To expect more from nursery food?

[mylittlesandwich]

DS is my first child so I have no experience in this area. I have previously posted about the nursery but I'm satisfied with their care for the moment and this isn't about the pros and cons of young children in nursery.

DS is 10 months and is in 2 full days. I'm just not sure if I'm expecting too much of the food. So far he's been fed things like corned beef hash, spaghetti hoops and beans. I contacted them to ask for more info on salt content etc and they have said that they'll get back to me with it. He feeds himself too at home and I know he is often spoon fed at nursery because of the kinds of foods they give him. I offered to provide food myself that I feel would better for him but they won't allow it as other children may have allergies.

Basically what is your experience of nursery food for babies and AIBU in expecting it to be better?

@Sexnotgender

This is the menu this week for my sons nursery. Everything made fresh on site.

That's very similar to the menu from the nursery I used to work in - but the actual food would be for example: "cold meat selection" - a slice of value ham/value turkey "salmon pasta and garlic bread" - lots of cheapest frozen value garlic bread, tiny bit of salmon "chicken and mushroom stroganoff" - each child would get a couple of chunks of frozen, value chicken pieces in theirs "toast and pate" - the nastiest value meat paste that was 60% mechanically recovered chicken skin "sausage and mash" - one frozen value sausage per child

And this was a nursery that advertised all meals made fresh on site by a dedicated cook...

(Not that I'm saying this is the case at your nursery, just that what's written on the menu can be very deceiving even if technically true!)

Were the spaghetti hoops and beans tea?

I ask because when ds was at nursery that had the more nutritious full meal at lunch time and something like hoops and toast for "light tea" - as in this isn't a proper main meal. It was always enough for ds but I know a lot of kids went home and had another tea at home.

Tbh i don't think there's anything wrong with it but ds is 4 and I've let a lot slide since 18 months but who doesn't.

@Sexnotgender that looks lovely. Something along those lines would be perfect.

I've only given 3 examples because they're all I can remember off the top of my head and all that's entered into the app they use.

@CakeGirl2020 I'm hardly being over the top. He's 10 months old, it's not healthy for him to have high quantities of sugar or salt. That obviously will change as he gets older and his little body can deal with things differently. I think most people want a healthy balanced diet for their child especially when they're paying for it.

I had no experience of childcare. I assumed that nutrition would be important wherever I chose. I was obviously naive.

You thought all nurseries did everything to the same standard?

Maybe the OP didn't have a huge amount of choice in local nurserys or maybe this nursery is the only one who did early drop off for example. Even if food is high on someone's list unfortunately many things are often much higher.

In which case, you accept the convenience you chose comes with a trade off.

I assumed they had guidelines to follow. As I said I was naive.

@TinySleepThief

I wouldn't be impressed at a nursery dishing up Spaghetti hoops. There's nothing wrong with them but it's not the sort of food I'd ever expect to see on a nursery menu. I also wouldn't be happy that they are continually spoon feeding him.

I'm more surprised to see them outside a nursery menu - soft, digestible, moist, source of carbohydrate, can be eaten hot, cold and lukewarm - what's not appropriate about them?

[quote mylittlesandwich]@MJMG2015 yes that was me. They really seem to have listened to me on that one though. We had a discussion when I picked him up that evening and I pointed out he was the only immobile child in the room. I've checked in now and again since then and there has been no further issues. We're away this week and me and DH have some rare time together to talk about things so the food has come up.

They say they follow the traffic light system and only provide things that are green or amber. If they're buying things in then I'm pretty sure that the traffic light system isn't based on a 10 month old.

I am also however aware that food is a big one for me. I have weight issues and it's a constant battle so I'm doing my upmost to start healthy habits with DS and not let history repeat itself. At home we offer a range of healthy foods and let him feed himself. He'll have things like lasagne or yesterday we had meatballs but DH is helping me make things from scratch so we can avoid added sugar and salt and it's improving my diet too. [/quote]
Just to state the obvious, lasagne is rarely healthy!
Perhaps your own food issues, are the root cause here of the problems not the nursery.

As for baked beans, spaghetti hoops what is the issue? They were a staple from weaning here and I’ve got 3 dc, you can buy low salt and sugar versions very easily.

You are missing the point wildly, saying you can get low salt versions. Even if you take the salt our they are really low in nutritional value. This is how you get picky eaters later on, giving them junk as a baby rather than lots of tastes, textures, lots of yummy veg.

They do have guidelines in England - and I assume they do in Scotland. Don’t know if they’re compulsory though.

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/658870/Early_years_menus_part_1_guidance.pdf

Baked beans= junk 😂 So why does the NHS website count them as one of the 5 day?? Not only are they 1 of 5 a day they are good for fibre and protein.

Baked bean are not junk and I’ve got 3 dc all ate beans from wearing and I’ve no fussy eaters thanks 😀 so no I’m not missing any point

DS' nursery also has an on-site chef and we get a weekly menu. They don't offer breakfast but offer a proper lunch (2 days a week it's veggie, 2 days a week it's fish and 1 day a week it's meat). They always have veggies and salad on the side too. There's no sugar (or added salt) but two or three types of fruit are available every day for snacks and pudding. Tea is a lighter meal - generally something like oatcakes and guacamole or cheese and fruit and crackers. Last week's menu was:

Monday - Pasta with roasted vegetables, feta and olives
Tuesday - Lamb and chickpea curry
Wednesday - Lemon cod with couscous and vegetables
Thursday - Lentil stew with sweet potatoes
Friday - Salmon and sweet potato bake

The staff all eat with the children and say how nice the food is (albeit they admitted that they had a stash of salt in the corner of the room for their portions!). I've been amazed and how much DS has eaten especially as he refuses to be spoonfed so eats everything with his hands still!

