Your son now DCD picks up child, provider informs him the child had peanuts at snack DCD now needs to stay away from his own child and leave the daycare w/o child, child is upset DCD came and did not take them, DCD calls the mom to pick up now making pick up time late and owing a late fee. DCM picks up child ensures child is clean and safe, to be overly cautious DCD should still not kiss child for period of time.

It is not about the not wanting to poke the little one with shots it is about IF YOU KNOW YOU HAVE AN ALLERGY YOU TAKE CERTAIN PRECAUTIONS. None of those example above are dependent of IF the child had an allergy.... Sorry to be so blunt in my examples above but these are the types of situations I try to think out with my daughter as she becomes more independent and out in the world without me and while I do not recall the age of your son I hope you arm him with this sort of knowledge when he gets to the right age as well.

You do not have an obligation to the mom's health but mom was right to ask for an accommodation based on her own allergy, it is your as the provider right to deny that request and IF it were my daughter and grandchild I would hope my daughter would just move on to a daycare that would not put her life (and my grandchild's life) at risk.
I think it's wonderful your families are respectful of your policy I have had less than respectful families - oddly enough the mom in question here brought in her child eating a granola bar...with peanuts. Despite not allowing outside food.

I actually agree with you on the bolded part... for most families. With this family, I question the severity of the allergy. Or even the knowledge surrounding her allergy. And while I understand allergies can and do change. To not even have an idea as to what yours is like, is just so odd to me. Two recent examples:

Mom lives with extended family. When speaking to her about the allergy form requirement for her child she then told me "I am not so sure she will be allergic. She drank some of her cousins almond milk the other day and was fine." (using your example above, if mom was truly allergic herself and had those same concerns for her child, mom, nor her child, should not have had contact with the almond milk, period. That would have been a precaution that would have been taken.)

We also did a project with almond butter the earlier in the week. Knowing what mom's told me about her allergy I sent her a text asking if it was safe for her to handle to project since it contained almonds. Her response? "Good question." Then she went on to say how her allergies have changed as she has aged and she doesn't really know. In telling my husband about it later that evening, I actually sighted an example similar to yours. I didn't want mom to handle the project, have a reaction, crash and something happen to mom and the child.

My frustration isn't with those who have true, diagnosed allergies. I completely sympathize with those who do because it because such a huge source of fear. And that is rough.

My frustration is with those who shout "I am allergic to xyz" who don't actually know if they truly are allergic, don't want to put forth the effort to get tested or arm themselves with knowledge, but expect others to jump through hoops for them.

ETA: Mom also did not ask me to avoid nuts because of mom's own allergies. She asked simply because child had not been tested. Once pedi wrote the note and gave the okay, mom was/is fine with child eating nuts. This had nothing to do with mom's allergy as a safety concern for herself. This was about mom having a suspicion her child may have her same allergy, choosing to not get her child tested, but asking others to make accommodations on that suspicion.
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Baby Beluga 10:23 AM 02-01-2019
Originally Posted by hwichlaz:
I've been in your shoes with my ex husband. A road trip to get the generic pens is much cheaper than buying the name brand pens. Just putting that out there.
I had a similar thought and wondered if it would just be easier.
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