Question for childminders about food for mindees

feelingold - it seems ridiculous that the cm can feed young children ready meals but the mother can't send in home-cooked food for reheating.

I provide 'cold' lunch, eg sandwiches, pittas, breadsticks, yogs, fruit etc at lunch and only cook at teatime. Everything I cook is homemade including soup, chicken bites, pizza, roast dinners, spag bol, lasagne, pasta in sauce (do buy the pasta but homemade sauce), shepherds pie, fish pie etc all served with at least 2 veg or salad followed by fruit usually but once a week we have a treat of pancakes, homemade pud with custard or similar.
I would never give my own children ready meals (have resorted occasionally to fish fingers or similar when in a rush), I do not eat them myself and would therefore not give them to mindees, I agree with the concern of the amount of salt in them. You must however be careful about sending in meals you have cooked for reheating cos the food hygiene recommedations say we shouldn't really accept 'homemade' food from parents to be reheated.
Hope you can speak to the childminder and tell her of your concerns cos it is a very imoportant issue.

I don't charge for anything (food or drink) apart from evening meal because that seems to be the norm round here. I charge more per hour than you though and we're in the same town so it all works out fair .

HOWEVER......I have been caught out with the older kiddies (as you know) and have learnt from that mistake!!

Jelly - please look at my policies thread as I need advice!!

Why dont you charge for lunch helly?

Yeah, too busy ourselves which is why we are naughty - actually, I'm too busy as I work in the evenings and weekend but my dh isn't THAT busy, he's just lazy

Jelly is right actually about the age. I only currently feed children over 2, wouldn't feed babies sandwiches! I don't provide a cooked lunch as so far the parents haven't wanted this and have been used to providing packed lunches to previous childminders. I would be happy to provide cooked meals if required but would have to charge (currently only charge for evening meals).

I also provide something along the lines of sandwhiches with yoghurt, fruit cheese that sort of thing depending on age range.

For dinner i provide a cooked hot meal with fruit and veg and provides them all they need to grow.

I have had parents complain in the past because i was only charging 50p for lunch and they wanted a cooked meal for that but i refused to serve value sausage and mash just to stay within budget. I put up my prices and still serve healthy and nutrious meals for a very good price.

hth

hellybelly i am naughty,my dp quite often gets a ready meal thrown at him as i'm too busy to cook good food for us

Make up an allergy that she won't have heard of/be able to avoid in ready meals and send your own food in.

That's a herocious way to feed small children. And I am the egg and chips queen!

I might not have read it properly but is she doing ready meals and giving them or is she just giving them shepard pie/fish that sort of thing which could be considered adult food?

How old is your little one?

Mine are also home cooked when i provide it and will offer at least 3 sorts of veg and several choices of fruit for pudding. I might very rarely give a cake or chocolate but i balance it out as i dont often do this.

How much are you paying for the meals?

p.s. agree far too much salt for the kiddies!! Yes, too much salt for grown up's too but hubby and I rarely have time to make our own proper meals (naughty I know). I'd never ever ever give these to any children!

Hi there. As a childminder I am actually quite surprised at what she is offering - what age children is this for?

My husband and I live off ready meals a lot of the time but I would never feed these to my ds (2½) or my mindees.

Here are some examples of what I provide:

Lunch....

Sandwich (wholemeal bread)
Cucumber
Carrot sticks
Cherry Tomatos
Yoghurt
Fruit

Dinner....

Fishfingers, Chicken Bites, Sausage, Vegetable Fingers, burger etc. with either mashed potato or boiled potato and 2 vegetables (either peas, carrots, brocoli), mixed veg or beans

Pasta and cheese sauce etc...

Also provide homemade: Shepherds Pie, Spaghetti Bolognaise, Chick & Veg Soup, Lasagne, Casserole etc

As for you asking if it's ok to provide food, I'd never have a problem with that if a parent asked me.

HTH

Just thought the salt in those meals is too high for adults so imagine giving it to kids?how did you realise she was giving dds ready meals?

My meals are all home cooked or pacl lunch if short on time or out for lunch. I make kiddy curry stews spag bol etc,with pastas rice or potatoes and veggies either fresh or frozen. Puds are yoghurts or fruit or cheese and crackers. I wouldn't give microwave meals to my own kids and def not mindees. it must cost her a fortune to buy all those ready meals anyway