Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To change nursery because of menu options

304 replies

Confusedwithcake1 · 23/02/2017 17:11

So I'm returning to work soon and my LO will attend the local nursery for 2 days a week when 11months old. When I chose the nursery I was happy with the care, location etc and at the time I was happy with the menu options.

Fast forward now and I've looked at the menu options and now I think I want to look for a new nursery. Specifically because they serve cake as a pudding (wasn't on previous sample menu)

Don't get me wrong I love cake and know that LO will eat cake at parties but I was just hoping that a nursery setting would provide something less junkie.

My DH thinks it's fine as it's only 2 days a week but I'm not so sure as it seems unnecessary for a 11month old.. so aibu to try and find a new nursery based on one sample menu that lists cake as a pudding?

OP posts:
tabithakitty · 23/02/2017 19:38

It's the sugar rather than the calories I'd be concerned about. Just because we all had lashings of sugar and cake, doesn't mean it's a great thing! I was shocked to see in hospital last week a play room specifically for kids having teeth removed. It's a huge problem, I think.

ItWentInMyEye · 23/02/2017 19:39

I think yabu for considering changing from this nursery you're otherwise happy with because of cake. However, if you don't want your child to have cake, just say so! I doubt you'll be the first to ask them to provide an alternative, and if they're as good a nursery as you think they are, you won't be judged as 'that mum'.

bumsexatthebingo · 23/02/2017 19:40

I don't think it is as easily solved as sending in your own fruit etc as the child will likely want what everyone else is being given and be upset they are the only one not being offered it even if they don't know what it is. If you can find a nursery with healthier options then of course yanbu to send your child there. You are paying for it after all. The communal aspect of eating healthy food encourages all the children to eat healthily and I agree an 11 month old doesn't need cake so regularly.
I think you'll find that even in healthy eating schools though it is only packed lunches that aren't allowed junk in them. The school dinners still have pizza, chips (or fried potato strips or whatever they call them to avoid calling them chips) and cake and custard/ice cream etc most days.

Rhayader · 23/02/2017 19:44

PFB?

LotisBlue · 23/02/2017 19:46

I told nursery not to give ds pudding except fruit and yoghurt. He's not even my pfb. His big sister basically lives off jam sandwiches and pom bears, so I'm enjoying the organic houmous and broccoli stage while it lasts!

theSnuffster · 23/02/2017 19:48

I work in a baby room in a nursery. We give cake for pudding sometimes- but it's worth noting that each piece is tiny, not much more than an inch square. We also have things like fruit salad, fruit flapjack, jelly, meringue with fruit compote, yoghurt, crumble with custard. All low sugar where possible. We do occasionally have parents who ask that we only give their child fruit.

Screwinthetuna · 23/02/2017 19:53

You want to change nursery because they serve cake? Are you messing? Sorry but you must have a pretty awesome life if that's the kind of thing you have to worry/stress about.
It's cake not crack

Caterina99 · 23/02/2017 20:00

My DS is allergic to eggs so he can't eat cake. Nursery asked if he could have something else instead on cake days so he gets a rice crispie square. So random, but that's what they suggested as I think there's another child there with a milk allergy so they both get the same. As it's about once a week I can't bring myself to get too worked up about it.

MaverickSnoopy · 23/02/2017 20:08

Since dd1 was little I have always maintained all things in moderation but because her nursery did a daily sweet pudding we opted out of them. Whilst in theory I didn't mind because of the reasoning behind the sweet puddings (see next paragraph) I just didn't want her growing up thinking that you have cake, custard etc daily and if she had it daily at nursery then we wouldn't be able to give her some at home. However as she got a bit older she did have it once a week at pre school.

Dd1s nursery and preschool compiled their menus and then they were nutritionally analysed and balanced by a specialised computer programme to make sure that across the day the children were getting the right amount of iron, protein etc. This meant including more sweet puddings to ensure the children were eating a balanced diet. So in actual fact according to this system dd wasn't getting everything that she should have been because of us opting out of sweet puddings. That being said tea was always at 3pm and as such she needed another meal at home at the end of the day.

I also know that the sweet puddings didn't contain sugar - company policy. For us it was about learning to eat in moderation and that didn't include a daily sweet pudding.

