Losing Kids For Disliking School Food

[Baby Beluga]

Thanks everyone for your feed back.

I do have a monthly menu sent home with our newsletter.
I do not cook with salt, sugar or other process type foods

I use all natural cooking additives, like coconut oil, etc.

I make pasta, sauce is homemade, mac and cheese, 100%home made, grilled cheese and etc.

Example lunch yesterday: grilled cheese, carrot/celery sticks and blueberries.

I serve a wide variety of foods. But the kids I have will ask for pop tarts, box mac and cheese, lunchables, basically they want highly processed foods that I won't serve. I don't even know what some of those foods are to be honey with you.

When I enroll I talk in great detail about my menu. Funny thing is, is that most parents choose me because Of my menu. I tell them most kids really have a hard time adjusting to our menu if they eat a lot of highly processed foods at home. Parents always tell me they are on board with our menu will do whatever it takes.

The family I just lost considered those sugary fruit snacks as their child's fruit or vegetable. OMG. No joke

I think what I have realized is that of the families I have lost, Some of them have a Nanny because the parents work has unusual hours. One mom is a surgeon, she's hardly home it seems. The other two families just let their kids make all the decisions.

I tired to talk with the parents, but All of them said it's easier to just let them eat what they want. One parent told me that I was the only one causing stress with the food in their child's life, I should have just given in and made the hot dog.

I am not really losing money, I have a wait list and fill the spot the very day it opens.

I feel like I'm at a loss and a little sad. Thanks for listening.

Please don't be sad. Part of being a provider is caring for our children and food is a huge part of our lives.

I think the lunch of grilled cheese, blueberries and carrot/celery sticks sounds lovely. We love grilled cheese here. Often times I even make my own bread (sometimes the kids will help, they love dumping everything into the bread machine) and use it for grilled cheese, etc.

For lunchables: I too have had kids request those. What I do is a cold plate meal. Bread cubes, meat cubes, cheese cubes, raw veggies and raw fruits. The kids usually gobble it up and it happens to be one of my favorite meals because I can prep everything in advance. (I have one here - 14 month old - who refuses any veggies. But I'm working on him)

[Blackcat31]

Blackcat - just curious -no seasonings at all? I don't use salt but I do use garlic and other spices.
I always make their meals with lots of flavor just in case there's left overs, then I eat it

No, I don't add any seasonings at all.

At home we use onions, garlic etc but not in daycare meals.

I've just found it's unnecessary and none of the DCK's seem to care.

[daycare]

No, I don't add any seasonings at all.

At home we use onions, garlic etc but not in daycare meals.

I've just found it's unnecessary and none of the DCK's seem to care.

Same here BC. I have no salt, butter, sugar or seasonings in my home. Ok wait my husband has some for his steaks but I don't eat meat.
Everything I eat doesn't need those things to cover up the real taste.

[mommyneedsadayoff]

I season everything with salt, pepper, and i cook with butter and coco oil. I cant live without my butter!

I would just keep doing what you are doing. Let them leave if it doesnt suit them and go to your wait list. Ime, kids with poor eating habits have higher levels of behavioral and sleep issues, so you are probably doing yourself a favor by weeding them out!

[daycarediva]

I don't think you have done anything wrong. In fact, if the children are accustomed to eating junk it is because of the parents.

Kids eat junk because parents give it to them:

https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/kids-eat-processed-food/comment-page-8/

(not affiliated with this blog, I just follow it and share similar opinions on food)

Are you asking about the child's eating habits and sharing your menu with parents during the interview process? If not, maybe doing so will help weed out the junk food families from enrolling in the first place.

I'm curious, did the parents site not eating as a reason? As a parent I would be embarrassed to admit that to a provider

I was JUST going to post the same article. It's a parent made issue, so it's a parent problem. I would send home for behavior and/or inability to participate. That's it. If they pull, they pull. IDC. My program (and menu) are not for everyone..

I do ask parents to give me a typical daily menu for their child upon interview. It gives me a good idea about what they're (supposedly) serving at home and I can go from there. I won't alter the menu unless the child has a pediatrician documented food allergy.

