New Meal Policy

[LannieJ]

Hello everyone, I used to be on the food program as a large family provider. I have since downgraded to a small home & decided not to sign up. For those who are not a part of the food program, what do you do for meals? I've considered charging for a meal plan. I've also considered having the parents bring food for their kids. Thx in advance. Have a great day!

[Indoorvoice]

I don't charge extra for meals because I can still claim the cost of food on my taxes, so it seems to pretty much even out. My rates are slightly higher than others in my area, but all my food is homemade, so parents have been not complaining about my rates because of that.

[daycare]

I have never allowed outside food, but what i can tell you from when I worked in a daycare is this.

parents forget the food
there was not enough food packed for the day
the parents pack JUNK food

billy wants what susie has and it's soda. now you have kids whining over what they don't have, only to later have that soda kid acting like a wild animal taht escaped from the zoo.

I dont have too much positive experience with outside food.

I would still provide what food you wanted to serve and just claim it on your taxes.

[midaycare]

I'm between food programs right now. I was on one and it was a pain because they couldn't get me online ... I'm Tier 2, it wasn't worth the handwritten effort.

I'm signing back up in October, but in the meantime I just follow the guidelines set up by the food program.

It's kind of nice now because I can serve Vitamin D milk for everyone, but that's the only change I've made.

Think: easy. Look up muffin tin meals, make things ahead of time and freeze, and don't worry about charging a fair amount for good food.

[Thriftylady]

Originally Posted by daycare

I have never allowed outside food, but what i can tell you from when I worked in a daycare is this.

parents forget the food
there was not enough food packed for the day
the parents pack JUNK food

billy wants what susie has and it's soda. now you have kids whining over what they don't have, only to later have that soda kid acting like a wild animal taht escaped from the zoo.

I dont have too much positive experience with outside food.

I would still provide what food you wanted to serve and just claim it on your taxes.

I don't do outside food for this very reason. I am not on the food program, I was in Kansas but am not here. I still serve the same kinds of meals I did on the program. I don't charge more but plan to file it on my taxes.

[MrsSteinel'sHouse]

I would provide meals. Parents bringing food just contains too many what ifs!

[TomCopeland]

Originally Posted by Thriftylady

I don't do outside food for this very reason. I am not on the food program, I was in Kansas but am not here. I still serve the same kinds of meals I did on the program. I don't charge more but plan to file it on my taxes.

A reminder to everyone - you can deduct the same amount in food expenses whether or not you are on the food program. If you are deducting $2,000 in food expenses before joining the food program, you are entitled to deduct the same $2,000 after joining the food program. Some providers mistakenly believe that they won't be able to deduct as much in food expenses after joining the food program. Wrong. Therefore, all providers are financially better off if they join the food program.

[Crazy8]

I am not on a food program and do not provide lunch. Kids bring their own. I have been doing this for 14 years and never have had a big issue with kids wanting what others have - occasionally they have mentioned it and I just tell them that so and so brings their lunch from their house just like you and maybe next time they can bring that in their lunch. I do ask parents to send a "healthy nutritious lunch" and do not allow junk (no chips, cookies, candy, etc.) but I do not police what they eat either - that is a parent's responsibility. So whether it is PB&J or chicken nuggets or a chef boyardee meal - that is up to the parents, not me. I provide drinks so there is no sugary stuff brought in.

I also take the standard deduction for snacks per day - think its like 70-75 cents now and it more than covers the snacks I provide.

Its also uncommon for daycares to provide meals here, very few do.

[Blackcat31]

Originally Posted by Crazy8

I am not on a food program and do not provide lunch. Kids bring their own. I have been doing this for 14 years and never have had a big issue with kids wanting what others have - occasionally they have mentioned it and I just tell them that so and so brings their lunch from their house just like you and maybe next time they can bring that in their lunch. I do ask parents to send a "healthy nutritious lunch" and do not allow junk (no chips, cookies, candy, etc.) but I do not police what they eat either - that is a parent's responsibility. So whether it is PB&J or chicken nuggets or a chef boyardee meal - that is up to the parents, not me. I provide drinks so there is no sugary stuff brought in.

I also take the standard deduction for snacks per day - think its like 70-75 cents now and it more than covers the snacks I provide.

Its also uncommon for daycares to provide meals here, very few do.

Do any of your kids' bring things that require you to mix, measure, heat up or prepare in any way?
If so how do you manage that?

Sometimes I love the idea of families proving their own meals/snacks.

I keep track and use the standard meal allowance on my taxes.

[KayB]

Originally Posted by Blackcat31

Do any of your kids' bring things that require you to mix, measure, heat up or prepare in any way?
If so how do you manage that?

Sometimes I love the idea of families proving their own meals/snacks.

My families bring their lunches and it's already made and cut up if needed. I do have to heat some meals up quickly in the microwave occasionally and that is usually left overs from last nights supper.

[Crazy8]

Originally Posted by Blackcat31

Do any of your kids' bring things that require you to mix, measure, heat up or prepare in any way?
If so how do you manage that?

Sometimes I love the idea of families proving their own meals/snacks.

I have no problem heating things up - dinner leftovers are often brought in for lunch. Its usually just 30-60 seconds in the microwave. I do tell them to bring the food the way the child eats it - so I am not doing any major prep work. Then I also use my own judgement if I feel there is a safety issue (cut something smaller than a parent has for a younger child, etc.).

[kitykids3]

I'm on the Food Program because I come out financially better for it because I still claim on taxes along with getting my monthly checks. I believe everybody can, the only thing is you have to also claim the monthly checks as income at the end of the year. Either way, I come out ahead.

There is no way I would do things where the parents bring their food. Imagine me heating up 6 meals for 6-8 kids in the microwave for 2 minutes each: that turns out to be 15- 20 minutes just for microwaving. Plus like the pp said, I don't want to deal with kids having junk food at my house or fighting over who has what or the meals not being well-balanced and healthy. I don't want to deal with a kiddo that brings soda and cookies at lunch time right before nap. kwim?

I cook up big batches of food (spaghetti, cx and rice, etc.) then freeze in containers big enough to have enough servings for all the kids, so when it's lunch time I am just pulling out the container and heating that up and serving fruit and veggie with it. Simple. No fighting. I know the healthy balanced meals they are getting. We also have a small veggie garden that the kiddos get cucumbers, zucchini, strawberries, lettuce, etc. from as part of their meals. Cheaper and healthier.