Does Food Program Really Cover Food Costs?

[LysesKids]

That does seem to vary by state and sometimes sponsor.

I know for a fact IL (registered providers that take Subsidy) and Vermont also allow it... I was on it in IL as a registered home, not fully licensed. the Food program has revamped some of it's rules allowing some states that have extremely high #;s of license exempt & POOR...

[Leigh]

Just wondering...if daycare requires me to provide my own formula for my infant, why are they also requiring me to have my doctor fill out food program paperwork so they can get an extra $100/month from the state? That $100 isn't going to feed my kid, so where is it going and what's that about?? If the state is willing to pay for formula, would be nice if they would help out the parents who are actually buying the expensive stuff in the first place!!

Who is getting an extra $100 a month per child? I want to move there! The food program covers 20%-25% of my food costs. The state doesn't pay for formula, I do. The state pays me to feed the babies and to ensure that kids have balanced meals (provided by me). They subsidize this with my food program check. I get 48 cents for breakfast, $1.50 for lunch, and 20 cents for snack for most kids.

What is the doctor filling out paperwork for? Does your child have an allergy that requires a specific formula or a medical condition that requires a different diet than that prescribed by the food program? As already mentioned, we DO have to offer formula, however, we only have to offer ONE formula. If a child can't drink it or the parents prefer a different one, then the parent would have to provide formula. Also, as already mentioned, we get paid to feed the bottle to the infants, as well.

[Unregistered]

I LOVE the food program. My case manager is AWESOME...I have had the same one for 13 years, and I never mind her dropping in. She has never checked my fridge or cupboards, and most times she comes when it is not even mealtime. I could not feed the children as well as I do without the food program. The paperwork is really very minimal....no more time consuming than coming on here and making a couple of posts

My thoughts exactly! I'm in a low income school district so I'm on the higher tier.

[LysesKids]

My thoughts exactly! I'm in a low income school district so I'm on the higher tier.

If I decide to rejoin I am on the high tier also just because of area; I am in a state that allows licensed exempt providers to be on the food program.

[midaycare]

This discussion always irks me, as the people who love it are always Tier 1

Tier 2 is hardly worth it, and the difference between an extra $10K a year to me, or $1800. Sure, $1800 is great....BUT it's a lot of visits, I have to fill out paperwork every day (FP doesn't accept online submission over here), and I'm always making the simplest mistakes, which would be caught by computer, but not when I write it out. So I can easily lose a week of money because I made a simple error (they are super strict). So I don't make $1800. Maybe $1200.

On another note, child care providers are not rich. We are not stealing money from the food program and running to Maui.

[Thriftylady]

This discussion always irks me, as the people who love it are always Tier 1

Tier 2 is hardly worth it, and the difference between an extra $10K a year to me, or $1800. Sure, $1800 is great....BUT it's a lot of visits, I have to fill out paperwork every day (FP doesn't accept online submission over here), and I'm always making the simplest mistakes, which would be caught by computer, but not when I write it out. So I can easily lose a week of money because I made a simple error (they are super strict). So I don't make $1800. Maybe $1200.

On another note, child care providers are not rich. We are not stealing money from the food program and running to Maui.

LOL yeah that is for sure, can you imagine the parents when they found out we were going on that vacation?

[Play Care]

This discussion always irks me, as the people who love it are always Tier 1

Tier 2 is hardly worth it, and the difference between an extra $10K a year to me, or $1800. Sure, $1800 is great....BUT it's a lot of visits, I have to fill out paperwork every day (FP doesn't accept online submission over here), and I'm always making the simplest mistakes, which would be caught by computer, but not when I write it out. So I can easily lose a week of money because I made a simple error (they are super strict). So I don't make $1800. Maybe $1200.

On another note, child care providers are not rich. We are not stealing money from the food program and running to Maui.

