Daycare.com Forum
Daycare Menus, Breakfast, Lunch and Snack Ideas>Hot Meal vs. Supervision
Controlled Chaos 01:27 PM 10-23-2014
How do those of you offer hot meals accomplish this without completely losing track of your kiddos?
How much do you prepare the night before? Do you get up super early?
I need a game plan
Right now I am in a floor plan I can see LOs from the kitchen but when I move to my new home in 2 weeks I won't be able to see them anymore. The main playroom is downstairs and kitchen is upstairs. There is a small area for them to play or do an activity at the table I suppose, but I don't like being so tied to the kitchen when I feel the LOs need my attention.
How much do you prepare the night before? Do you get up super early?
I need a game plan
Right now I am in a floor plan I can see LOs from the kitchen but when I move to my new home in 2 weeks I won't be able to see them anymore. The main playroom is downstairs and kitchen is upstairs. There is a small area for them to play or do an activity at the table I suppose, but I don't like being so tied to the kitchen when I feel the LOs need my attention.
snbauser 03:10 PM 10-23-2014
I can not see my classroom from the kitchen. Instead I have a shelf of toys in the dining room that the kids play with when we come out for me to fix meals.
Blackcat31 03:24 PM 10-23-2014
My kiddos all do ONE activity while I am preparing lunch/meals. Usually it is books or something that doesn't require much clean up.
I can visually see into the main room/area they are in but I also have a video monitor (like a baby monitor) that allows me to see them too.
I also have those curved mirrors (like the ones you see in a convenience store) installed in the corners of my rooms so that I can see every nook and cranny of each room.
HTH
The monitor I have is portable...like this one:
I can visually see into the main room/area they are in but I also have a video monitor (like a baby monitor) that allows me to see them too.
I also have those curved mirrors (like the ones you see in a convenience store) installed in the corners of my rooms so that I can see every nook and cranny of each room.
HTH
The monitor I have is portable...like this one:
Cat Herder 04:12 AM 10-24-2014
I am up 3-4 hours prior to opening. 
I am ready for the day before the kids get here. I like to eat with my own kids before they go off to school in the mornings.
I also have occasional "big cook" weekends where I will prepare about 4 chickens, 2 hams, brown a few pounds of ground beef and turkey, cook down several messes of greens and beans then put together a few "rough day" casseroles and stews. I tend to grab whatever they have a lot of at the local farmers market. It makes for a varied, seasonal diet.
When the freezer stays stocked with starters, veggies and back-ups, food becomes a non-issue. It does require some serious freezer space, I have three.
I am ready for the day before the kids get here. I like to eat with my own kids before they go off to school in the mornings. I also have occasional "big cook" weekends where I will prepare about 4 chickens, 2 hams, brown a few pounds of ground beef and turkey, cook down several messes of greens and beans then put together a few "rough day" casseroles and stews.
I tend to grab whatever they have a lot of at the local farmers market. It makes for a varied, seasonal diet. When the freezer stays stocked with starters, veggies and back-ups, food becomes a non-issue. It does require some serious freezer space, I have three.
nannyde 05:58 AM 10-24-2014
Originally Posted by Cat Herder:
I am up 3-4 hours prior to opening. I am ready for the day before the kids get here. I like to eat with my own kids before they go off to school in the mornings.
I also have occasional "big cook" weekends where I will prepare about 4 chickens, 2 hams, brown a few pounds of ground beef and turkey, cook down several messes of greens and beans then put together a few "rough day" casseroles and stews. I tend to grab whatever they have a lot of at the local farmers market. It makes for a varied, seasonal diet.
When the freezer stays stocked with starters, veggies and back-ups, food becomes a non-issue. It does require some serious freezer space, I have three.
What she said.I am up 3-4 hours prior to opening.
I am ready for the day before the kids get here. I like to eat with my own kids before they go off to school in the mornings. I also have occasional "big cook" weekends where I will prepare about 4 chickens, 2 hams, brown a few pounds of ground beef and turkey, cook down several messes of greens and beans then put together a few "rough day" casseroles and stews.
I tend to grab whatever they have a lot of at the local farmers market. It makes for a varied, seasonal diet. When the freezer stays stocked with starters, veggies and back-ups, food becomes a non-issue. It does require some serious freezer space, I have three.
jenboo 12:44 AM 10-25-2014
I get up about 15 min before I open 
I make a homemade hot lunch everyday. If it's a crock pot meal then I start it while making breakfast. Everything else takes me about 30min tops.
My daycare room and kitchen are connected. If I was in your position, I would do table activities while I cooked.
I make a homemade hot lunch everyday. If it's a crock pot meal then I start it while making breakfast. Everything else takes me about 30min tops.
My daycare room and kitchen are connected. If I was in your position, I would do table activities while I cooked.