Food Program

[newtodaycare22]

one more ?

Thanks for all of the help. One more food related question...Does anyone use minute menu and record meals served at different times? I serve breakfast at 7:45 but I have a girl who comes between 8-9 and (sometimes) I save breakfast for her and serve it when she comes. I want to claim it but I'm not sure if I should since my techincal sign in sheet will show that she's not in attendance at 7:45. Thanks for any thoughts!

[marniewon]

I've never tried it, but there's supposed to be a way to "split" meals, for when you serve the same meal at different times. If you go into the help section on minute menu, search "split meals" and see what it comes up with. Sorry I couldn't be more help.

[grandmom]

newtodaycare,

marniewon is correct. On the Minuted Menu page leftish side toward the top is "number of servings" click on it and choose 2. Your screen will change to accommodate 2 servings with different times. If it doesn't just email/call your food program and ask them to make the change. It's worth it if you want to claim that child. Simple.

[Carole's Daycare]

Regarding repeated foods- I too serve banans & ceral several times a week- with breaks for oatmeal, fench toast sticks w/ applesauce . I think there's a difference between that and serving hot dogs or corndogs 2-3 times per week! We need to balance serving a variety, serving healthy foods, being cost effective, introducing new foods and expanding their tatstes, and not throwing food in the garbage. No small task. If that means every monday is nuts anyway so Monday is always chicken nugget, fries, and peaches w/ milk and bread, and you switch up the less popular meals in your group less often, or you repeat a favorite food often and serve with a new one- whatever works. Faily style works with older kids to meet guidelines, because you "offer" the food without it being on their plate, and then in the garbage- so another child can have seconds and eat their portion. The trick is of course, kids have to have clean hands, be able to handle the serving utensil, etc.I often serve part of a meal placed on the plate- say, the chicken, and do the baked beans family style, to achieve a similar result with slightly less chaos.
Minute Menu- in your facility information you can designate multiple shifts for meals- I have an early breakfast for early arrivals/kids going to school- and a late one- you can designate lunch time for a kid getting on a preschool bus, then your regular time etc. Just change your times to allow multiples in your facility section under meal serving times. That also helps if you serve snack to little kids after nap, and a later one for big kids off the bus.