Default Style Register
Daycare.com Forum
Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>How Much Food is Enough?
gbcc 05:48 PM 02-18-2010
Ok, so I have this 7 year old dcb. He arrived late so at 12:30 he had a hotdog, strawberries, and tator tots for lunch. 2 hours later he was acting like he was starving for snack. It wasn't snack time so I made him wait. I eat the same as the children and I was more than comfortable with our meal. So at 3:30, only 3 hours after lunch I gave them snack. He and 3 other children shared a bag of popcorn. He whined again how hungry he was so they all had an apple. He was still whining about wanting more food. To me, that seems like a lot of food in 3 hours. He is a very spoiled little boy and will often whine until he gets what he is asking for and I believe it is for attention. So I am not sure if I am not feeding enough or if he is looking for attention.

Now, I love working with children, but I need to make money here! I can't let my entire grocery budget be blown because of this child. Just so I don't sound too cheap I should mention he is my assistants child and he attends daycare and eats food for free. No charge at all.

Sould I offer saltines? Those are cheap and not that tasty so if he truely is hungry he will eat them. Any other suggestions?
Reply
TGT09 05:58 PM 02-18-2010
I'm having this SAME situation but with a dcG! She's the same age so maybe it's a growth year. I totally agree, some days I feel like she's eating me out of house and home.

I make them wait for certain snack/meal times. If they don't eat ALL of a meal/snack then I don't feel sorry for them. However, if they eat everything then I might consider giving them extras. Maybe there is a website to go to find out age specific portions?? I always try to refer back to what sizes school lunches are/were. As my husband so kindly points out, they don't get snack at school so they are use to not getting it.

Now comes the questions:
1. Why is he at your house for lunch? Snow day?
2. What does your assistant have to say about/for it? Maybe you could suggest she bring something from home once or twice a week to help make up for it?

Pretzels are another cheap option. :-) Good luck!
Reply
TGT09 06:01 PM 02-18-2010
http://recipes.kaboose.com/portions.html
Not sure how accurate this is but at least it will give you a guideline. Hope it helps.
Reply
momma2girls 06:09 PM 02-18-2010
I give extra drinks, but not extra food. I am with you, if you start it for one, you must do it for them all. I spend alot on food the way it is, I couldn't imagine feeding daycare children all day long!! They have enough breakfast, am snack, lunch, and pm snack.
Reply
gbcc 06:49 PM 02-18-2010
Originally Posted by mcmann05:
Now comes the questions:
1. Why is he at your house for lunch? Snow day?
2. What does your assistant have to say about/for it? Maybe you could suggest she bring something from home once or twice a week to help make up for it?

Pretzels are another cheap option. :-) Good luck!
He was here because this wk was February Recess so they had off all wk. I know tomorrow is Friday but I am concerned with future days off and summer.

My assistant just laughed at it. She said at home he will eat 2 pieces of ckicken, pork ect. plus sides. He's not a chubby child either.

Do you mean suggest she bring things for him or all the children? To bring it for just him isn't going to be fair to other children. I am struggling with this and my son. He wants yougurt, cookies and other things that are too expensive to feed daycare children, or not healthy. It's his home so he feels he should eat it if he wants. I say it's not fair to others bc I don't have enough or it's too expensive. Its a battle daily this wk.

Thanks for all the suggestions!
Reply
TGT09 07:13 PM 02-18-2010
Ohhh, ok well that all makes sense.

Yeah, I was thinking just for him but you're right that wouldn't be fair. Typing before I'm thinking! :-)

I gauge my portions off the age of the child and what I know he/she has eaten in the past. So, I don't give every child the same amounts so it evens out some. Most of my kids choose to eat very small portions but are ready for a snack sooner than later. I learned to give smaller portions and if they want more, they can ask. I feel like I throw food away enough as it is and I hate it....like money going down the drain.
Reply
DBug 11:33 AM 02-19-2010
Here's what I do : I stock up on store-brand pretzels, animal crackers, rice cakes/crackers when they're on sale. The kids get what's planned on my menu for meals and snacks, but if they're still hungry and have eaten everything on their plate (and anything else left over), I let them eat from my stash. However, I only feed them at meal & snack times. If they get up from the table, they're done for that meal-time, and they have to wait for the next snack. I serve breakfast, lunch and 3 snacks, so there's no way I'm letting them snack in between! If they're really hungry, they'll eat at meal/snack times. If not, I figure they're just looking for attention

Still, if a child is actually hungry and is willing to eat whatever we offer him, I don't think we should be denying him more ...
Reply
Unregistered 12:34 PM 02-19-2010
If it is your asstiance chil I would have her bring extra snacks for him If he is the only child begging for food. Also I have set time we eat and if they are bugging me like he was I would let her deal with it it is probly because she is their that he acts like that. I have a 10 yr old that I watch he eats alot when it is certin things he will eat 2 hotdog, sandwhiches and stuff like that I have started making him eat slower and he cant have seconds till every one else is done and then if he still wants more and their is a bit left over he can have some. I would keep portions in check beacuse you dont want him over eating he might be thin now but it could catch up with him and he needs to learn how to control what he eats and when he is truely comfortable not stuffed.
Reply
jen 03:26 PM 02-20-2010
I serve breakfast, lunch and an afternoon snack. We do not eat between meals...ever.
Reply
momofboys 08:27 AM 02-21-2010
While I hate to deny a child who honestly seems hungry at the same time if my child was in someone else's care I would not appreciate it if the provider allowed them to nibble all day. Here's what we do. . .

We have breakfast at about 7:30
Snack at 9:30
Lunch at 11:30
Snack at about 3:00
My school-age kids eat a snack when they get home about 3:45

I typically will allow two snacks at our afternoon snack time (such as an apple & pretzels) & nothing else. I don't think it is mean to set limits. I have one school age boy who would eat us out of our house if we let him. One day he ate 3 apples (my fault, I had to run a short errand & he asked my husband for another so we had no idea he'd already had 2), a granola bar & a package of yogurt after school one day. After that I set the limit of 2 snacks (I usually give them several things to choose from) & a drink. I think age plays into this too. If it's a toddler who ate little lunch then I might be more lenient b/c we all know how picky they can be at times.
Reply
Chickenhauler 04:04 PM 02-22-2010
Originally Posted by gbcc:
Sould I offer saltines? Those are cheap and not that tasty so if he truely is hungry he will eat them. Any other suggestions?
If you truly want to test his hunger, give him those styrofoam-texture rice cake things that look like urinal cakes.....you gotta be REALLY hungry to eat one of those plain.
Reply
Tags:afternoon snack, assistant, breakfast, food, lunch, meals
Reply Up