To consider moving DS from daycare

[jellymum1704]

DS is 18 months and has been going to full time daycare since a month. It took a couple of weeks but he has settled in there nicely and rarely cries at pick up. I chose this nursery as it's relatively small and felt DS will receive more personal attention. Last week it came to my attention when one of the nursery workers asked me to approve some meal plans that they give them frozen Tesco meals for lunch and packaged snacks. I naively believed the brochure that they are served freshly cooked meals on the premises. I'm quite upset by this and will speak to the manager soon. I'm ok with the odd meal but definitely do not want him eating that everyday. To put a bit of perspective, he had a bowel surgery at birth which is fine now but I'm paranoid about him having digestive and related problems later in life. They're absolutely lovely otherwise which is making me wonder if it would be a mistake to move him and have him settle all over again? I don't expect organic food but a simple freshly cooked meal would suffice for the amount I pay them monthly. I looked at couple of other nurseries since that have in house cpoks but am worried if I'm BU wanting to consider moving him out? Thanks

[IceBeing]

If they advertise as cooking fresh on site then you have every right to complain that they are not doing that. I would make that point first, as it might be only the odd meal here and there rather than many of them.

How many meals is your DS having there? Again if it is only lunch then that is different to breakfast, lunch and dinner all being straight from the MW.

[restofthetimes]

I'd move. But tbh I would have checked if it was freshly cooked food before enrolling my child.

[OlennasWimple]

If the brochure says that they are providing freshly cooked meals, then that's what they should be doing. Raise this with the manager and see what they say.

It's possible that they have had to use ready meals as a temporary measure - kitchen refurb, perhaps? Cook off sick? But if this is their permanent provision and it's not what you want for DS, then you would not be U to move him to somewhere that better meets his needs

[Coffeethrowtrampbitch]

Dsis works in a nursery, they provide freshly cooked food.

She was shocked to discover it is all made with the cheapest ingredients possible. She said all the food is supermarket value food.

She works for a large local nursery chain, and they do this with everything in order to increase their margins. She is paid 2p over minimum wage.

She said she would be angry if she were a parent there as the fees are very high.

So I would check it with your nursery, but many of them may still be using very cheap ingredients even if the meals are freshly cooked. Could you consider a childminder, as they are more likely to be able to provide freshly cooked meals made with quality ingredients?

[Trifleorbust]

So it is definitely in the brochure that they prepare the meals fresh on the premises? If yes, you have reasonable grounds to complain.

[allowlsthinkalot]

I would have no problem with cheap ingredients, coffee, that's what we use at home. But not the preservatives, added salt and sugar that are in ready meals. And I would want to see fresh fruit and veg at every meal.

[Blondeshavemorefun]

Is this the first time you have approved menu/food plans?

What did you think he was eating? What does it say in his diary?

Did you query the microwave meals?

[Peanutandphoenix]

Could you not cook something freash for him and send in to the daycare with him or do they not allow you to do that. If it says freash in the brochure then that's exactly what he should be getting. In all fairness what you should do is spring a surprise visit on them at different times during the day before sending your child there then you can get a real feel for the place and they can't hide anything if they don't know your coming. You definitely wouldn't be U to move DS to somewhere else that would be better for him if your not happy with the daycare and you should bring the food situation up with management because they have lied in the brochure.