Do You Cook for Your DC Kids?

[DaveA]

I do the meals & snacks so I know what the kids are eating. Plus I have a DCP who I’m pretty sure would grub hub fast food daily if I had them bring meals.

[Mom2Two]

I provide meals and I'm on the food program.

I tried letting a child byo meals but it didn't work well. The parent was trying out a different kind of diet and the child (who was older and had eating issues) wanted my food really badly. It just didn't work and I don't want to do it again.

One benefit of providing my own meals is that I choose less messy food (like cheerios that don't have to be bitten).

I don't cook too much--no casseroles or anything like that. But I do make my own whole wheat rolls, silver dollar pancakes, bean/cheese burrito roll ups, and stuff that is nutritious and not messy.

[LittleExplorers]

I provide meals. I just cook more of our dinner and make that daycare lunch. We eat healthy so it more than meets the food program rules. On rare occasions when my family eats more than anticipated we do sandwiches or grilled cheese etc. My dck are all fabulous eaters and their parents often ask for recipes.

[Jiminycrickets]

My parents can barely remember diapers, the only thing they need to supply. I can't imagine trying to get them to remember food, or what would be sent...

[Puddleduck]

I don't cook! My daycare has a sink, a microwave and a small fridge but no real area for cooking and my upstairs isn't child proofed enough for daycare kids to be playing while I cook. I also have so many families with special food needs... Vegetarian, vegan, raw, etc. It would be way too much work. I'm in Ontario Canada and there's no food guidelines to follow. I charge the same as the other daycares in my community and it's never been an issue.

[LostMyMarbles]

Cook.
Because
1: parents don't want the hassle of packing lunches
2: parents tend to pack garbage and I don't want to be the lunch police

This exactly. One of my good friends also does daycare. She has the kids provide their own meals. I don't have time to be a microwave slave. By the time you get 6 to 12 kids lunches warmed up, you would have no sanity left.

A couple of years ago, I had a daycare mom that called into work early. She worked at a hospital. She brought her kid close to lunchtime, with a packed lunch. He had pizza rolls that I was expected to cook, a bag of goldfish, fruit snacks, a juice box oh, and some kind of a sweet tree I don't remember what it was. The other kids were complaining that they didn't have goldfish and fruit snacks with their lunch. It was a nightmare. I told that family never again would that happen. He was going to come during meal time he was going to eat what I prepared. The mom informed me that he didn't like vegetables that's why he didn't want to eat my lunch.

[Meeko]

I cook. I'm on the USDA food program. I am frugal...buy in bulk etc....so I usually make a profit each month. We are tier one due to the local school and so I receive approximately $1200 a month from the program and yet it actually doesn't cost me that much to feed the kids. I also have a GREAT food program sponsor with awesome reps etc, so I actually look forward to their visits.

[LostMyMarbles]

I cook. I'm on the USDA food program. I am frugal...buy in bulk etc....so I usually make a profit each month. We are tier one due to the local school and so I receive approximately $1200 a month from the program and yet it actually doesn't cost me that much to feed the kids. I also have a GREAT food program sponsor with awesome reps etc, so I actually look forward to their visits.

My food rep is so cool, I enjoy her visit too. She's always friendly and bubbly and so knowledgeable.