Sharing Menus?

[Unregistered]

I am getting sick of eating the same old stuff around our daycare! Would anyone be willing to share their menus or some good meal/ snack ideas for the kiddos!?!? : )

[Rachel]

I watch kids after school, and I post my menus on a blog (just getting started with it, trying to keep it up). The main meal I serve is lunch. I pick up the kids at 1:30, we get home by 2, and I give them lunch then. I give them a snack around 4, but it's something simple. In a year I plan on doing full time daycare, but I can't now because I have a 2 year old and one of the rules of the agency I want to go through is once your kids are over 18 months they can't be home. Next year when he's 3.5 he'll be starting pre-k anyway, so that won't be an issue.

Almost forgot the blog link!

My Menus

[melskids]

here are some of our favorites, although i feel we are in a rut too, and would love some new ideas.

anything in spagetti sauce...
salsibury steaks or swedish meatballs
sheperds pie
mac n cheese
grilled chicken
homemade pizza a thousand ways....crust, bagels, english muffins, etc.
turkey or ham wraps
meatloaf
grilled cheese
sloppy joes
ham steaks
homemade soups and stews
bbq pulled pork
homemade "hamburger helper"
chicken and biscuits
pb and jelly
tacos, taco salad

sometimes just cheese and crackers, yogurt or yogurt smoothies
they love breakfast for lunch
i'd love to have more fish, but they will only eat it as fish sticks.
chicken nuggets are a treat once in a while
the only time i serve hot dogs is at our 4th of july cook out / party

yesterday i had leftover t bone steak, so i made them steak fahitas...they couldnt eat them fast enough!!!!they better not get used to that though, t bone is a once a year treat just for my family!!!!

i am on the food program so i follow their guidlines as far as veggies and fruits
i try to make everything homemade and as healthy as possible

we are in a rut for snacks big time....same old thing, goldfish, pretzels, animal crackers, etc. BOOOORING!!!!!!

i try to buy something new each week as far as fruits and veggies....last week many kids tried papaya for the first time and most of them liked it. next week we're gonna try a coconut.....

[laundryduchess@yahoo.com]

we love to core apples, then stuff with PB and slice into discs, then I sprinkle with seeds. (sunflower, sesame, flax, etc) (tell parents though, I had a mom call me frantic that she thought her kid had worms from the seeds in their poop) We make homemade fruit rollups, with a dehydrator. I make rollups with hummus, flatbread or wheat tortillas, and let them dip it into pesto. pop biscuit pizzas Made with fresh garden veg instead of pepperoni. Cherry or grape tomatoes with shredded mozz cheese, We take some fresh basil from our garden and a clove of garlic and some olive oil and I let them "bash" it in our mortar and pestle. Then I let them stir it up with the tomatoes and cheese and there is tomato basil salad. It "costs" me the price of about 3/4 cup of shredded mozz. I think of my favorite foods, and think of ways to make it so the kids can eat. We make sushi with canned tuna instead of ahi and guacamole instead of wasabi. I pound chicken breasts, layer with ham sundried tomatoes, and cheese, roll and roast. Slice and its a yummy looking rainbow. I hate the term ' kid food'. Kids will eat what they are served. If I can get them to eat veg and fruit, instead of fries and nuggets. Im so going to do it.

[momofsix]

This was discussed a while ago on this forum, here/s the link!

https://www.daycare.com/forum/showthread.php?t=11041&highlight=menus

[Rachel]

Thanks for the link. I'm always looking for new ideas!

[Unregistered]

Hey laundryduchess!
I tried the apple rings stuffed with PB (I didn't have any seeds) for PM snack yesterday.
Apparently I'm the best "cooker" ever.

Thanks for the suggestion.

[kdparadise]

Menus that are based on the food programs would be great! Anyone on the food programs care to share?