Nanny complains about our lunch meals - what do you think?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For lunch, we usually have beans and rice, chicken with rice, angel hair pasta with red sauce, or macaroni with pesto. Keep in mind that DD is 1 1/2 and will not eat sandwiches or many other things, so I kind of cook with her in mind. Also, nanny is from central america and wont eat sandwiches for lunch.

Today, nanny refused to eat lunch (not in a mean way), complaining that she cannot eat beans and rice or pasta today because that's all she eats. I asked her in the past what she'd prefer and all she can come up with is chicken. When I ask her what she ate for dinner it's usually eggs, cereal, and rarely beef or pasta. I also note that she gets most of her groceries free with food stamps. She also goes clothes/toys/home shopping every single weekend and wears new clothes almost everyday, so I don't think money is the issue here. Honestly, I don't have the money to be cooking her a beef or chicken dinner everyday for lunch (I cook all our lunches homemade), and even if I did have that kind of $$$, DD cannot eat a dinner essentially twice a day because the nanny wants to go home and not cook anything or not buy meat for dinner I guess. I suppose I do not necessarily know her entire life circumstance because I don't have a cam on her when she leaves, but this quadry is getting frustrating and she has no ideas as to what to do for lunch other than beef or chicken.

What's your opinion? I'm open to everyone's non-snarky thoughts.

There is a reason she is a nanny. If she really doesn't like it, at any time she can go back to night school, work her way towards that elusive degree.

Oh and I forgot delusional. While I guess it's possible for some to work an 8-10+ hour day, come home to your own family and make dinner, after that I don't see how night school fits in? THEN, if she is on food stamps, the likelihood that she could afford night school is pretty slim I'd say.

It is hard, but very possible.
- a nanny attending night school

Good for you. Hope it pays off for you. You don't have your own children, do you?

I knew someone who had 5 kids and completed nursing school at night. Yes, its hard, but possible.

[Anonymous]

The nanny is probably gaming the system with the food stamps. (Using someone else's identity, like a relative, maybe. The underground economy is huge and full of twists and turns) I would move on from this nanny. There are certain to be other problems.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wait -- why is your nanny on food stamps????

It's called gaming the system.

Yes, OP is either paying her next to nothing or she isn't reporting and paying taxes on it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wait -- why is your nanny on food stamps????

It's called gaming the system.

Yes, OP is either paying her next to nothing or she isn't reporting and paying taxes on it.

Agreed. OP, if you're paying your nanny a decent salary and she's still getting food stamps, she's doing something dishonest. I wouldn't want someone of her character watching my children.

[Anonymous]

WHAT? I am a nanny and I bring my own lunch every day, you need a new nanny!

[Anonymous]

Let's try to stay on topic, shall we? It's none of our business why the nanny may or may not be on food stamps. Her business.

I've never heard of providing nanny a free hot lunch every day. What a generous perk! Is this in your contract?

Our nanny brings her own lunch. We have snacks and some sandwich things that she could eat if she wanted to, but she has always brought her own food.

OP, if I were you, and you are not contractually obligated to provide her lunch, stock some lunch meats, bread, and snacks and tell her if she doesn't want what you made, she can make a sandwich or bring her own food.

Honestly, if it isn't in your contract, I'd just tell her that since she is not happy with what you have kindly offered her, she should bring her lunch from now on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Food stamps qualifying information:
http://www.dss.virginia.gov/benefit/foodstamp.cgi
http://www.dss.virginia.gov/files/division/bp/fs/intro_page/income_limits/income_limits.pdf

http://www.ehow.com/about_7466036_qualifies-food-stamps-virginia_.html

A one-person household must not gross more than $1,174 or net more than $903 monthly. Four-member households' gross income limit is set at $2,389 and their maximum net income is $1,838

Idiot, the nanny has kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Let's try to stay on topic, shall we? It's none of our business why the nanny may or may not be on food stamps. Her business.

I've never heard of providing nanny a free hot lunch every day. What a generous perk! Is this in your contract?

Our nanny brings her own lunch. We have snacks and some sandwich things that she could eat if she wanted to, but she has always brought her own food.

OP, if I were you, and you are not contractually obligated to provide her lunch, stock some lunch meats, bread, and snacks and tell her if she doesn't want what you made, she can make a sandwich or bring her own food.

Honestly, if it isn't in your contract, I'd just tell her that since she is not happy with what you have kindly offered her, she should bring her lunch from now on.

+1. OP's post is confusing. No matter what OP makes for lunch I don't understand why she wouldn't just suggest the nanny bring her own lunch if she doesn't like what OP offers. All the detail about the food and the food stamps is pretty extraneous. I know everyone says this all the time, but can't help wonder if this is for real.

[Anonymous]

I wonder the same pp. I do think many people on a nanny's salary would qualify for food stamps especially with a few kids and especially in this area.

But, now to OPs question -- why not have some tortilla shells available with salad fixings and some chopped up chicken, boiled shrimp for nanny to make her own meal. Or have some noodles and some sauces available. Also, as others have suggested -- maybe some cold cuts. Too, very inexpensive would be a crockpot brewing with some different homemade soups (nanny could make her own).

I don't think you'd need to spend much to provide her a little reminder that you do appreciate her. That could go a long way in how she deals with your kids (which is of course the goal).

[Anonymous]

Very easy. The free lunch is whatever you provide. If she does not like that, she is welcome to take 30-45 minutes to go out and purchase her own lunch at Subway, the supermarket, Boston Market or wherever she would like and then be back at work. Or she can bring her own lunch. If she wants to continue to eat free lunch, she can eat whatever you and DC are eating.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wonder the same pp. I do think many people on a nanny's salary would qualify for food stamps especially with a few kids and especially in this area.

But, now to OPs question -- why not have some tortilla shells available with salad fixings and some chopped up chicken, boiled shrimp for nanny to make her own meal. Or have some noodles and some sauces available. Also, as others have suggested -- maybe some cold cuts. Too, very inexpensive would be a crockpot brewing with some different homemade soups (nanny could make her own).

I don't think you'd need to spend much to provide her a little reminder that you do appreciate her. That could go a long way in how she deals with your kids (which is of course the goal).

We past the nanny stage, lesson learned...don't get started with this. Our nanny would eat what we were saving for dinner. Then it became a discussion every day "what for nannies lunch?" provide a minimum if she is hungry, but do not add another responsibility to yourself. Something simple, and the same -- here's the ramen noodles. Not, what can I fix you, dear?

[Anonymous]

Just tell the nanny to bring her own lunch. Problem solved.

[Anonymous]

Let her fix whatever she wants. Not your job to be cooking separate food for her.

[Anonymous]

Are you going to really let her tell you what she wants to eat. Shes lucky you are offering her food. SHE WORKS FOR YOU, you dont work for her. If I had a nanny and she said something like that then she doesnt have to eat. She can starve.