Serving One Meal Component at a Time

[Unregistered]

it's good you got DS to eat his healthier food first, but in reality, we can't really threaten to withhold a snack at the next snack time during childcare hours, right?

[Josiegirl]

it's good you got DS to eat his healthier food first, but in reality, we can't really threaten to withhold a snack at the next snack time during childcare hours, right?

But she wouldn't have been with-holding a snack, he would have had food to eat? It just would have been lunch leftovers.

[Blackcat31]

it's good you got DS to eat his healthier food first, but in reality, we can't really threaten to withhold a snack at the next snack time during childcare hours, right?

Participating in the food program for the daycare is one thing but as a parent I will feed my child as I see fit. If it didn't meet the food program guidelines I just wouldn't claim him then.

[renodeb]

That's a strange method. I have never served the meals that way. I have to admit that sometimes I with hold the fruit until some headway is made on the meal.
Deb

[Unregistered]

But she wouldn't have been with-holding a snack, he would have had food to eat? It just would have been lunch leftovers.

Oh you're not hungy? I'll save your food for snack then.

[Unregistered]

This is just me....but this would drive me crazy. I'm of the mind, make food, serve food, kids eat or not. I don't worry about. I cook mostly from scratch, very little convenience food but still kid friendly in mind.

I will serve more if the child generally is a good eater and hasn't finished everything. If child only eats carbs or fruit I do hold off on seconds.

[mamamanda]

Yes he would still have food available. I would never withhold food from any child, especially with him being underweight. I just told him I would save his lunch for snack time rather than serving him the same snack as everyone else. I try to serve healthy snacks, but they are still more "snacky" foods. Raisins and string cheese, fruit and peanut butter, crackers with organic lunchmeat, etc. Those are his preferred foods and he's started refusing all veggies in general. Wouldn't be as big a concern with a dck. That's their parents' battle, but seeing as he is my child I care very much that he's refusing the veggies.

Also, I serve meals that meet the requirements of the food program, but I am not on the food program. So it never occurred to me that not offering lunch at snack time would be an issue.

[mamamanda]

Participating in the food program for the daycare is one thing but as a parent I will feed my child as I see fit. If it didn't meet the food program guidelines I just wouldn't claim him then.

[Nisaryn]

Only recently started doing this since I decided to let them 'self feed'. I serve one meal component at a time but this is only because since I take infants only...it can get REALLY messy, really fast! It's just easier for me to clean them up and make sure they are actually eating their food (one little guy insists on grabbing big hand-fulls and shoving them into his face...not his mouth...his face...so if I only offer one thing at a time I'm more able to see how much he is actually getting into his body, LOL. I'm also on the Food Program and I've talked with my agent about this and she is ok with it since they are infants (11m, 9m and 8m).

[Laurel]

I haven't read all the responses but I served the veggies first simply to get them started while I was still preparing other things. It kept them happy and occupied while I was finishing up the other components. If they ate the veggies fine and if they didn't, I just served them the rest when it was ready. But mostly they'd eat the veggies or at least some of them because they were simply hungriest then and the rest of the lunch wasn't ready (or they didn't know it was). No milk until the rest was served. If they were thirsty then some water so they wouldn't fill up on milk and not eat.

P.S. I didn't participate in the food program as I always thought it was a hassle.

[Unregistered]

I haven't read all the responses but I served the veggies first simply to get them started while I was still preparing other things. It kept them happy and occupied while I was finishing up the other components. If they ate the veggies fine and if they didn't, I just served them the rest when it was ready. But mostly they'd eat the veggies or at least some of them because they were simply hungriest then and the rest of the lunch wasn't ready (or they didn't know it was). No milk until the rest was served. If they were thirsty then some water so they wouldn't fill up on milk and not eat.

P.S. I didn't participate in the food program as I always thought it was a hassle.

I like this. Would make preparing easier also.

[Laurel]

I like this. Would make preparing easier also.

That's originally why I started and then I discovered "Hey they are eating more veggies."

[thrivingchildcarecom]

What we do is to require the kids to at least try (meaning 2/3-3/4) each course before moving to the next course. I started this early on because you are so right they won't be inclined to eat the veggies if something more to their liking is right there in front of them. Because this is an everyday practice, the kids get use to it and know that they can't just jump to the fruit or sweet stuff.
Another thing I have used for years is the "Deceptively Delicious" cookbook that came out years ago. In fact this morning I made the Applesauce Oatmeal Muffins w/carrot puree and believe me I can barely get them out of the oven before the batch is gone. I use this concept in many of the things I cook for the DCK's. I have the most success with getting in the veggies in other ways like this. I know it isn't the raw way, but lets leave something to the parents. At least we can get some veggies into them.
Oh one more thing; whenever I see the juices on sale that incorporate the full serving of fruits and veggies, I snap up a few as well.

[caligirl]

I have all their food ready, but feed them their veggies and protein first. Like a restaurant would give you your salad first then after most of them have eaten that, I give them the rest. I have a few who are at the picky stage so I wait until the good eaters are finished before giving them the rest of their lunch.

I have one boy here, 17 months, who likes to stuff handfuls of food in his mouth. That just drives me nuts. He apparently does that at home too. He is a bottomless pit. He'd eat all day if he could. So with him, I have to sit by him and give him one bite at a time on his plate so he won't shove everything into his mouth at once

[Brittany]

Two bites, one bite, serving components at different intervals, charts, clubs, rewards etc.........

It's all too much hubba balloo for me....

I just put everything on their plates at one time.

I encourage them to start with their cold/fresh veggies first but if they don't. Oh well.

I don't serve seconds of anything unless the whole plate is
clean.

Milk is not served until mid-way through the meal. If they drink that, they can have water when they are completely done eating.

I dont have food battles and will not engage in any type of creative methods of "encouraging" them to eat. I've found that the LESS I discuss or focus on food and eating well the better the kids actually eat.

My food program rep has commented many times on the wide variety of veggies and foods my DCK's eat.

I have 10-12 kids daily and not single one of them are picky eaters. Many of them started out that way but it rarely lasts long.

This is almost exactly what I do, I just don't have the patience for making a big deal every time the eat something new.

Blackcat when you first get them, do they eat their lunch or does it take a few weeks?
Also how many of the kids will clear their plates for seconds? I have one little girl (3yr) who was an excellent eater, now she will just sit and watch other kids eat.And play at the table, won't eat and will even skip snack if it's something she doesn't like. I don't make a big deal of it, but hopefully its just a phase.