How Do We Handle Meals at Daycare?

[Unregistered]

I am starting a daycare and am going to be serving breakfast and lunch our local daycare doesn't do that stating the reason that they don't have a nutritionist on staff. Do I have to have one to be able to serve meals, I don't have a problem getting my degree, but wouldn't be able to do it right away, and want to get started with this immediantly.

[[email protected]]

I guess it depends on where you are. Im in indiana, been licensed for 20 yrs,.. feed the kids and am not now nor do I forsee ever getting a nutritionalist 'degree'.

[GretasLittleFriends]

I offer care 24/7, so I serve breakfast, am snack, lunch, pm snack, dinner and evening snack. I, as an in-home daycare in Minnesota, am NOT required to have a nutritionist. Licensing didn't seem too picky about what I fed the children either.

I am on the US food program and they are a bit more picky about what I feed the children. Nothing too big of a deal. For example we live in a very rural area and everyone here hunts to fill the freezer, not so much for the sport of it. However, I am not allowed to feed the children any sort of wild game or fish because it wasn't processed at a USDA approved facility. Of course we could take our venison in, pay extra for that, just easier not to feed it to the kids. Once we start raising chickens the dc kids can eat the eggs, but not the poultry, again because we're not a USDA approved butchering facility.

Another one that gets me is that donuts count towards the bread/grain group as an acceptable breakfast and/or snack item on the food program, yet popcorn doesn't qualify. I understand popcorn has very little nutritional value, but personally I'd rather have my own kids eat a handful of popcorn as opposed to a donut. My food program lady did tell me, just because a food doesn't qualify for the program doesn't mean I can't feed it to them. For example, for snack I could offer the kids popcorn, hard cheese and 100% grape juice. I meet the needs with the cheese and the grape juice.

[Carole's Daycare]

Most states have nutrition help for licensed daycares through the Food Program. Here in MN if you obtain a couple hours of training(provided by the food program for free) and adhere to some pretty basic guidelines you receive reimbursement for a large portion of your food expenses. You simply provide food complies with basic nutrition guidelines (milk for lunch, fruits and veges, etc) and maintain clean sanitary and appropriate meal prep and serving practices. The county licensor should have some information on available food program sponsors - contact them and they can assist you further. Children are in care up to 10 hs a day- they have to eat. I serve breakfast lunch and snacks, and receive from $500 to $700 reimbursement towards food costs, and being on the food program is a selling point for your daycare, because parents know it means you serve nutritious food and have safe food handling practices. As a mom, I would never ever take my child to a daycare not on the food program.
In terms of logistics, at least in the beginning choose things that cook easily, like chicken nuggest & fries bake in 15-20 mn on a cookie sheet- served with milk, bread, and fruit or vege is easy & quick to prepare with kids around. As you become more comfortable with your routines and the kids in your care you'll feel better about it.

[momofboys]

Most states have nutrition help for licensed daycares through the Food Program. Here in MN if you obtain a couple hours of training(provided by the food program for free) and adhere to some pretty basic guidelines you receive reimbursement for a large portion of your food expenses. You simply provide food complies with basic nutrition guidelines (milk for lunch, fruits and veges, etc) and maintain clean sanitary and appropriate meal prep and serving practices. The county licensor should have some information on available food program sponsors - contact them and they can assist you further. Children are in care up to 10 hs a day- they have to eat. I serve breakfast lunch and snacks, and receive from $500 to $700 reimbursement towards food costs, and being on the food program is a selling point for your daycare, because parents know it means you serve nutritious food and have safe food handling practices. As a mom, I would never ever take my child to a daycare not on the food program.
In terms of logistics, at least in the beginning choose things that cook easily, like chicken nuggest & fries bake in 15-20 mn on a cookie sheet- served with milk, bread, and fruit or vege is easy & quick to prepare with kids around. As you become more comfortable with your routines and the kids in your care you'll feel better about it.