I'll admit I didn't love it when I was tier 2. Right before I was bumped up, DH and I had seriously discussed being done with the FP and having parents provide the meals.
Personally, I think in-homes SHOULD be tier 1, especially as the food program is pushed heavily to licensed providers (and most state regulations about food are food program ones)

That said, I have been on long enough to make it work so I do MAKE money (which helps immensely because the $2 per hour you make off each child's tuition hardly covers it)
There is a health food store that sells organic oatmeal in bulk. You can get a 5 or 10 pound bag (I haven't had to buy in a while) for pretty cheap. And oatmeal is CHEAP to serve and lasts in airtight containers forever. Plain oatmeal, oatmeal pancakes, hm granola, oatmeal cookies for a rare treat, etc etc Chicken is another one - our grocery store has sales where boneless chicken breasts are $1.99/lb. I stock up. Grilled chicken, hm nuggets, hm chicken soup, chicken tacos/quesadillas, etc etc
Otherwise it wouldn't be worth it. And frankly, it's none of my clients business what I do with the money I make. Just as its none of my business what they do with theirs.

[Thriftylady]

I'll admit I didn't love it when I was tier 2. Right before I was bumped up, DH and I had seriously discussed being done with the FP and having parents provide the meals.
Personally, I think in-homes SHOULD be tier 1, especially as the food program is pushed heavily to licensed providers (and most state regulations about food are food program ones)

That said, I have been on long enough to make it work so I do MAKE money (which helps immensely because the $2 per hour you make off each child's tuition hardly covers it)
There is a health food store that sells organic oatmeal in bulk. You can get a 5 or 10 pound bag (I haven't had to buy in a while) for pretty cheap. And oatmeal is CHEAP to serve and lasts in airtight containers forever. Plain oatmeal, oatmeal pancakes, hm granola, oatmeal cookies for a rare treat, etc etc Chicken is another one - our grocery store has sales where boneless chicken breasts are $1.99/lb. I stock up. Grilled chicken, hm nuggets, hm chicken soup, chicken tacos/quesadillas, etc etc
Otherwise it wouldn't be worth it. And frankly, it's none of my clients business what I do with the money I make. Just as its none of my business what they do with theirs.

I am pretty frugal and creative in the kitchen as well. I am going to have to look up the pancakes though. Not that regular ones are expensive or anything, but it would be something new for the kids to try and I always have oatmeal.

[Alwaysgreener]

This discussion always irks me, as the people who love it are always Tier 1

Tier 2 is hardly worth it, and the difference between an extra $10K a year to me, or $1800. Sure, $1800 is great....BUT it's a lot of visits, I have to fill out paperwork every day (FP doesn't accept online submission over here), and I'm always making the simplest mistakes, which would be caught by computer, but not when I write it out. So I can easily lose a week of money because I made a simple error (they are super strict). So I don't make $1800. Maybe $1200.

On another note, child care providers are not rich. We are not stealing money from the food program and running to Maui.

Which FP are you / were you on that makes you use paper? The 3 in my part of MI are all minute menu.

[organicdclady]

I'll admit I didn't love it when I was tier 2. Right before I was bumped up, DH and I had seriously discussed being done with the FP and having parents provide the meals.
Personally, I think in-homes SHOULD be tier 1, especially as the food program is pushed heavily to licensed providers (and most state regulations about food are food program ones)

That said, I have been on long enough to make it work so I do MAKE money (which helps immensely because the $2 per hour you make off each child's tuition hardly covers it)
There is a health food store that sells organic oatmeal in bulk. You can get a 5 or 10 pound bag (I haven't had to buy in a while) for pretty cheap. And oatmeal is CHEAP to serve and lasts in airtight containers forever. Plain oatmeal, oatmeal pancakes, hm granola, oatmeal cookies for a rare treat, etc etc Chicken is another one - our grocery store has sales where boneless chicken breasts are $1.99/lb. I stock up. Grilled chicken, hm nuggets, hm chicken soup, chicken tacos/quesadillas, etc etc
Otherwise it wouldn't be worth it. And frankly, it's none of my clients business what I do with the money I make. Just as its none of my business what they do with theirs.