My advice would be to find out more about the puddings and if you're not happy then opt out. I would be surprised if you would find any nursery that didn't do sweet puddings and the childcare element is much more important than anything else.

oleoleoleole · 23/02/2017 20:10

You'll never find perfect childcare matching your exact needs so you need to compromise. If this is the only thing you'll need to compromise on I wouldn't worry. You can ask that DC is given fruit or suitable alternative.

hotdiggedy · 23/02/2017 20:12

Congratulations on being one of 'those' parents. Seriously, sort it out now before the child starts school!

bumsexatthebingo · 23/02/2017 20:14

Can't believe the beating the op is getting here. Her child hasn't even started nursery yet. Surely the food on offer would be one of the things you would look at when choosing childcare. If she can find another nursery with a menu more to her liking why on earth would she be unreasonable to go with her preferred choice?

Hatemylifenow · 23/02/2017 20:16

Surely the food on offer would be one of the things you would look at when choosing childcare.

Just in so far as confirmation they offered breakfast, lunch and dinner.

bumsexatthebingo · 23/02/2017 20:19

So for example if there are 2 nurseries that offer pretty much the same things - same price, distance etc. Ops like the look of both of them but the food is much better at one. People are saying that the op would be unreasonable to spend her money on the one she liked better???

bumsexatthebingo · 23/02/2017 20:20

And if the nursery is handing out menus there are clearly some parents that give a shiny one what their kids are eating!

Serialweightwatcher · 23/02/2017 20:22

The reason they have a department just for children's teeth extraction is probably because some parents feed their children sweets/fizz/juice all day long and never make sure they have regular or indeed any dental appointments or clean their teeth - I doubt very much it's because of one dessert a day

MrsPringles · 23/02/2017 20:25

I think YABU, sorry Blush

My DS (2.5) goes to nursery 2 days per week and he has 3 meals there, lunch 'pudding' is fruit, yoghurt etc but dinner 'pudding' is more substantial, carrot cake, shortbread, banana and custard etc

He runs around like a lunatic all day so I think he could do with the calories, we brush his teeth well and don't feed him masses of crap at home. I don't think it does them any harm

Hatemylifenow · 23/02/2017 20:25

But that isn't the case here bumsex Confused

happymumof4crazykids · 23/02/2017 20:28

Yes we can't put it lunchboxes for school but they serve cake and biscuits for school dinners Hmm
All nurseries serve a wide range of food and at that age the portions are tiny

spiney · 23/02/2017 20:29

Love you Archery AnnieGrinGrinGrinGrinWink My DS had a lovely, lovely childminder. She was so kind and caring and always so positive in every way about the children she looked after. It was a joy to leave my son with her knowing he liked her so much. ( you know how soul searchingly awful it is leaving them if they are not happy going to childcare) His after school snack there was limitless Nutella wraps.
But It was all part of the bigger picture.

You sound like a lovely mum Op. I wouldn't worry too much, it's a small thing. I think a healthy diet is what you establish in a balanced way, day in day out at home. The cake won't make a dot of difference.

tabithakitty · 23/02/2017 20:40

I don't think the teeth extractions is uncommon now. I can't understand why my DH didn't have it as a child tbh, because he was raised on sugar! But it does seem more common these days. Gave me a right shock. I'm also kind of surprised posters here are so ok with such a lot of sugar. Everybody has their bugbear I guess.

tabithakitty · 23/02/2017 20:40

are

bumsexatthebingo · 23/02/2017 20:40

Well the op hasn't looked at other nurseries. It's entirely possible that there is another one that is just as good and has a healthier menu. I'm failing to see why the op would bu if she wanted to use her own money to pay for a nursery she liked better for whatever reason.

Hatemylifenow · 23/02/2017 20:42

No one has said that. They have said op would BU to reject a good nursery on the basis they occasionally serve cake.

Charlieismydarlin · 23/02/2017 20:43

I know we are all a bit sugar obsessed these days but people go on about how much sugar an apple contains and then exclaim you might as well eat cake.

You ain't really comparing like with like. An apple also contains a myriad of beneficial things including fibre. Generally cake does not.

I just don't buy this obsession with sugar.

Within reason fruit is good!