I do not participate in the food program & I hope you don't take this the wrong way but I would never serve doughnuts or fries to the children I care for. So just being on the food program doesn't ensure healthy food IMO! I always serve a fruit & vegie at lunch & very rarely have ever served sweets. I'm just not big into processed foods, we eat lots of fresh fruits for snacks or packaged raisins & occasionally some crackers.

[mac60]

Because a provider is not on the food program, does NOT mean that they do not serve wholesome meals. I have always been praised for the meals I feed my dc kids. I too buy very little processed ready to serve food.

[originalkat]

I am planning on getting on the food program...

I pretty much already adhere to food program guidelines and I plan on getting on it soon because I found out I am in a teir one area. I do serve some processed foods and some home-made. I use mostly fresh fruits but canned or frozen veggies. For those of you who do not serve processed foods...how do make this practical in a daycare setting? What types of meals do you serve?

[gbcc]

Because a provider is not on the food program, does NOT mean that they do not serve wholesome meals. I have always been praised for the meals I feed my dc kids. I too buy very little processed ready to serve food.

Yes I agree. We have to write down what we give the children. Not that I do, but I can write for snack I gave them carrotts and crackers but in reality give them cupcakes with chocolate milk. There are always ways around things and taking a 2.5 hour course does not insure the person is on the up and up.

[mac60]

I think too it is what each individual considers processed foods. For me, I consider, chicken nuggets, fish sticks, things like that processed foods and I have never bought much of them even for my own family.

Here is my list of typical daycare foods I serve. I do have down french fries, chicken nuggets, tater tots, fish sticks....but want to say I rarely serve them.

DAYCARE MENU IDEAS

MAIN
Mac & Cheese
Grilled Cheese
Scrambled Eggs
Pancakes
Fish Sticks
Beef Stew
Chicken & Noodles
Chicken Nuggets
Spaghettios
Spaghetti
Tuna & Noodles
Cheese Pizza
Chicken Noodle Soup
Tomato Soup
Hot Dogs
Peanut Butter Sandwich

SIDE
Corn
Green Beans
Peas
French Fries
Tater Tots
Hash Browns
Garlic Bread
Mashed Potatoes
Corn Bread

FRUIT
Applesauce
Peaches
Pears
Mandarin Oranges
Bananas
Apples


SNACKS
Muffins
Crackers
Graham Crackers
Popcorn
Cookies
Cupcakes
Apples
Banana


BREAKFAST
Pancakes
Toast & Banana
Oatmeal & Toast
Scrambled Eggs
Cereal & Toast
French Toast

[mac60]

I have some picky kids, and while I have tried to give them things like goulash, homemade veggie soup, etc, they gag and carry on and it is an argument to get them to eat. So I quit. I serve lunch. It is not supposed to be the "big" meal of the day, supper is, and that is how I was raised. There are some foods on my list I serve more often than others. It is hard to please 5 under the age of 7 at my table, so I do the best I can for the majority.

I make tuna and noodles either using a mac and cheese meal and adding tuna, a tuna kit, or my own using noodles, tuna and creme of chicken soup. Easy and cheap. I do the same with chicken n noodles, I use noodles, canned chicken, creme of chicken soup. I have some that love chicken noodle soup, and some that don't. Only 1 of my dc kids will eat a sandwich using wafered meats, deli ham, etc, so I don't even bother with those. They love breakfast for lunch. The kids eat good here, but we eat lunch, not a 4 course meal, that is for supper.

[mac60]

I have some picky kids, and while I have tried to give them things like goulash, homemade veggie soup, etc, they gag and carry on and it is an argument to get them to eat. So I quit. I serve lunch. It is not supposed to be the "big" meal of the day, supper is, and that is how I was raised. There are some foods on my list I serve more often than others. It is hard to please 5 under the age of 7 at my table, so I do the best I can for the majority.

I make tuna and noodles either using a mac and cheese meal and adding tuna, a tuna kit, or my own using noodles, tuna and creme of chicken soup. Easy and cheap. I do the same with chicken n noodles, I use noodles, canned chicken, creme of chicken soup. I have some that love chicken noodle soup, and some that don't. Only 1 of my dc kids will eat a sandwich using wafered meats, deli ham, etc, so I don't even bother with those. They love breakfast for lunch. The kids eat good here, but we eat lunch, not a 4 course meal, that is for supper.

