We have had the same nanny for all our DD's life (5 years). When DD was an infant, she brought her own lunch and ate while DD napped. She continued to bring her own food until DD was an older toddler.

At some point, we had a conversation about how to handle food. I asked if she wanted me to prepare something ahead of time (DD was really into bento style snacking, so I could just pack a bento box for her lunch), but our nanny said she liked it when they prepared lunch together.

From then on, I asked her to just make a list of things she wanted for them and I would get everything they need or want. I also reminded her that she can eat anything she wants or include it on the list. We have never had a single problem with the food situation. Our relationship has evolved over the years and now she feels free enough to take DD out shopping if they have an unplanned urge to cook something and we have petty cash available for her to do that.

Also, a totally unexpected treat is that occasionally, since my DD and nanny both enjoy cooking is that I have been surprised with dinner from my two favorite chefs. I haven't been feeling well this week and came home yesterday to homemade chicken soup.

Our nanny is a complete treasure in a thousand ways and if she wanted an avocado every day, I would buy them.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the number one way to make your relationship work better with your next nanny is to communicate with her both the things you like that she does and things you wouy like her to change.

OP here. I agree 100%. DH and I have learned a lot about being employers since hiring this nanny, our first. Our biggest issue is that I am actually unable to communicate very much with Nanny at all -- she speaks very limited English (much less than we initially thought). She and DH speak the same language, and we thought that would suffice. But DH says he gives her instructions and corrects her (as well as praising her for things she does well), but it doesn't seem to do much good. And we have a second on the way. We need to find someone I can communicate with.

So, no, we're not replacing her over an avocado (asked by another PP). We're just trying to figure out what other families do regarding meals.

Language barrier is a huge issue I can understand that.

As an employer our nanny prepares food from what we have in the house.

She brings her own lunch and snacks but she is welcome to eat our food.

We never had a problem with her eating all the food.

As for meals our kids eat what we eat just in smaller portions some of their favorites are cherry tomatoes, cucumber, carrots, sweet potatoes, eggs, pasta, quinoa, hummus, cheese, broccoli, green beans, black eyed peas, berries, peanut butter, bananas, apples, and chicken.

Op clarified the situation the main problem is a language barrier not the food.

Anonymous wrote:Op I'm rather confused by your thread. You mention you think it's nice they eat lunch together and that they eat the same thing. You also say he eats better when he eats the same thing as the other person. So what will you do with this new nanny? Have you mentioned these little things that irritate you about her ? Replacing a nanny over an avocado seems silly.

+1

Avocados are a "super food", OP, one of the ten most healthful foods your child can eat. And they don't keep well so, what's the problem?

Anonymous wrote:I think the number one way to make your relationship work better with your next nanny is to communicate with her both the things you like that she does and things you wouy like her to change.

OP here. I agree 100%. DH and I have learned a lot about being employers since hiring this nanny, our first. Our biggest issue is that I am actually unable to communicate very much with Nanny at all -- she speaks very limited English (much less than we initially thought). She and DH speak the same language, and we thought that would suffice. But DH says he gives her instructions and corrects her (as well as praising her for things she does well), but it doesn't seem to do much good. And we have a second on the way. We need to find someone I can communicate with.

So, no, we're not replacing her over an avocado (asked by another PP). We're just trying to figure out what other families do regarding meals.

I think the number one way to make your relationship work better with your next nanny is to communicate with her both the things you like that she does and things you wouy like her to change.

Anonymous wrote:Our nanny shops for and cooks DS's breakfast, lunch and snacks. She always brings her own lunch from home and never eats with DS. She waits until he is napping and has her lunch break in peace. I don't think our nanny has ever eaten anything at our house (except to taste the food she is preparing for DS).

This was never discussed. She has brought her own lunch from home since DS was EBFing.

Same PP here - Our nanny also makes everything from scratch for DS including fresh vegetables every single day. No processed food whatsoever.

I cook for my charges every day, parents buy food and ingredients, I use the ingredients and make a healthy meal. I am not sure why you need to have nanny make a list for you. Do you not know what your child likes or what ingredients are required to make certain dishes? Keep a stockpile or meats in the freezer, and buy fresh veggies and such twice a week and I will work my magic with whatever else is in the kitchen.

Anonymous wrote:An avocado a day, you should deduct it
from her pay.

rofl

Op I'm rather confused by your thread. You mention you think it's nice they eat lunch together and that they eat the same thing. You also say he eats better when he eats the same thing as the other person. So what will you do with this new nanny? Have you mentioned these little things that irritate you about her ? Replacing a nanny over an avacado seems silly.

Our nanny shops for and cooks DS's breakfast, lunch and snacks. She always brings her own lunch from home and never eats with DS. She waits until he is napping and has her lunch break in peace. I don't think our nanny has ever eaten anything at our house (except to taste the food she is preparing for DS).

This was never discussed. She has brought her own lunch from home since DS was EBFing.

An avocado a day, you should deduct it
from her pay.

Our manny generally arrives having eaten breakfast. He makes one for the kids. He then makes lunch for all three. We offer to get him food and when we know he likes something we try to keep it around. He never uses up the last of food for himself, only for the girls.

Our current nanny prepares/cooks both breakfast and lunch for DS (2 years old) and herself. We don't eat much processed food, so it was important to us to find someone who would cook for our child. I also think it's nice for them to eat lunch together and have it be the same thing -- DS eats better when he's eating the same thing as the person/people he's eating with. Basically, she'll give us a grocery list of what she needs for the 2 of them, and we'll buy the groceries. Also, this has essentially made her entitled to everything in our fridge even if she doesn't specifically request it, because if it's for DS it's also for her.

For various reasons, we're starting to look for a new nanny. We haven't been thrilled with how sharing our kitchen and food has worked out. For example, if we have 2 of some item she'll open the 2nd while the 1st is sitting right there already opened, she'll finish items that we all use regularly and not tell us, and she goes through at least an avocado a day. It probably all sounds petty, but there are enough other things that annoy us, that the kitchen/fridge behavior is kind of like the icing on the cake.

I guess I have a couple of questions, as we start to look for a new nanny.
1) Do nannies typically prepare or cook meals for themselves and their charges? If so, how has the arrangement worked out? Any suggestions on making this better in the future?
2) If the parents leave food for the nanny to serve, what kinds of foods are easy to leave? We don't want DS's meals to largely come from a box or the freezer.

Any suggestions are appreciated. Thanks.