Is this really healthy enough for a child to have every day for lunch

[Coconutcheese]

One of my friends is a childminder - I pop round every so often maybe 3/4 times a month and every time without fail the kids she takes care of are having the same lunch she calls it a ‘picky plate’ it consists of
for the baby - baby puff crisps , grated cheese, banana and some yogurt and for the older children baby puff crisps, cheese, ham, banana, strawberries , raisins and a small yogurt.

I said to her ‘is that enough don’t they get hungry ?!’ She said no it’s plenty as she always does a proper tea (a casserole or pasta or chunky veg soup and bread) but it just doesn’t seem that good for a childcare setting or is it more strict for nurseries (do childminders need to have a menu for each week ?)

Edited to add as I forgot to include the important bit that she told me it’s what they have every single day as it’s quick and easy

Nutritionally speaking it sounds very, very similar to me.

Your nursery does hot meals at lunchtime, the childminder does hers in the evening.

Your nursery does cold meat pie, chicken sandwich or cheese and crackers for the "cold" option, whereas the childminder does fruit, meat, cheese and raisins, plus breadsticks as a snack.

I genuinely don't see why your nursery is all that much better

My son has 'light tea' every day.

Last week he had

samosas with salad & yogurt dip
tomato, lentil & basil soup with toast
macaroni cheese with peas, broccoli, cauliflower & chickpeas
homemade veggie pizza
spinach, lentil & feta tartlets

All served with fruit too.

I don't think it's too bad. For those suggesting a sandwich... Do you know supermarket bread has lots of sugar and is reconstituted foam?

Picky meals are great for getting a variety of nutrients, textures and flavours in. Would be better if she mixed it up a little though. Swap out the cheese for a boiled egg, ham for hummus etc.

But a lot better than sandwich and crisps everyday that so many people do.

You want to see what parents feed their children in their lunchboxes! Typically a sandwich, crisps, yogurt and 2-3 chocolate based items, or those awful fruit bars/treats that have more sugar in than a regular treat!
And the 3-4 year olds having puréed fruit pouches and baby finger foods.

I wouldn't like it and wouldn't send my child to childcare that served that every day, but it can't be easy for a childminder to cook two meals a day while looking after the children and doing activities etc. so I can understand why she'd opt for a cold lunch, but some variety would be good.

My son's nursery definitely doesn't feed them things like that though, its always a proper cooked lunch, things like soup, baked fish, casseroles, even more 'out-there' tastes like blood sausage so the children learn to try different things.

One reason why as an ex Ofsted Registered Childminder I stopped providing food.
Children wouldn't eat my home cooked meals, because it didn't taste the same as mums, who worked 12 hours and didn't 'have time' and said it was ready meals when the child got home.
Now working in a school... I do wish parents could actually see what is sent in some packed lunches at school... 🤷‍♀️

My son's nursery definitely doesn't feed them things like that though, its always a proper cooked lunch, things like soup, baked fish, casseroles, even more 'out-there' tastes like blood sausage so the children learn to try different things.

The childminder does do that as well - it's just her hot meal is in the evening rather than in the middle of the day.

The childminders round here seem to take the kids to mother and toddlers and let them run free while they chat to their childminder mates for an hour and a half. I saw one slapping a child's hand only a few weeks ago!

If the kids are able to manage a new dinner meal every day, then the excuse that she only serves the crap lunch because it's what the kids will eat gloes out the window.

A conscientious CM would feel responsible for providing more than just the lowest bar of care when it comes to food.

I used to do "picky plate" lunches sometimes as a childminder but they would have more then this. Like some sandwiches or cut up bagels or crumpets etc to go with and definitely not every day, just if I was tired.

Yes you are allowed visitors. They don't need to be DBS checked as long as you do not leave children unattended with them and you don't have to declare them to Ofsted. It was recommended when I was minding to keep a visitors log

Who buys the food, what do the parents say.

I suspect the dinner is what the childminder is serving her family too, and she just cooks extra for her mindees, whereas lunch is a specific meal for the children and therefore she makes what she knows will get eaten to minimise waste and food costs.

I really don't think fruit, raisins, meat, cheese, baby crisps and breadstick even come close to the "lowest bar of care" either.

The slapping the hand isn't ok, but like tbh I don't see the problem with going to a toddler group to have a tea with other minded friends while the children run around and play in a safe environment.

As a childminder you work long hours. I used to often do 12 hours shifts to wrap around parents work times. I was a one women show so had to do everything. Never got a lunch break or other things people normally get in their working day. Other then outings like this I worked solo all the time. Parents paid me £3.65 an hour to care for their kids. I think rates in my area have done a bit higher now but not by much
Average is about £4.80 am hour.

If a parent had an issue with me sitting at toddler group and spending an hour drinking tea with the closet thing I had to colleagues where the children are safe and having a good time playing I would have ended their contract tbh. Any incidents where always responded to. Children don't need helicoptering all the time. It's healthy for them to just be able to play for a while without adult interference. If anyone would want me to work 12 hours a day and care for their child like my own, but begrudge me sitting and drinking tea at toddler group to be completely honest they can pay far more then £3.65 an hour!

"Offering children the same thing every day, particularly if these are their safe foods (I.e the ones they'll surely eat), is the best way to raise a picky eater. "

You don't have a clue what you're talking about, do you.

Why assume every childminder does the same? Do you assume every nursery does nuggets and smiley faces?
I have friends who do porridge, fruit, then snack of carrots cucumbers etc then home cooked lunch like pasta in veg sauce, baked apple and home cooked fish pie or similar is that also why you don't use a childminder?

Do you use any childcare?

Visitors are allowed, they are not allowed to be left alone with children. Benefits can include having experience of older people, meeting other children, getting to know emergency childminders, having visits from support workers and therapists, exposure to other cultures and various needs.

I'm just wondering how this works if she needs a wee?

Does she shlep all the kids to the toilet with her or make you stand outside the house? 😁

I would imagine all the suggestions for avocado, meatballs, sweet potato might have been thought of or tried or check and perhaps the kids dont like those en masse?

At the end of the day she has to get some calories and nutrition inside the kids, its one meal out of the day, not the sum total of what they're eating, theres protein, fat and carbs albeit a bit on the fruity side. Nothing is perfect.

For lunch I had a cheese and marmite sandwich, an orange squash drink and a Penguin or a Breakaway for lunch for the best part of a decade in my childhood as I wouldn't eat anything else!

I was fine.

Normally my visitor goes to garden otherwise car while I use downstairs loo which is in my playroom occasionally they go up and visit my daughter who works from home and is also a registered emergency assistant or she pops down

I don't cook for children parents supply and go home for dinner I'm not spending time away from care and education to cook twice a day then wash up let alone the food regulations

Not ‘all settings’ @Tanaria

My nursery offered two home cooked meals every day

No processed foods, No junk, no cakes or anything like that

Snacks were carrots, cucumber and pepper sticks , Orange, Pear, Apple etc

That wouldn’t be acceptable to me at all. That’s just a selection of snacks, not a proper lunch. Why can’t she even offer a sandwich? And surely all the kids don’t stay for ‘tea’ either.

Neither of my childminders provided food though, we sent in our own.

My son goes to nursery and they provide a nice hot meal most days, and a ‘picnic lunch’ once every 2 weeks with forest school. They also provide fruit at snack times.

And yes I would also be concerned if someone I didn’t know was visting regularly, DBS checked or not. Nothing against you personally.