nannies advice please on how best to stop my nanny's current bad habits?

I leave my nanny a food plan for each day for each child

She either has to cook or warm something i have left

They have a treat meal every so often (fish and chips) but generally they eat at home or take a packed lunch if they are out and about

Treats are limited and snacks are also written down

It's not criticising - you are her employer and it is part of her job to feed your children in the best way possible

I discussed this with my nanny before she started as it is important

How about buying a Simple/Kids cookery book for her.
and suggest she tries some of the recipes with the children.
I have Marks and Spencer Cookery for kids that i use for my boys and the children I mind.

I have no experience with nannies but as a Childminder I get my mindees involved with making their own lunch. We even attend a pre schoolers cookery club which gets them more excited than the regular playgroups. Perhaps encouraging your nanny to make simple meals that the children can be involved in could help both her and you.

Just13, agree it is a fundamental part of the job of a nanny. A typical interview question should be: "give an example of a meal you would prepare for the children".

If you don't want to get too confrontational, why not approach it something like, "Sorry if I didn't make myself clear the other day when I said you could take the DCs to McDs, I meant that day only, we prefer to keep that sort of lunch as an occasional treat only and not for every day" etc, then generally lead into what you expect her to give the kids for lunch.

I haven't had a nanny but I'd have assumed that a fundamental part of the job would be to be able to make basic meals for children. I don't see how you can work as a nanny if you can't do this. I wouldn't tiptoe around the issue - you don't want your children eating rubbish every day and your're the employer - it's your call.

Is this the young grandmother? Just wondering if part of the problem is that she may be older than you, thus you feel it's harder to raise things you don't like.
She's taken the job so must respect that she has an employer who can tell her what to do. She may not like being told what to do - doubt any of us like it - but there are times when it may be necessary. At this point a chat about how things are going and you telling her you don't want your DDs to go to MacDs and don't want them having too many sweet snacks during the day, may be enough to prompt her to change her style to suit your requirements.

It is hard... but as a nanny I would far rather my boss told me I was doing something she didn't want me to do... than for her to keep quiet and just let things go on. So do raise the issues as soon as you can... combining with a review may work quite well as you can then discuss positive things as well as negative.

Children's food I feel is all about getting the balance right. Children can go through fussy phases and one week may happily eat a certain food and refuse it the next week.

It's been the school holidays, it's been summer... so Icecreams are an expected treat I feel. Though I've certainly denied the children I care for an icecream at times... but they did have icecream on a couple of occasions this week. Your nanny may be finding it hard to say No to requests from your DD's so do make it clear that even if a DD demands to have something, that does not mean they get it.

Have you had a review yet? Good time to have one.

Try to start with a positive and end with a positive. The middle can be things you are not so happy about... such as MacD's.

Generally people like to hear about what they do well... they don't like to hear what they do badly though do need to hear it, else they can't improve.

You seem to have already identified where part of the problem is... that your nanny can't/won't cook. So perhaps try suggesting easy things to do... carrot and cucumber sticks don't need any cooking and both travel quite well so can be used as a snack whilst on an outing.

Ask to see a menu in advance for the following week, and a food diary.

You need to discuss how and when treats are given.

But all of this can be done as an overall discussion. You need to go through EVERYTHING, outings, discipline, nursery duties, all of it. I assume you are still in a probation period so discuss it as part of that.

take away the kitty

seriously tell her, tbh any nanny who goes to maccy d's more than once a week month year has serious issues!!

did you not discuss menu/meals at interview - what did you say to her/what did she reply

can you give her some simple recipes to follow

could it be that your children are trying it on and actually she has only been once/twice

you have to tell her straight that hey are to have lunch at home and that sweets are not part of their normal diet and you don't want them having them unless for a birthday, say out, special occasion etc.