I have had some providers say well the kids don't always get a big supper at home. Sorry, not my problem. I serve breakfast, lunch and snacks. Supper is the big meal of the day. If parents choose to not feed their children a big supper, that is their choice, I don't feel I have to back up for the parents bad choices.

[originalkat]

Okay, I am on the right track

I think I am on the right track. Here are some of the foods I serve in my program. I am not on the food program, but I still serve well rounded meals.
Breakfast- Milk, bread, fruit (sometimes meat).
Lunch- Meat, bread, fruit, veggie, milk.
Snack- Milk or Juice with ususally a bread item

Breakfast
Pancakes
Waffles
Blueberry Muffins (from box mix)
Cinnamon Muffins (from box mix)
Bagels
English Muffins
Egg and Cheese Burrito
Sausage Links
Biscuit w/jam
French toast
Cereal
Oatmeal
toast

Main Dishes
Chicken Nuggets
Fish Sticks
Pasta w/meat sauce
Grilled Cheese
Turkey/ham/ or P. Butter Sandwich
Chili (home-made)
Lasagna (home-made) Usually from dinner I made night before or frozen
Mac and Cheese
BBQ Meatballs
Corn Dogs

Fruits
Fresh:
Apples
Pears
Bananas
Grapes
Oranges
Fresh when in Season
Nectarine
Blueberries
Watermelon
Cantelope
Strawberries
Canned
Fruit Coctail
Peaches
Pears (sometimes)
Mandarin oranges
Pineapple

Veggies
Peas
Green Beans
Carrot Sticks
Mashed Pot.
French Fries (oven baked)
Tater Tots (oven Baked)
Corn

Snacks
cookies
crackers
fuit bars
cheese and crackers
gronala bars
trail mix

[momofboys]

I pretty much already adhere to food program guidelines and I plan on getting on it soon because I found out I am in a teir one area. I do serve some processed foods and some home-made. I use mostly fresh fruits but canned or frozen veggies. For those of you who do not serve processed foods...how do make this practical in a daycare setting? What types of meals do you serve?

I only care for one family so it's not that hard for me to serve a banana or apple slices, etc. On an average day I only have at most 2 or 3 kids here until after school and then I have my own kids also. It would certainly be tougher for me to do that if I had more than one family.

[momofboys]

I only care for one family so it's not that hard for me to serve a banana or apple slices, etc. On an average day I only have at most 2 or 3 kids here until after school and then I have my own kids also. It would certainly be tougher for me to do that if I had more than one family.

I did not answer your question very well. I only responded to how I handle snacks rather than what we have for lunch. Here's a normal meal/s for lunch here. Keep in mind I only have 3 kids here at most for lunch.

Grilled cheese sandwiches
Leftover casseroles from night before (lasagna/goulash/shepherd's pie/spagheti pie, etc)
Homemade cheese & chicken enchiladas
Spaghetti & sauce
Vegetable soup or ham & bean soup (homemade)
We ocasionally will have chicken nuggets but I buy an all white meat variety

I always have a frozen vegetable such as broccoli, peas or lima beans, etc or fresh baby carrots either cooked for the little kids or cold for those who can eat them raw. Then we always have fresh fruit such as bananas or apples or grapes or melon etc depending on the prices and what is in season.

For afternoon snacks we do the following:

Raisins
Baby carrots
Cheese slices
Apple slices or other fresh fruit in season
Crackers, such as Cheez its on ocassion
Pretzels
Yogurt
Cottage cheese

I know it would be much harder for me to adhere to these standards if I had more kids here so I'm not knocking anyone who does use some processed items. I just commented mostly because not being on the USDA program doesn't mean a provider will serve unhealthy meals/snacks.

[mac60]

OK, dumb question here. But exactlywhat is considered Processed foods. I know what my version of processed food is, but it may be different than someone elses. So wondering what the real meaning is.