I don't see anything wrong with beans and hoops per se (god knows I love them!) but I'd be disappointed if nursery served them because food is such an important part of the day and of their development, especially when they're so young. For purely practical reasons, I like having a weekly menu too so I can balance what I feed DS on his non-nursery days or decide if he'll need food when he gets home.

Ours tend to do things like beans on toast, spag hoop, jacket P, pizza for dinners

But, their lunches are all home cooked and great- roast dinner, fish stew, chilli; pork and new potatoes etc.

I’m going to sound harsh here but from this post and your last you don’t sound happy with your nursery and probably should consider a move, the trust clearly isn’t there and the people at the nursery will be such a big part of your LO’s life that you have to be able to trust them. Tbh you sound over the top and if I was them I probably would be sick of you too - who works and still has time to watch their little one on a camera for half an hour and who suggests bringing their own meals in (you should have checked the menu as part of your research before your DC started as I would expect most nurseries to have sample menus as most rotate their meals every two weeks - you did not do your due diligence correctly and that’s on you).

My LO’s nursery sometimes does jacket potato with beans and I don’t have a problem with this - I think in the main they have healthy meals and the occasional easy meal is ok too. For info I gave her beans on toast this morning myself too as she loves beans so in moderation I’m ok with it - she also eats lot of different foods and eats all her veg (usually the first things she eats when given her meals) so I don’t think it is damaging her appetite.

Thanks for that @Wheneverwhereve it's not news that I messed up. I don't think they're sick of me. He's my first and only so I am probably a bit PFB. That's why I've been sounding here so I don't go in to them sounding like a mad woman. Ideally I would spend every single day with him myself of even better hire a nanny but I'm trying to do the best I can with what I've got.

Maybe it’s not the most amazing nursery ever, and maybe the food is a bit crap - but is your DS happy? Is he safe? Are the staff nice? Is it affordable, in a convenient location, gives you the hours you need?

It’s two days a week, corned beef and baked beans won’t do any harm.

I would also like to say I didn't call them and demand to know why they were feeding him "junk". I just asked for some more info on the food he's having and they seem happy to provide it. I really started this thread to see if the food provided was typical and if I had delusions of grandeur over menu options.

I know I have issues with food and they're being addressed.

Honestly more nurseries are of the fish fingers & beans variety than the free range organic prepared from scratch by the on site chef variety (in real life anyway, maybe not on MN )

@Marmitecrackers

*As for baked beans, spaghetti hoops what is the issue? They were a staple from weaning here and I’ve got 3 dc, you can buy low salt and sugar versions very easily.*

You are missing the point wildly, saying you can get low salt versions. Even if you take the salt our they are really low in nutritional value. This is how you get picky eaters later on, giving them junk as a baby rather than lots of tastes, textures, lots of yummy veg.

Ah yes a couple of meals a week will make them picky eaters. Come on that's rubbish and you know it.

@mylittlesandwich I’m a FTM and have suffered from PNA in the past so I get being PFB and can sympathise... but after you and your DH the nursery workers will be some of the most important people in your LO’s life. You don’t seem happy with their service so I think you should find a nursery that is more compatible to your expectations.

From my experience there was mainly home cooked food, veg, curries lasagne etc but they provided a lunch & tea so that would occasionally be beans on toast, or hoops.

You do need to see the overall menu but provided it was varied I wouldn't be overly concerned.

1 year old and 4 year old in 3 full days. Offered the same. Cereal and fruit for breakfast. Fruit and oatcake/bagel morning snack and afternoon snack. Lunch hot meal, dinner hot meal. Things like soup and sandwich, fish pie, fishcakes, fish gougons, lasagne, meatballs, noodles and chicken. Lots of variety and everything including lots of fresh bread is made on premises. In Fife. Children all feed themselves but some help will be given to babies with things like soup of they need it but still encouraged to do it themselves. Treats are sometimes given like ice cream from local ice cream place (after a walk there and discussion on how it is made) marshmallows with a campfire they have built. So it is everything in moderation and lots and lots of outdoor activity.

I feel like it's too early to decide that I need to pull him out as it seems like the best of my options. I also know that my anxieties will ease as I'm having CBT at the moment. I'm just trying to get some perspective here. That's all.

I should also say they do get baked beans with baked potatoes and sausages and mash sometimes too.

I am clearly a terrible parent, because I don’t even check what our 22 month old has eaten at her one day a week at nursery - I just check that she has actually eaten something. She gets some fruit and veg, has the odd nap and seems to be happy there so that’s enough for me.

Off the top of my head, 2 year old (who has been there since she was 1) has things like the following (all cooked from scratch): sweet and sour chicken & noodles, veggie burgers, lasagne, shepherds pie, chill con carne jacket potato, chickpea curry etc. I would be unhappy with the food you describe.