I have one child, the parent wrote 'muffins, pancakes, waffles, toast, and whatever fruit for breakfast' so imagine my surprise when the child won't eat ANYTHING whole wheat, homemade or with ANY fruit in it. Fruit=applesauce (sugar added/flavored) POUCHES or fruit 'cups' in heavy syrup ONLY. Not even shocked when she had a bowel impaction (suffers from severe constipation bc all she eats is cheese and simple carbs)

She has been here since she was 18m, now 4.5 it's a CONSTANT discussion with her parents about what she would/would not eat that day. I do try to add in some foods I know she will eat, in a way I can manage eg. granola next to plain yogurt and berries (won't touch the yogurt or berries, but will at least eat granola)

[Annalee]

I haven't lost anyone over the meals I serve BUT nearly every interview I have done in the past two years, the clients have asked if they can bring their meals/snacks. I do not allow this as I am the one who will be "graded" on what the meals consist of. I have several clients look at my USDA Food Program menu and frown or let me know their displeasure in some way. It would be a junk food party if I allowed meals to be brought in. I don't feel this has anything to do with the food either. I feel it is just another area where parents feel their children are entitled and should not comply with any rules. Just my opinions.

[Annalee]

I was JUST going to post the same article. It's a parent made issue, so it's a parent problem. I would send home for behavior and/or inability to participate. That's it. If they pull, they pull. IDC. My program (and menu) are not for everyone..

I do ask parents to give me a typical daily menu for their child upon interview. It gives me a good idea about what they're (supposedly) serving at home and I can go from there. I won't alter the menu unless the child has a pediatrician documented food allergy.

I have one child, the parent wrote 'muffins, pancakes, waffles, toast, and whatever fruit for breakfast' so imagine my surprise when the child won't eat ANYTHING whole wheat, homemade or with ANY fruit in it. Fruit=applesauce (sugar added/flavored) POUCHES or fruit 'cups' in heavy syrup ONLY. Not even shocked when she had a bowel impaction (suffers from severe constipation bc all she eats is cheese and simple carbs)

She has been here since she was 18m, now 4.5 it's a CONSTANT discussion with her parents about what she would/would not eat that day. I do try to add in some foods I know she will eat, in a way I can manage eg. granola next to plain yogurt and berries (won't touch the yogurt or berries, but will at least eat granola)

Totally agree! IT IS A PARENT PROBLEM!

[daycarediva]

and I'll be honest here, I get a LOT of clients in my area because of my menu, so the vast majority of my kids come eating well. I have a few who would eat plain baked fish, quinoa and steamed brussel sprouts happily. One just loves all raw veggies and even wanted those for her birthday with hummus. One is crazy about salad and every time I add different salad toppings she gets excited (the other day I did sugar free dried cranberries and slivered almonds and she was ecstatic)

I think that ^ pulls a different kind of clientele, so while the kids eat great there is a LOT of other issues with behavioral/academic expectations and parent neediness.

When we move- I'm am simplifying my meals down to basics. I think a simple, non-organic, rotating menu eg.

Cheerios, bananas
grilled cheese, tomato soup, apples
cheese and crackers

I NEED to simplify the food- and go a tad lower maintenance on the clientele. When you're toddler says "I like Trader Joes mahi mahi only." or "Is this apple from whole foods? Is it organic?"

[Blackcat31]

I NEED to simplify the food- and go a tad lower maintenance on the clientele. When you're toddler says "I like Trader Joes mahi mahi only." or "Is this apple from whole foods? Is it organic?"

:: This made me laugh because I had a DCG a few years ago that would ask me when we're having lobster and mussels.

[JackandJill]

This is mainly why I stopped serving food, and now have parents supply it. No one would eat the home made food I was serving (and I used butter, salt and sugar :

It's sad to see what some kids come with - prepackaged peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, like 3 different types of chips, gummy "fruit snacks" but no real fruit. I have a few kids who's parents send well balanced, home made meals, and other who send food with ZERO nutrition, almost all of it prepackaged. I ended up banning many types of food and drink, in hopes that meal quality would improve.

I agree with PP, good nutrition starts at home. Its not a battle worth fighting for me every day if parents aren't on board. Like potty training, I don't see why I should be banging head against the wall if the total opposite is taking place at home!

[daycarediva]

:: This made me laugh because I had a DCG a few years ago that would ask me when we're having lobster and mussels.

When I get a BIG raise! ::


DS/8 LOVES crab legs and every single time we go out to eat he asks if they have them there. I've gotten a few odd looks.

[Solandia]

No hard feelings, please! (About the salt/seasonings).

