Daycare food
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Anonymous
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We're at an inhome daycare that we love, but we just aren't happy with the food quality. Is there a nice way to talk to the owner about the food? We're happy to pay more or provide food.
My one year old isn't picky at all but I'm sure some of the older kids are and need to eat traditional kid food because it's all they would eat. DH and I aren't crazy healthy, but we don't eat processed food and mostly eat meat and vegetables. Some things recently that we haven't liked: french fries, chicken nuggets, macaroni and cheese. Are these normal foods to be feeding a one year old? |
Anonymous
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OP here again. When we spoke with the owner she said she followed the USDA food recommendations regarding meat, vegetables and a starch at every meal.
DH and I would never eat processed American cheese, french fries, chicken nuggets, tater tots. They're so high in fat and sodium and there are so many other easy options for lunches. Maybe I'm overthinking this though? |
Anonymous
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No, kids this age shouldn't eat that crap everyday. From time to time it's ok but not everyday.
Have a talk with the owner and ask her to give more veggies and fruit. |
Anonymous
Is there a nice way to say this? I think it sounds pretentious for me to tell her I want more veggies. I'm 100% okay with providing food also (non messy, easy to eat food). |
Anonymous
| I would not be ok with this, especially at that age. I'd start packing my own lunch (which is what we've always done for DS) |
Anonymous
| That is sadly standard food for most daycares. I don't know about such expensive ones in DC. Breakfast surpy French toast, sugary cereal, snack, canned fruit or Ritz crackers, lunch mac and cheese or some sandwich or canned spaghetti, it is absolutely disgusting. |
Anonymous
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Agree. I hate what they serve for snacks/lunch at my child's (private) daycare, but it's not worth rocking the boat. I know that when other parents have brought this up, they say to bring your own food. However, that makes extra work for the teachers and then they say that the child just wants to eat what their friends are eating.
The USDA's standards are crap and schools wants to spend as little per child on food as possible. Hence canned, heavily processed everything. But hey, why not relax those standards even more, Republicans? We focus on eating as well as we can at home with a varied diet heavy on fruits and veggies. Luckily my son is not picky... |
Anonymous
They don't have lunch catered? Most downtown daycares use Good Food Company, which includes a fresh fruit and a veg with every lunch. They also bake their own bread. The food isn't fabulous, because large-scale catering rarely is, but it's definitely balanced and does not rely on canned/highly processed foods. I've been pretty pleased with the variety of entrees. |
Anonymous
| Bump. Anyone else? |
Anonymous
| My 11 month old is in daycare and only 1 kid in her class of 8 eats the food they provide. I send food everyday, I hate it, but I want her to eat quality at this age |
Anonymous
How did you bring this up? Did you just say you're sending food? Did they have any restrictions on what you send? |
Anonymous
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Yup this is true most places. My in-home provider did do things a bit better, like she served home made soups with lots of veggies and home made rice and beans on a regular schedule. There was always fruit or veggies at meals. Snack times were worse, things like goldfish and apple juice. Why is juice ever being offered I have no idea. Milk or water should be the standard.
However, my daughter still eats really well outside of daycare/school. We try to have mostly whole foods while at home, and this seems to be a good balance. But yes, they follow the "USDA" guidelines which are totally shit. And of course, they are trying to do it cheaply, since child care does not have the biggest profit margin. |
Anonymous
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I think that I'd need to hear more of what the menu actually is to judge one way or another. The foods you describe sound like what many people feed their children - they are foods that appeal to children, so most likely the kids eat them. You didn't list any vegetables, and I'm certain that all those things are not being served at the same time. So what's a typical menu? What vegetables are served? What fruits? Are they fresh?
I think that it sounds like your expectations are out of line with what your daycare is generally willing/able to serve, but there is probably some kind of a middle ground. |
Anonymous
| Just pack her lunch--I doubt you will change her business if she has a steady customer base and you will only be one of many to come through. |
Anonymous
This. Our center daycare follows the USDA regiment and I think the food is pretty varied and healthier than I would expect, given the complaints some of the parents made at a parent meeting. I normally get there at snack time and they almost always have fruit and veggies, along with crackers. We get a menu and the breakfast and lunch always sounds pretty good. There's always a fruit or veggie. Sometimes the fruit was from a frozen source and other times its fresh, or those fruit cups where its in juice, not syrup. Even with that, some parents send food from home which is "healthier", but I see veggie chips and apple sauce, and it doesn't look much better than what's offered. I guess my point is, if you don't like it, provide your own food, but know that as your child gets older, it will be harder to keep them from eating the things you don't like, even when the teachers work very hard. |