Anonymous wrote:Ours used to get meals from the Good Food Co (stopped with the pandemic and never returned ). It seemed reasonably healthy to me and got DC eating things they didn’t at home (even broccoli). I hate packing lunches.

We love GFC!

Anonymous wrote:DeColores in Takoma DC serves healthy lunch and snacks. And we love the school!

We are here too! 💯💯💯

DeColores in Takoma DC serves healthy lunch and snacks. And we love the school!

My child’s daycare serves fresh salad at lunch and the only snacks are cut, whole fruit with cheese. They don’t even do crackers!

The lunches have a main dish as well, but it’s normally a grilled chicken, black bean patty or whole grain pasta. They have cool on site preparing.

Ours used to get meals from the Good Food Co (stopped with the pandemic and never returned ). It seemed reasonably healthy to me and got DC eating things they didn’t at home (even broccoli). I hate packing lunches.

Bambini is very focused on nutrition. There are several locations. They provide nutritious lunches and snacks like cheese and fruit and crackers. But it is Spanish immersion, too, which may not be what you want/need. Our children were very happy there and the care is warm and loving.

https://www.bambinicdc.com/our-program/our-nutrition-program/

We send in our own lunch. The daycare provides snacks, but they didn't for a while during the pandemic.

Honestly I kind of preferred sending in our own. I feel like her constipation got worse when she stopped getting as many veggies.

I don't find packing a lunch that bad though one of DD's favorite foods is beans with no extra seasoning, so that is super easy to pack. I appreciate being able to at least make sure she gets offered fresh veggies at lunch.

Send leftovers. Our daycare has the option for a paid hot lunch or parents send their own. It’s a 50-50 split.

Send your own food

Your kid eats at home more than daycare (in the long run). I always really liked that daycare provided food, and when my kids were in preschool it actually helped them learn to enjoy some foods I think they might have rejected at home.

But if you are worried, I'd just make your own meals to send.

Some daycares don’t provide meals. You bring what you want as long as it is but-free and cut up small enough to avoid choking for little kids. You might prefer one of those, it to just tell your current daycare not to serve their food and serve your kid what you bring in.

If they provide food, and are licensed, then they must meet the federal nutrition guidelines. Those are considered healthy but obviously everybody has a different standard for that. You could always opt to send your own meals in. But I know that’s opposite of what you’re asking for.

My daycare provider healthy snacks and we sent in our own lunch. Is that an option at yours? If so, just send in your own food. Daycares are running s business, they will choose the most cost effective option.

Hi, anyone use a daycare that serves nutritional meals? (e.g. no flavored yogurts, no animal crackers, no mac n cheese etc)

Our daycare meals are probably pretty typical but we're concerned about added sugar and sodium for our ~1 year old. We've been following Solid Starts guidance pretty closely.

We are in the U Street/South Columbia Heights/Meridian Hill area. We like our current daycare a lot, but the thought of bringing in unique food for my son sounds like a lot of work too!