May I Ask Another Question For All You DC Providers?

[Meeko]

The food program here requires that we serve milk with both breakfast and lunch. We can serve juice at snack times. I serve one serving of juice or milk and then as much water as they want.


Note: Can't help but wonder how fast I would fill spots if I served Twinkies and Mountain Dew......seems to be a regular diet for many.

[familyschoolcare]

I serve watter because it is good for you. I offer water all day. Water is good for you.

I did this even before the food program said we needed to. I also, choose to offer only water at snack even before I was on the food program. Water is good for you.

Did I mention water is good for you.

[MrsB]

I have a water cooler so the kids have access to water all day.

Breakfast - I give the option of Milk or Water
Lunch - I give the option of Milk or water
Snack - 1 dixie cup of juice and then water if they are still thirsty. Or water if they dont want juice, but that doesnt happened very often.

I also dont serve drinks until about 5-10 minutes after I have served meals. Then they are consuming more food and not filling up on liquids.

On occasion I will have a child that doesnt drink much here though and a parent will call me and say that they are just so thirsty and drink a ton when they get home.

I ask them what they give them. Usually juice. Some kids will hold out until they get home cause mom/dad let them have as much juice as they want. Then they wonder why their teeth rott out of their head. (That and fruit snacks)

[Blackcat31]

I serve milk for all meals and snacks. Water is served in-between. Sometimes I serve water at snack time depending on what the snack is.

I am surprised at how many of you have kids who waste milk. In all my years as a child care provider I have never come across a child who wasted or disliked milk. I have had one child who had some milk tolerance issues and had to have soy or almond milk (per Dr's orders) but never had a kid who wasted/disliked milk. Hmmmm.

I NEVER offer juice as I personally do not see any nutritional benefit to it. So here, it is water and/or milk.

ALL my kids love both milk AND water.

[countrymom]

I have water available all day ! some times I serve it and sometimes I don't. I also serve juice and omgosh in the summer I serve kool aide (mostly my older children and my children) the kids get half a cup of juice and after that they get water if they want more. I just don't serve milk because I was dumping it like crazy, the only children who get milk are my babies but everyone else its other stuff.

[CheekyChick]

Most of my parents would prefer their children eat fresh fruit, then guzzle down juice that will only hurt their teeth.

[momma2girls]

I give water at pm snacktime, 100% juice at the other snack, and milk at dinnertime. If they still have milk left over from dinner, I give it to them at pm snack, instead of water.

[SimpleMom]

I serve milk, but mostly because of the Food Program. I can't afford Organic Milk or I would love serving it. Personally, I think the other milks are really bad for the arteries. Calcium is consumed in much better ways (imho). So, with that said () I serve milk at lunch and breakfast, water with snacks and inbetween times. Snacks are served with lots and lots of good nutrition.

I think water is really good for a person. I rarely serve juice, too much sugar and there is enough of that in kid's food in general.

[KDC]

I am NOT on the food program. I serve milk for breakfast, and watered down juice for lunch & ice water the remainder of the day. The parents never have an issue - I go through 4 gallons of milk per week and have no more room to store it and no time to go to the store during the week. It's expensive and I hate that I have to throw so much of it out for those that don't drink it.

I believe there are a LOT of ways to get calcium and not just from cows milk. I'm not worried about the nutrition factor. I know many kids that drink nothing but milk and have an iron deficiency because they fill up on it and do not eat enough iron fortified foods.

Water is good for your body, and it's inexpensive -- so it's a win win! If parents want something else, maybe they could provide it? I wouldn't even mention it to the parents, they'll thank you when their kids prefers a bottle of water to a sugary drink, and for trips to the dentist when they get a clean bill of health =)

[My3cents]

I serve milk three days out of five and juice two out of five. I water my juice down. 1/2 and 1/2. I also serve water. I fill the milk cups and then if they don't drink it all put the rest in fridge for lunch. At the end of the day if they have not finished it, I dump it. I was wasting a lot and this method has helped me cut down on the waste.

Blackcat- I would have been the one kid that you had that didn't like milk and refused to drink it. Lactose intolerant but didn't figure that out until I was an adult. I just never liked milk. I do have a little in my coffee but I never drink a cup of milk. I do milkshakes, but pay the price for that after- I would throw up my milk, or spit it up- as a baby. Go figure- They just did not know back then what they do today.

My food program lady- gave me a pamphlet that said whole milk contains one full stick of butter in it. YIKES With summer and warmer weather on its way I plan to give my kiddo's more water.

[mema]

I have to serve milk at breakfast and lunch. I start them off with about 2 ounces. If they drink it, they can request more or they can have water. At snack we have water. Occasionally we will have juice. Mostly in smoothie form tho. These kids get waaaaay too much juice at home. Drinking milk or not doesn't bother me one way or another. They eat enough yogurt, cheese, etc.

We take our water bottles when we head outside in the spring, summer and fall. They make trips to the park with us and we have water breaks often. Especially lately when it's been close to 70 and sunny and the parents are sending them in pants with sweatshirts. Every day they go home saying how hot they were when playing and how they want short sleeves, and everyday they come with long. I have a few that refused water for a while. We had just been using cups, even at the park, I would just bring 1 big water bottle, but now I bought everyone their own "cool" water bottle and they drink it right up

[wdmmom]

Are you permitted to flavor the milk? I've found just adding a very small amount of strawberry or chocolate syrup will do wonders. Same with vanilla.

I serve milk with every breakfast.

I serve milk with every lunch. (Wednesdays are strawberry milk days.)

I serve water with snacks. (Juice watered down once per week.)


I also allow them water anytime they ask and serve it every time we get back from playing outside.

[JennyBear]

I serve milk for breakfast and Lunch in small portions. If they finish they get more, if not I offer water instead.

For snacks and outside time each child get's water. I discovered the children i care for are getting a ton of juice at home so pretty much stopped service my watered down juice here (Now I serve it as a treat sometimes).

[renodeb]

Yes if your on the food program you have to serve milk with meals and then you can serve water with snack. My kids actually wolf there milk down so I dont have that much waste. I usually just give water with snack. I have found that even with the non water drinkers, if you serve it enough times they will start drinking it.

[Blackcat31]

I serve milk three days out of five and juice two out of five. I water my juice down. 1/2 and 1/2. I also serve water. I fill the milk cups and then if they don't drink it all put the rest in fridge for lunch. At the end of the day if they have not finished it, I dump it. I was wasting a lot and this method has helped me cut down on the waste.

Blackcat- I would have been the one kid that you had that didn't like milk and refused to drink it. Lactose intolerant but didn't figure that out until I was an adult. I just never liked milk. I do have a little in my coffee but I never drink a cup of milk. I do milkshakes, but pay the price for that after- I would throw up my milk, or spit it up- as a baby. Go figure- They just did not know back then what they do today.
My food program lady- gave me a pamphlet that said whole milk contains one full stick of butter in it. YIKES With summer and warmer weather on its way I plan to give my kiddo's more water.

If you had thrown up the milk I gave you I would definitely have tried to find an alternative or some sort of solution for you. ....and for me, as I will avoid throw up at ALL costs.

My DH is the same way. Back when he was a baby, they knew nothing about lactose or any type of milk tolerance issues. He suffered through it and to this day drinks no milk. He does yogurt and cheeses but they don't seem to upset his digestive system the way milk does.