what do you feed your nanny?

[HeadFairy]

I know nannies usually eat with the children they're caring for, but presumably they make themselves something different to eat if they're looking after a baby (or do they eat mush? ;o) Do you just tell them to help themselves or do you ask them in advance what they'd like, ie any sandwich fillings, would they like a hot meal etc?

My nanny puts what she wants on a list, and it appears at the door via the Tesco delivery guy like magic.

I do retain a bit of control on the budget so she doesn't always get everything she asks for. But my policing is often based more on nutritional alue than it is price (although I have to manage the budget as well).

Good grief, they were obviously horrible employers. And probably went through a lot of nannies.

But, sadly these people do exist. Our nanny recently left and she had a couple of very unresonable interviews. One family said they could not ever tell her what time her work would end on any given day before it actually ended. So she would start in the morning and finish whenever the spirit moved them to come home.

Another family wanted to pay her pittance in cash and lived in massive house with nice expensive cars, etc.

Needless to say, she told them both to bugger off.

Again I put things on the list, they appeared. I'm a fan of BLW anyway and most parents I've worked for were too - or at least enough that baby ate what I would mashed up - and I'd cook enough for a family, feed children and myself, leave overnight for parents if they wanted and freeze (ice cube portions if just baby) if necessary.

Sandwiches, salad or pasta usually sorts lunch though. I'd make soups in winter but if I cooked properly I'd often leave for the parents. Don't expect that of your nanny though - or if you do talk about it first and put it in the contract!

I'm pretty cheap to feed apparently so I've never had anyone begrudge me lunch!

yangymac, maybe buy the odd ww yogurt/biscuits for her

or keep salad/jackets/pasta/bread and say help yourself, - im on ww and thats what i live on

We share a nanny and so DD is usually at the other family's house, but when she has been here we just say to help herself to anything at all in the fridge/freezer/cupboards which are always well stocked, or she sometimes brings her own lunch with her.

anything at all in the fridge, freezer or cupboard, though I tend to say if something is earmarked for a specific meal. Also freedom to buy anything from the kitty (never been abused) or ask me to. With time, you learn likes and dislikes and buy more of whatever's being used lots.

Stocking lots of pasta, rice, potatoes and veg, onions etc is a good move, then there is always flexibility.

And ask about general food preferences, and you can make sure there's something appropriate.

Whatever she wants that's there. Either what's she's cooking the little ones, or if she fancies something else, then she is free to do so - no limits.

Would be a bit if she was using the kitty money to buy herself lunch, though. One nanny we had did that - would leave receipts for cakes and things for her, not the children. She would also eat anything around that was vaguely treaty - we were a bit taken aback when she ate two of those M&S tub things in ONE day. She was horrible about lots of things - not just food - and so didn't last long.

Not usually a problem, though. Witch-nanny- from-hell (God, she was a nightmare) was the only time this sort of thing has ever been an issue. Most nannies are lovely and it never comes up because we BOTH treat each other with respect.

Blondes and Strix, woner if I know the employers your both talking about??? Sounds VERY familiar

My current job put it in my contract they will provide breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea plus beverages.

I've yet to come across another nanny who has the same. It's also the 1st time i've come across it myself.

I never take advantage, but, it's nice to know they care enough.

nannying is a small world :) - the nanny mafia grapevine is also something to consider

if a nanny is badly treated then the mafia local nannys will blacklist that family

afternoon tea? is that cucumber sandwiches and scones with clotted cream

True, the nanny mafia is international

Plus if a family won't feed a nanny that's probably something that will get mentioned to any potential successors.

Can you imagine the answers to 'why is your current nanny leaving?'!

We starved her out? She wanted feeding? We didn't want her eating/going to the loo/breathing during work hours?

Never heard of afternoon tea in a contract! Sounds yummy :)

i know frak

i really intrigued,magic what DO you get for afternoon tea?

I am also intrigued. Previous mb used to move the fruit and fibre to a higher shelf if I dared have that instead of what she'd left me for lunch....

you werent allowed fruit and fibre?

its cereal FFS

Blondes, afternoon tea is whatever I want it to be. Usually nothing for me tho as I never bother eating at that time unless I fancy a sandwich. They also tell me to buy food for myself if we happen to be out at lunch/teatime and tell me to get a takeaway if i'm babysitting.
Also if they know i'm having people over for playdates MB will ask me what she should get in extra to feed not only the children, but, the nannies as well.

I've come to the conclusion listening to other nannies that my bosses are indeed a rare breed.

Would just like to add, i've had about 8 takeaways over a 3yr period when babysitting and buy food out for myself maybe once a month max. I hate buying for myself every time, that really would be taking the "p".

Don't live in Devon so no clotted cream teas for me blondes
(devon sells the best

i dont generally do takeaways at work but do eat anything, my mb always has a stocked freezer/cupboards and myself and others nannies and their charges welcome to eat

i also think my mb is a rare breed, have often said she must have been a nanny in a former life as head is so clued on with stuff

the farm near me does fab cream teas :)

at your local farm blondes.

Dont know about you, but, it took a very long time for me to find a good boss like this one and i've no intention of letting someone else try out the job, it's mine all mine

I had begun to think people like them didn't exist in the nanny world.

I'm sure there are great employers out there, but, sometimes it's hard to belive it when you put up with bad after bad after bad.

BTW talking all round job, not just the food L

We don't have a nanny anymore, but when we did, I asked her every Friday to give me a list of anything she'd like me to buy when shopping at weekend. We also always had a kitty going that she could dip into.

I've always had nice boss's bar one who was a stingy selfish cow - but that's another story

I've always said you can train the children
but not the parents so if you get on with the parents at the interview it will be a nice job

Our nanny has been told she's welcome to anything in the fridge/cuboards, and I leave money out to cover incidentals and have explicitly told her that if e.g. she gets the girls a treat at the park she's obviously welcome to get herself something as well. Also always tell her to help herself to a beer/glass of wine after girls in bed if she does evening babysit, but am pretty sure she never has. Must admit it never occured to me to ask input for weekly shop.

I help myself to what ever there is have input on both shopping lists also have a kitty.
There are times when maybe they want something for the weekend. Quite happy to make extra for parents from time to time after all they do the same as well