I come out making money in the end as well. I try and shop smart and plan my menu out BEFORE I go to the store.
I use fresh organic ingredients only. Everything I buy is Organic AND Natural/Real food
I am not sure if it would be worth the amount of work for Tier 2 rates.
My monitor is great, I actually enjoy visiting with her.
My menu and what I serve wouldn't change if I decided to leave the FP.
However, the amount of work that it takes just to enroll a child is crazy. I use a Mac, and of course were still using the ancient grandmother that is MM.
The Kids 2 go app constantly crashes, it can take me up to 40 minutes some evenings just to get through recording one days meals for 8-9 kids.
I have been told for over a year now that the update is coming our way, any month now, etc etc.
If I lost my Tier 1 status I would really have to consider if it would be worth staying on the fp. At this point I don't think I would.

[daycarediva]

I'll admit I didn't love it when I was tier 2. Right before I was bumped up, DH and I had seriously discussed being done with the FP and having parents provide the meals.
Personally, I think in-homes SHOULD be tier 1, especially as the food program is pushed heavily to licensed providers (and most state regulations about food are food program ones)

That said, I have been on long enough to make it work so I do MAKE money (which helps immensely because the $2 per hour you make off each child's tuition hardly covers it)
There is a health food store that sells organic oatmeal in bulk. You can get a 5 or 10 pound bag (I haven't had to buy in a while) for pretty cheap. And oatmeal is CHEAP to serve and lasts in airtight containers forever. Plain oatmeal, oatmeal pancakes, hm granola, oatmeal cookies for a rare treat, etc etc Chicken is another one - our grocery store has sales where boneless chicken breasts are $1.99/lb. I stock up. Grilled chicken, hm nuggets, hm chicken soup, chicken tacos/quesadillas, etc etc
Otherwise it wouldn't be worth it. And frankly, it's none of my clients business what I do with the money I make. Just as its none of my business what they do with theirs.

I am tier 2, I don't make money, but I am reimbursed about 1/2 my childcare food program costs.

If I decided to stop doing the FP, then I would have parents provide meals and reduce my rates a small amount.

[Thriftylady]

Back when I was on it, I didn't know I could also tax deduct food costs. I was on the higher tier then also. This was before it was done online at all, and I seem to remember it being somewhat a hassle. Before that, DH had done all of our grocery shopping, and he quit saying I had gotten where he couldn't keep track what to buy due to the food program . I am not sure how much work it is now, but from what I know about dietary stuff now, I know much of what they allowed or called "healthy" wasn't really. I make much better choices for my own family than I did then, because I know better now. But if I wanted to feed kids like I do now, I am not sure I would find the lower tier worth it either.

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

I'm tier 2 and it's hardly any work at all. I have 12 children enrolled each day...more overall since I have mostly part timers.

Totally worth it here. If I was being reimbursed more than I am now then I would be in love with the program. ::

[midaycare]

Which FP are you / were you on that makes you use paper? The 3 in my part of MI are all minute menu.

No one has been able to get me online in almost 3 years. 2 different FP companies and several people out to my home. Sooooo frustrated. The FP has never been anything but a giant pain in my rear end, and I really don't like people in my home, disrupting my day and making my kids crazy. They always come at lunch. It's my craziest time and I'm pulling my hair out, trying to feed 6 kids, while someone sits on my couch and takes notes. Bite me FP.

[TomCopeland]

food program

This discussion always irks me, as the people who love it are always Tier 1

Tier 2 is hardly worth it, and the difference between an extra $10K a year to me, or $1800. Sure, $1800 is great....BUT it's a lot of visits, I have to fill out paperwork every day (FP doesn't accept online submission over here), and I'm always making the simplest mistakes, which would be caught by computer, but not when I write it out. So I can easily lose a week of money because I made a simple error (they are super strict). So I don't make $1800. Maybe $1200.

On another note, child care providers are not rich. We are not stealing money from the food program and running to Maui.

$1,200 is still better than a kick in the teeth! If you spent 5 hours a week doing Food Program paperwork and had four children and served breakfast, lunch and snack each day, you would be earning $8.72 per hour. I can't think of many other ways you can earn this much in your situation.

By the way, if you want, you can run off to Maui and attend a family child care conference in December where I'll be speaking for two days: https://zepedalearning.org/conferenc...i-hawaii-2016/