Needing some new lunch ideas...

[laundrymom]

Come on over gals!! Tonight is grilled pizza! Family pool party, and blackberry snocones. !!! It's 100 degrees and about 113 heat index. We are probably going to not have to start the grill!!! Rofl!! Just sitting in the sun should do it. Lol. Just Boone make fun of me in my suit or I won't share the good floaty!! Lol

Oh and when I say family pool party, that's a loose term it will be me, DH, my four kids, daughters boyfriend, sons girlfriend, and probably 4 extra 20 yr old boys. Plus the girl down the street. What's a couple more? Lol. My sons friends routinely stop by at dinnertime. With or without him.

[dEHmom]

Oh and when I say family pool party, that's a loose term it will be me, DH, my four kids, daughters boyfriend, sons girlfriend, and probably 4 extra 20 yr old boys. Plus the girl down the street. What's a couple more? Lol. My sons friends routinely stop by at dinnertime. With or without him.

i'm totally expecting this too with my kids. But i can barely afford my own kids eating, for their ages I cannot believe how much they eat sometimes. And they are so tiny, not like they show it.

I'm going to implement a rule, you can stay for dinner anytime, but you have to bring something with you, or pay me for your plate.

[littlemommy]

Here's my meal plan for a few weeks. Some meals (like brats) are not for the daycare kids, but just my family.

Today-homemade pork pizza
Ranch mac and cheese
Soy Lime Pork loin with garlic rice
chicken stroganoff, homemade coleslaw
grilled burgers with shrooms and carmelized onions
sweet and sour cabbage rolls
creamy chicken enchiladas
zucchini and shroom pasta with lemon basil (homemade past)
grilled venison brats
grilled shrimp with garlic butter
spaghetti with meat sauce and garlic bread
balsamic glazed chicken
maple glazed salmon
chicken in tarragon mustard cream sauce
sloppy joes and purslane potato salad
homemade runzas, roasted cauliflower

My daycare kids are extremely picky. 2 of the 2 year olds take one bite and let it sit in their mouth for over an hour. I love cooking healthy and love to get them to at least try my meals. I've asked their parents what they like at home. Of course the answer is hamburger helper, chicken nuggets, pizza hut, mcdonalds...you get the idea!

[laundrymom]

i'm totally expecting this too with my kids. But i can barely afford my own kids eating, for their ages I cannot believe how much they eat sometimes. And they are so tiny, not like they show it.

I'm going to implement a rule, you can stay for dinner anytime, but you have to bring something with you, or pay me for your plate.

There was a time that was the case here but now it's not bad, pizza is cheap. I buy dough balls at SAMs, make my own sauce, garden picked tomato and peppers, mushrooms and onions from the farm market, I can stuff 25 people for about 30 bucks. We do big cheap meals for family dinners. I typically spend 10-20 per meal feeding us. Unless we do ribs or seafood. With seafood we do a large filet, loads of mussels, and not as many scallops and shrimp. Add potatos corn and beans from the garden and we can do a nice fish meal for 15 bucks. And feed 12-15 people. I use pasta, veg, rice, etc. To make up most the meal and use meat fish and poultry for more garnish.

[momofsix]

Oh and when I say family pool party, that's a loose term it will be me, DH, my four kids, daughters boyfriend, sons girlfriend, and probably 4 extra 20 yr old boys. Plus the girl down the street. What's a couple more? Lol. My sons friends routinely stop by at dinnertime. With or without him.

Sounds like the place to be!!! Wish I was a bit closer!

[laundrymom]

Balsamic chicken. YUM!!!!!

Have you tried it on strawberries???? Holy yum

Here's my meal plan for a few weeks. Some meals (like brats) are not for the daycare kids, but just my family.

Today-homemade pork pizza
Ranch mac and cheese
Soy Lime Pork loin with garlic rice
chicken stroganoff, homemade coleslaw
grilled burgers with shrooms and carmelized onions
sweet and sour cabbage rolls
creamy chicken enchiladas
zucchini and shroom pasta with lemon basil (homemade past)
grilled venison brats
grilled shrimp with garlic butter
spaghetti with meat sauce and garlic bread
balsamic glazed chicken
maple glazed salmon
chicken in tarragon mustard cream sauce
sloppy joes and purslane potato salad
homemade runzas, roasted cauliflower

My daycare kids are extremely picky. 2 of the 2 year olds take one bite and let it sit in their mouth for over an hour. I love cooking healthy and love to get them to at least try my meals. I've asked their parents what they like at home. Of course the answer is hamburger helper, chicken nuggets, pizza hut, mcdonalds...you get the idea!

[littlemommy]

Yes, one time I made chocolate balsamic strawberries. I thought they were heavenly. DC kids hated them.

[heyhun77]

I participated in a class last winter and posted my menus to share with my classmates. Here's the link to our fall/winter menu rotation from last year which will likely be this next fall/winter's menu rotation (with a few changes).

http://www.freewebs.com/littleexplorersfamilydaycare/samplemenus.htm

[wdmmom]

I participated in a class last winter and posted my menus to share with my classmates. Here's the link to our fall/winter menu rotation from last year which will likely be this next fall/winter's menu rotation (with a few changes).

http://www.freewebs.com/littleexplor...amplemenus.htm

Thank you so much! Your menus are home cooked but kid friendly! I like that!

