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Original poster

Childminders Club - Food / Fussy Eaters (parents opinions welcome!)

28 replies

HellyBelly · 20/09/2005 13:21

If you have a planned menu type thing but some children don't like it, do you change the menu/give them an alternative or put out what you planned regardless? I really want to make the healthy meals I planned but it's not working how I want it at the moment. Also, none of the children like chicken, tuna, egg mayo etc sandwiches. So far I've been giving things I know they will eat whilst they were settling in. Anyway, now all my contracts have changed, there are more children for longer and therefore more meals to make. I want to become strict and choose what they eat (i.e. tuna mayo sandwich with wholemeal bread etc) like I planned but what do I do if they don't eat? (one always asks for biscuits etc but I'm already strict and will not allow anything like this if they haven't eaten their meal! )

Also, I think I've mentioned this before but as I'm discussing food.......I've got one mum who packs food (crisps/choc etc) in the bag sometimes (all the time during hols when older brother is here) for her 23 month old. I really don't like giving him this food as it only starts the rest wanting some and isn't in with the healthy food I want to provide. I'm going to say to her that she doesn't need to supply food but I've got a feeling she'll say something about him liking this type of food. Would you just say that you don't encourage that sort of food in your house? If you were a parent, would you be offended if I said this?

One more example - I have a 9 (nearly 10) yr old who was really upset once because I only had wholemeal bread and she only likes white (or that whole white stuff). I therefore made sure I had white bread in for the next day. Should I be strict and say I only have wholemeal in my house???

Please give me some tips on ensuring my house is full of healthy eaters!! (btw, my own ds is not a problem as he eats really well, although he still gets tempted with naughty stuff if he sees it )

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bambi06 · 20/09/2005 13:57

ive just started with a child who was very fussy with their mom and only ate little amounts or so they said so ive started as i mean to go on and give them the same food more or less to others and have something that they like as well then if they try they get 1p for every food they try and a certificate / sticker , and im having exc success so far plus theyre eating more and more each day plus asking when lunch is!! i only hope it lasts but they are at least trying the food which is the important point here so i would recommend they at least try the food before letting them at least have something on their plate that they will like.hard work but it will settle down once they know that this is what happens in your house and these are the rules in your home , you cant keep changing the rules as they wont know where they are plus you`ll be in a terrible headspin trying to work out who eats what ..good luck and keep the pennies coming ..it does work

Original poster
HellyBelly · 20/09/2005 13:50

Yes that's what I wanted, thanks! I was planning on putting food out I choose and then let them go hungry if they don't eat it (that sounds really cruel but I was hoping they would start to eat things (or at least try) rather than be hungry as I know some of their parents give up and give them rubbish if they don't eat therefore if they are with me most of the time now, I thought they'd eventually get the hang of it and learn how to get their fruit/yoghurt etc. BTW, what do you do if they won't try your choice of yoghurt. I've one mindee who will only eat Petis f... whatever it's called but I believe it's full of sugar and was told it's one of the worst ones??? I don't want to be buying different food for different people!! Do you think I'm right not to?

As for sandwiches, I have other things like pitta etc, just not WHITE when it comes to a loaf of bread. Should I stick by my guns and just buy wholemeal?

OP posts:
alison222 · 20/09/2005 13:30

Oh difficult.
I have only had to feed little ones apart from snacks on a regular basis and the one older one I had was not fussy at all.
I do what I do with my children which is give soemthing I know they will eat part of and get them to try the rest.
I give everyone the same - regardless (except for tiny babies)- including the 11 month old who has his mashed where necessary. If they eat it fine if not they go hungry.

I would say to the parent with the crisps that the other parents want their children to eat healthily and when they see this child with crisps etc it cuses tears/tantrums etc as they all want the same and that its not fair on the others you look after so could she not send anything please
If they have had a reasonable attempt they get desert - ie yougurt or fruit usually otherwise they wait until later. We do have snacks but they would have to wait until its appropriate.
I have one after school who woun't eat fruit in my house (but does at home) so he just has a drink if its a fruit day)
does this help at all?
if they are all fussy you would be doing lots of different things for each.
I usualy have brown bread, but occasinally we might have a french stick or white mini pitta as a change. They all eat the brown bread BTW no fuss.