Nursery Food Portions….AIBU?

[MrsMarmite1234]

I could go on forever about my DD’s nursery as it’s gone downhill in the last year but there seems little point in moving her for the sake of a few months before school this year. However, over the last few months she has been ravenous after nursery and eating mountains before she goes. It’s come to light that the food is no longer home cooked and in line with nutritional recommendations which probably accounts for her increased appetite at home. My main concern though is the portion sizes - at breakfast when it’s toast/crumpets they get half a slice and bagels a quarter. AIBU to think this is not enough or am I just greedy? Genuinely not sure if I’m right or not.

I don’t think that’s enough, my 5 and 3 year olds eat a whole bagel or 2 slices of toast. Do they get anything with it, fruit or yogurt?

A quarter of a bagel?!!! And that's it?!

That's so bad

Of course that's not enough
Can you send her in with more food in a lunch box? Clearly they're very challenged with finances or they wouldn't be doing this. I know its only a few months but I'd seriously consider moving her if they won't let you provide more food for her.

Is it not just a snack type breakfast though? In that they expect DC to actually be fed breakfast at home before they arrive and their ‘breakfast’ is just a snack?

What meals does she have there?

Are they not able to ask for extra?

Definitely not enough, although my DC has breakfast at home and then "social toast" when she arrives at nursery which is just half a slice. The kids who are there for breakfast also get Weetabix etc. Could there be some confusion?

I wouldn't be happy about the food changing without parents being told.

It is meant to be actual breakfast. For a full day (7am - 6.15pm) they are due to serve breakfast, lunch and an afternoon snack. It is literally just the toast/bagel/crumpet. Cereal features too but harder to know how much of that they are having. Apparently theirs is only extra “if there’s enough” and she has said she’s been told no on occasion. She never used to have breakfast before going in but she does now everyday. I think a lunchbox with extra food might be needed. I’ve asked nursery to confirm portion sizes. Glad I haven’t lost my mind!!

That doesn’t seem right at all.

My son’s nursery will let the children decide how much they want until they’re satisfied.

8am - 4pm my son has:
cereal x2
morning fruit
lunch x 2 (plus pudding)
afternoon fruit
tea

I offered to bring in extra food because he has a huge appetite but nursery said they can double portions for no extra cost.

If she is about to start school I'm guessing she is 3 or 4. My 8 month old eats half a crumpet! So I wouldn't be surprised your DD is hungry.

I think in my nursery they give him extra snacks if they think he is hungry fruit or liga. Along with a scheduled lunch and afternoon snack and his bottles.

I would be really annoyed and asking, probably by email, what they are offering her. I suppose it is possible she doesn't like the food there anymore and isn't eating it?

You're asking nursery to confirm portion sizes? So where has your info come from?

I don’t mean this as an attack but I find your reasoning for putting up with inadequate childcare, that there’s only a few months left until she moves onto school, really sad.
Of course it’s a hassle for you, and unsettling for her, to move childcare providers but I wouldn’t put up with my child not being fed enough, regardless of this.
It’s also not just the food that’s bothering you, you say the setting has gone downhill in others ways too. We as parents are often our children’s only advocates. If you have worries about the nursery, report them and move her.

That's really harsh. If my DD were happy at nursery, I wouldn't be moving her for the sake of a few months either, I'd want her happy and settled before starting school, even if I wasn't happy with the food.

Same here! My boys are 5 & 3 and they each have a full bagel and a few grapes and or strawberries for breakfast.

A 1/4 of a bagel is nowhere near enough for a preschool aged child.

Don’t they give an evening meal for children there until 6.15? Surely lunch and an afternoon snack is nowhere near enough for a child at nursery 7am-6.15pm.

I imagine they are quite small (school dinner portions are small too). Realistically, there is probably a lot of waste. But she should always be able to have more.

When I went with ds for preschool settling in when we moved and changed settings, I got to see what they were served for snack time. It was a few slivers of different fruits on a plate - a slice of apple, 2 satsuma wedges, a strawberry, a sliver of mango. All the other kids around him at the table refused to eat more than a bit of apply. Ds (who likes food!) just slowly ate his way around everyone else's plates after they got up to go play again. 😂

Yes, I would ask if you could send in additional lunch/snacks.

My preschooler is currently impossible to fill. He eats everything they give him at nursery (which are good portions) and then has a snack before we have dinner together and then wants dessert and more snacks later. He's pretty high energy so that might be it and he's growing and learning which use a lot of energy.

If you're not happy with the portion sizes at nursery you should complain, even if there isn't long left.

Are you charged extra for this op?

I wouldn't be happy with my child being at nursery from 7-6:15 and only having a tiny breakfast, lunch, and afternoon snack. Dinner should be included and each meal should be substantial and healthy. I would raise a complaint with the nursery, but in the meantime would insist on sending in a packed lunch.

It’s not just the food the OP is unhappy with. She said she could go on forever about how it’s gone downhill. I personally would not be happy dropping my child off somewhere that I could describe like that, never mind the fact she’s going hungry there too!