Food Program Unannounced Visits

[DancingQueen]

at 12:20? really?
She is miffed because I didn't open my door when she knocked. She went to her car - called my house, then my cell then my house again.
I didn't answer because I was lying down on the floor with my little guy that needs help falling asleep.
Why would they do these unannounced visits at nap time?
Am I just not seeing the reasoning - perhaps there really IS a good reason.
But the note on my door that says "nap time 12 - 2:10 PLEASE BE QUIET" in my opinion should be enough to let someone know that this is NOT a good time.

[nikia]

Do they have you list your meal times? In my state we have to give them the time we serve so that way they dont come at nap time. But I get why you are irritated. I had the state come for my first visit ever at nap time, wasnt much of a break that day

[momofboys]

at 12:20? really?
She is miffed because I didn't open my door when she knocked. She went to her car - called my house, then my cell then my house again.
I didn't answer because I was lying down on the floor with my little guy that needs help falling asleep.
Why would they do these unannounced visits at nap time?
Am I just not seeing the reasoning - perhaps there really IS a good reason.
But the note on my door that says "nap time 12 - 2:10 PLEASE BE QUIET" in my opinion should be enough to let someone know that this is NOT a good time.

So what do they do when everyone is asleep? Make you wake someone up & feed them?!?

[MarinaVanessa]

She is miffed? If it were them doing this to me I would be miffed, not her. I don't know how it works in your state but here in CA you give them your specific meal times and they "surprise visit" you during those times only. You never know what day they'll show up but at least you know it'll be during those times. I mean, what's the point of showing up during non meal times anyway?

That stinks that they would show up during nap time and insist of getting a hold of you even with a sign on your door clearly saying that it's nap time . Have you actually talked to them yet?

[DancingQueen]

I don't know - she left without an answer of the door or phone from me. I'm not messing up my nap schedule for her. You do have to put on the forms what time you feed meals and mine says lunch at 11:30 and snack at 3

Her announced visits are always slightly announced. She gives us a little tiny heads up so I knew today she was coming - and I am prepared for it. She said somewhere between 1 and 4
well 12:20 is not somewhere between 1 and 4.

and 1 I could have done - because my little guy would have been out like a light by then and I would have been able to talk with her. (he is asleep now). But I had JUST laid down with him and I am NOT going to ef up their nap schedule for her to come and look at some half empty plates. Not worth it.

[tenderhearts]

I really like my food program lady but she ALWAYS seems to come at the tail end of nap time and she talks REALLY loud but she gets the hint when I open the door and talk quiet, she'll say, oh is it nap time? I'll say yes and she'll whisper. But I do list my times on there and she has never come during or even close to any of my meal times. I thought they were suppose to try so they could actually see what you do.
So if she comes after lunch but before afternoon snack she'll just ask what I served at lunch and who was there, or if it's almost snack time she'll ask what I'll be serving at snack time. I don't know if it's the "right"way but it works for me

[boysx5]

that is a reason I quit the food program didn't feel like dealing with them and all paperwork I feel so less stress since I did this

[Blackcat31]

I thought all food programs were run by the Federal government so the rules would be the same in all states? :confused: Anyways, I am under the understanding that the food program coordinators are required to do a specific number of unannounced visits and NOT all of them are to observe meals....some of them are just to see if your paperwork and meal counts are up to date. I also thought that we aren't ever suppose to tell them that they cannot visit meal time or not, nap time or not.....if we participate then we are agreeing to unannounced visits at ANYTIME. I did have my coordinator visit once when I was doing an interview and she said she'd return in a bit (although I did not ask her too) because it was hard to talk with her and the interviewing parents at the same time. I was fully prepared to show her my paperwork and meal counts even though I was busy with a potentially new family. I just chalked it up to part of participating with the food program. IDK...I may be wrong in my thinking but that's how I always understood it.

[WImom]

that is a reason I quit the food program didn't feel like dealing with them and all paperwork I feel so less stress since I did this

That's exactly why I stopped too. None of my parents care since they get a menu from me. It was just too much hassle.