But I enjoy using different tastes for the kids, I use a lot celery, onion, garlic, mushroom and carrot(to add sweet to things like sauces), vinegar, lemon/lime...and my area is half Hispanic, so lots of chilis/peppers, cumin, cilantro. Cayenne. Salt & butter, too..,just enough to taste.

I am one for variety, so when I cook rice...I switch between brown, white, yellow rice, wild rice, jasmine, basamiti.

Same with breads, I rotate between a 6 different kinds(including white!).

There a very few things that I make are unseasoned....thinking...a potato soup I make, and a couple more earthy things with root veggies & cabbage.

I think most kids adapt pretty well...most of my dck's ate junk at home and ate well at my house with more variety...a few of my kids benefitted from the local food pantry, and sorry to say....it's a lot of junkier/easy to prepare foods. So it isn't that the parents were lazy, but it's what the got for free.

No salt/seasoning/butter....aiy....personally, I couldn't do it.

[Play Care]

When we move- I'm am simplifying my meals down to basics. I think a simple, non-organic, rotating menu eg.

Cheerios, bananas
grilled cheese, tomato soup, apples
cheese and crackers
:

This is my menu.
In most regards I have great clients and kids, but all are crappy eaters. I got so tired of throwing food away - and because hungry kids are crabby kids - so I made it easy for me. And if it were one or two kids/families over 12 years I would probably be more inclined to fight the good fight, but it's been most of them.

I have one infant now who is doing BLW, and I have high hopes for her. She's already eating salmon, shrimp, black beans, Swiss cheese, hard boiled egg, quinoa, melon and much more! happyface
It's pretty much the only parents I've ever had who actually walk the walk, rather than just claiming they do

[Pestle]

I don't cook--it's fresh or canned here. Nothing more complicated than whole wheat pasta with sauce from a jar.

That being said, even though I'm not on the food program I'm in compliance: whole wheat only, lots of whole fat dairy, lean meats, lots of veggies, no sugar added to fruits, water or whole milk only.

So mostly it's the kind of food that kids should already be encountering at home, even if they don't regularly make a meal of it. And I've had a few kids through here who absolutely. wouldn't. touch. it. But you know what? It's all the older, preschool-age kids from my daughter's school, and they won't even eat what their parents pack. So it's hopeless, but nobody's malnourished and I don't have to deal with it daily like I would if it were full-time kids. You have my sympathy.

[Sumshine]

and I'll be honest here, I get a LOT of clients in my area because of my menu, so the vast majority of my kids come eating well. I have a few who would eat plain baked fish, quinoa and steamed brussel sprouts happily. One just loves all raw veggies and even wanted those for her birthday with hummus. One is crazy about salad and every time I add different salad toppings she gets excited (the other day I did sugar free dried cranberries and slivered almonds and she was ecstatic)

I think that ^ pulls a different kind of clientele, so while the kids eat great there is a LOT of other issues with behavioral/academic expectations and parent neediness.

When we move- I'm am simplifying my meals down to basics. I think a simple, non-organic, rotating menu eg.

Cheerios, bananas
grilled cheese, tomato soup, apples
cheese and crackers

I NEED to simplify the food- and go a tad lower maintenance on the clientele. When you're toddler says "I like Trader Joes mahi mahi only." or "Is this apple from whole foods? Is it organic?"

I am super simple about my menu. It's a 2 week rotation. My parents feed their kids mainly junk so even though it's simple it seems crazy healthy to them and it's stuff kiddos will eat even though they are used to junk! It's so easy to plan ahead of time, I always have stuff on hand ready to go, and it's not crazy expensive. It takes me about 10 mins to prepare/serve a meal which is also a huge bonus!

Breakfast:
Always has a fruit serving and milk- every other day is a different cereal and then in between days are English muffin, toast, bagel, oatmeal, etc.

Snacks:
Easy stuff like wheat Crackers w/ apples. Yogurt & peaches. String Cheese & applesauce, etc.

Lunch:
Always has a fruit, veggie, & Milk serving
Mondays- Sandwich (ham or turkey, the good stuff not crap filled lunch meat)
Tuesdays- HM Spaghetti or HM Mac & Cheese
Wednesday- Sandwich (tuna or grilled cheese)
Thursday- Quesadilla (Cheese or cheese & beef)
Friday- Pizza Muffins (English muffin with HM sauce & cheese) or all beef hot dogs with buns