[Country Kids]

Wow! Some of those foods I've never heard of. Do you guys make big batches and then have it for dinner that night or do you make a whole different dinner? How long does it take everyone to make lunch-I in my mind picture all morning. It is all I can do to get sandwiches, fruit, and vegies served before there is some catastrophe going on. All those foods sound very expensive also. What does it cost everyone to buy food for their childcare?

[CheekyChick]

Here's my meal plan for a few weeks. Some meals (like brats) are not for the daycare kids, but just my family.

Today-homemade pork pizza
Ranch mac and cheese
Soy Lime Pork loin with garlic rice
chicken stroganoff, homemade coleslaw
grilled burgers with shrooms and carmelized onions
sweet and sour cabbage rolls
creamy chicken enchiladas
zucchini and shroom pasta with lemon basil (homemade past)
grilled venison brats
grilled shrimp with garlic butter
spaghetti with meat sauce and garlic bread
balsamic glazed chicken
maple glazed salmon
chicken in tarragon mustard cream sauce
sloppy joes and purslane potato salad
homemade runzas, roasted cauliflower

My daycare kids are extremely picky. 2 of the 2 year olds take one bite and let it sit in their mouth for over an hour. I love cooking healthy and love to get them to at least try my meals. I've asked their parents what they like at home. Of course the answer is hamburger helper, chicken nuggets, pizza hut, mcdonalds...you get the idea!

Oh my goodness!!! That menu sounds amazing and makes me feel like the worst DC chef in the world. LOL!!!

[CheekyChick]

i've never tried it yet, but want to do tacos with strips of chicken instead of ground beef.

we have lots of different things for lunch:

- shephards pie
-quesadillas
-subs
-chicken penne
-strawberry&mandarin salad w/ chicken & poppyseed dressing
-lasagna (usually lazy)
-sandwiches
-spaghetti w/ meat sauce
-waffles
-pancakes
-steak w/ potatos or rice
-eggs toast sausage or bacon & homemade hashbrowns
-tuna salad (noodles w/ mayo and tuna)
-bagels w/ cream cheese
-bagels w/ cheese melted inside (i like mozza cheese in it even though it's fattening )- just put on cheese close bagel and microwave for 40 secs or so
-tacos


thats all i'm thinking of now

Your menu sounds wonderful!!! Steak with potatoes or rice? Yum!!!

[laundrymom]

Wow! Some of those foods I've never heard of. Do you guys make big batches and then have it for dinner that night or do you make a whole different dinner? How long does it take everyone to make lunch-I in my mind picture all morning. It is all I can do to get sandwiches, fruit, and vegies served before there is some catastrophe going on. All those foods sound very expensive also. What does it cost everyone to buy food for their childcare?

Me? No I cook at point of service except for rice or pasta, I use a crock pot. Putenesca is super fast, like 4 minutes. If the pasta is cooked. I use a box of small shell pasta, put a bit of olive oil in a pan, some fine dice garlic or get the prechopped in the jar, about a tsp, sprinkle in some crushed red pepper flakes, half a small jar capers, small tin of kalamata olives, ( i buy the presliced ones) i throw in some black olives because ive got some kids who love them, then a large can of stewed tomatoes, whole ones, smash them with your hands making small pieces, heat thru and toss on pasta. Top w parm reggiano or Romano and pepper, add some protein and a fruit and you are good to go. I do mandarin oranges and chicken breast that I cook in a quart size ziplock with some olive oil salt and pepper on top the pasta in the crock pot. 5 min from pantry to plate. About 7 dollars and roughly 10 servings.

[CheekyChick]

We do quesedillas, with mushrooms, chicken, beans, cheese, ham,eggs,
We do grilled cheese on bread or tortillas and I will add long slivers of carrots to them from a peeler. I took radiatore pasta, mixed veg, mushrooms,tossed, sprinkled some fresh grated Romano on top and called it octopus legs. 5 kids ate 1 pound of pasta, and a large bag of frozen veg. My group likes weird food. I use avocado for butter with crackers. Topped with paper thin Roma tomato slices. And a bit of Parma reggiano cheese. My kids eat very high quality foods. Pasta putensca, risotto w mushrooms and steamed whitefish, potato leek soup, parmesean crackers, fried basil leaves, sweet potato chips, i do roasts, loins, pastas, stews, i try to offer ad many different regional foods as I can we do asian, mediteranian, persian, itslian, chinese, japanese, greek, american, french, malasian, carribean, Chilean, even African if it's not too spicy.

Anything really that is safe for them I do not serve hot dogs, bologna, fish sticks, any type of premade frozen dinner, premade nugget or imitation meat type substance. I can't serve raw sushi to day friends but we do cooked sushi, we do non traditional foods. Most kids don't get good quality food at home. I love to cook, my kids do too. It simply flows thru to the daycare. I personally do not believe in " kid" food.

I replied to your post, but can't find it. All I will say is, I am SO IMPRESSED by your menu!!! I would be thrilled to eat at your home every day. Lucky, lucky children...

[laundrymom]

I replied to your post, but can't find it. All I will say is, I am SO IMPRESSED by your menu!!! I would be thrilled to eat at your home every day. Lucky, lucky children...

I do charge $15 more per week for care than others in my area and that helps. It comes out to 150 a week extra. I use that for activities, supplies and food. Plus im on food program so that's roughly 350-400 per month depending on attendance. It helps.