[nannyde]

at 12:20? really?
She is miffed because I didn't open my door when she knocked. She went to her car - called my house, then my cell then my house again.
I didn't answer because I was lying down on the floor with my little guy that needs help falling asleep.
Why would they do these unannounced visits at nap time?
Am I just not seeing the reasoning - perhaps there really IS a good reason.
But the note on my door that says "nap time 12 - 2:10 PLEASE BE QUIET" in my opinion should be enough to let someone know that this is NOT a good time.

ours only have to observe meals once a year so they come two out of three times during non meal times.

I love my food program lady. She's the bomb.

We sign an agreement that we will accept unnanounced inspections with them so I will be HAPPY to always have her here. It's a big fat check every month and I don't want to mess it up. I always answer the door immediately.

[MyAngels]

I thought all food programs were run by the Federal government so the rules would be the same in all states? :confused: Anyways, I am under the understanding that the food program coordinators are required to do a specific number of unannounced visits and NOT all of them are to observe meals....some of them are just to see if your paperwork and meal counts are up to date. I also thought that we aren't ever suppose to tell them that they cannot visit meal time or not, nap time or not.....if we participate then we are agreeing to unannounced visits at ANYTIME. I did have my coordinator visit once when I was doing an interview and she said she'd return in a bit (although I did not ask her too) because it was hard to talk with her and the interviewing parents at the same time. I was fully prepared to show her my paperwork and meal counts even though I was busy with a potentially new family. I just chalked it up to part of participating with the food program. IDK...I may be wrong in my thinking but that's how I always understood it.

This is my understanding, too. My rep comes out at least twice a year unannounced, and it's not always at meal times. We are also subject to inspection by the State Board of Education, as well. They have only come once, but unfortunately I was off the day they showed up and I had forgotten to let my program office know. They were not happy, but have never showed up again.

[Crystal]

I thought all food programs were run by the Federal government so the rules would be the same in all states? :confused: Anyways, I am under the understanding that the food program coordinators are required to do a specific number of unannounced visits and NOT all of them are to observe meals....some of them are just to see if your paperwork and meal counts are up to date. I also thought that we aren't ever suppose to tell them that they cannot visit meal time or not, nap time or not.....if we participate then we are agreeing to unannounced visits at ANYTIME.

Yep, this. This is EXACTLY how it is here.

[DanceMom]

I LOVE my food lady ! I am never stressed out because I follow the program to the tee and its easy money I think ! Why wouldnt I do something that gives me a few extra hundred dollars a month

My lady comes three times a year - once to check emails the other two to check paperwork etc. She always comes at lunch time.

Also, love the free 2 hour training they provide that counts towards my yearly hours of training needed for the county/state. I've learned a lot since attending these nutrition trainings !

[broncomom1973]

Sorry it wasnt optimal timing, I would just explain to them that that is not the best time. I just had an unannounced visit 2 days ago for breakfast. We have 3 unannounced visits per year. The first one, I was literally walking out the door to go to the dentist, it was naptime and my mom was my fill in. She came back the next day. Then, I have had a couple other unannounced visits and a couple of them have happened right when kids start waking from their naps so that makes for not-so-great timing. We are told that if we are ever closed to call them to let them know and basically we are supposed to allow them in whenever they come. They are nice about it and like others have said, the money makes it worth the hassel.

[nannyde]

I thought all food programs were run by the Federal government so the rules would be the same in all states? :confused: Anyways, I am under the understanding that the food program coordinators are required to do a specific number of unannounced visits and NOT all of them are to observe meals....some of them are just to see if your paperwork and meal counts are up to date. I also thought that we aren't ever suppose to tell them that they cannot visit meal time or not, nap time or not.....if we participate then we are agreeing to unannounced visits at ANYTIME. I did have my coordinator visit once when I was doing an interview and she said she'd return in a bit (although I did not ask her too) because it was hard to talk with her and the interviewing parents at the same time. I was fully prepared to show her my paperwork and meal counts even though I was busy with a potentially new family. I just chalked it up to part of participating with the food program. IDK...I may be wrong in my thinking but that's how I always understood it.

We have three unanounced now. Used to be one a year... then they switched to two ... now it is all three.

I think there is a variation between sponsors depending on the State/region you are in. We have three visits each year and I've heard some just have two. My friend in Alaska only had one a year.