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Original poster

Feeding the nanny

48 replies

zebedeethezebra · 25/02/2011 12:39

Can someone please tell me what is the normal stuff that you get in for nanny's lunches etc since we are fairly new to this. We have more or less given ours the run of the fridge, but I'm starting to think that now she's taking the piss a bit.

I don't want to go into too much detail, since for all I know she looks at this website!

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Northernlurker · 25/02/2011 12:50

I don't have a nanny but I would think:
Bread
Cheese
Ham
Tuna/Prawn mayo
Eggs
Bacon/sausages/burgers
cold chicken or other cold meat
Soup
Left overs in general
Crisps
Cakes
Biscuits

Basically anything other than uncooked joints etc clearly intended to be a main family meal. Untouched gateaux etc.

What has she eaten?

SnapFrakkleAndPop · 25/02/2011 12:53

If there's anything you don't want nanny to eat because it's meal-planned/a special treat put a sticker on it.

In general I ate what my charges ate. So the equivalent of an additional adult portion of soup, pasta, sandwich, fruit etc. Or if I was cooking for the DC then count an extra chicken breast, an extra adult portion of mince etc.

Mmm bacon....

orangina · 25/02/2011 13:00

I would talk to your nanny about it. We generally ask our nanny if there is anything she would like us to get in for her lunch etc, or else I expect her to eat whatever the children eat.

If you think yours is taking the piss I would recommend you chat to her about it, as it can become VERY annoying very quickly....!

Blondeshavemorefun · 25/02/2011 13:01

i eat whatever i feed the kids, tho 2 are at school now

so generally pasta/jacket/sandwich/soup

i leave notes on food is dont want db anyone to scoff it Grin

anything i want i either buy or put on shopping list in kitchen

what is she eating?

drinkyourmilk · 25/02/2011 13:02

I eat what my charge eats. I also do the tesco online order - so my employer can cancel anything she doesn't want me to have.

nannyl · 25/02/2011 13:46

As a nanny i have always eaten with the children, often 3 meals a day, breakfast, lunch and dinner.

For me breakfast is always just a bowl of cereal and a cup of tea.

lunches... whatever children have...
soup & bread
scrambled egg on toast
cheese toasty
tuna sandwich
ham salad roll
omlette
beans on toast
maybe pasta with sauce
jacket potatoe with cheese / beans
WITH carrot / cuecumber sticks etc
a yogurt
and piece of fruit, apple / satsuma etc.

dinner
a portion of whatever main meal the children had
spag bol
sausage and mash
chicken casserole
fish pie
home made pizza
pasta bake
salmon and rice
always with veg
or any other normal meal that id feed the children

followed by a piece of fruit.

During the day the children didnt snack, so nor did i. although if we'd been baking we would have a snack of whatever it was, and save the rest as puddings

i didnt have a huge appetite or anything and only ever had a portion of what the children had.

Was always in my contract that could eat a meal whenever the children did

Original poster
zebedeethezebra · 25/02/2011 18:40

That all sounds pretty reasonable.

Lets just say, I buy 4 boxes of an expensive fruit to last the week, and 2 entire boxes went in one day (of which me and DP had less than half of one). I'm sure DS had some too, but 2 boxes! I mean that's just ridiculous isn't it?

OP posts:
nailak · 25/02/2011 18:56

depends how big the boxes are, i mean my kids can eat 2 boxes of strawberries in half an hour#!

nannyl · 25/02/2011 19:02

do you mean like strawberries / blueberries?

agree fruit is yummy and can easily eat a punnet or 2!, though we always tried not to.

my charges have all loved blueberries and they'd eat 5 or 10 boxes of them if allowed!

nailak · 25/02/2011 19:08

if you mean she ate 2 boxes of mangos thats diff...

Original poster
zebedeethezebra · 25/02/2011 19:08

ds is only just 1

OP posts:
Original poster
zebedeethezebra · 25/02/2011 19:09

i wouldn't want him to eat an entire box, that much can't be good for him

OP posts:
Laquitar · 25/02/2011 19:20

3 adults, i child, 2 punnets is not 'ridiculous', especially if they were some rotten ones at the bottom which is usually the case, and she had to bin them.

wizzywig · 25/02/2011 19:53

hi, am i the only one who thinks that a nanny should bring her own food? when i was working, i bought my own lunch in or paid for it, why should it be different for a nanny? i dont know of anyone else that gets their lunches and dinners provided for by their employers, unless they work in a restaurant or something similar.

Novstar · 25/02/2011 20:00

wizzywig, yes I know some employers think that, and some nannies are OK with that. Many other employers, including me think that, since nannies don't get lunch breaks the way other employers probably do, they can't nip out to buy a sandwich, so it's only fair to provide food. to a reasonable amount.

To the OP, I think that if the nanny's brilliant, you probably won't be quibbling about a few punnets of fruit... so I would guess you have other issues too.

mrsthomsontobe · 25/02/2011 20:06

wizzywig- surely it makes sense that the nanny eats what the child is eating so that she not making to different meals and so that it will encourage the child to eat there dinner if they see the nanny eating it too.

FourFortyFour · 25/02/2011 20:09

In all my nanny jobs the employers provided food. Sometimes I might get something else but there was always enough to eat.

nannynick · 25/02/2011 20:11

wizzywig - Yes, you are the only one Grin
Nannies generally have food supplied whilst working, as unlike other employees nannies can't have a lunch break (who would look after the children).

Today I had lunch and tea with the children. I ate the same as the children, except that I had onion with my sausage (the children seem to dislike onion when they can see it).

When it comes to food, I think issues can occur when the nanny eats things very different to what the child/children eat. Generally I would say that nannies eat the same as the children for whom they care.

nannyl · 25/02/2011 20:17

yup wizzywig you are Grin

it is completely normal for employers to provide food during nannies working hours.

its has never even been questioned by any of my emloyers, and every nanny i know (and i have known loads in my time) always eat out of the kitchen at work.

when you have no break at all in a 13+ hour day, the job is hardly "normal"

nannyl · 25/02/2011 20:21

oh and wizzywig im not nannying anymore, but work in an independant school, and have my lunch provided Smile

A delciouse meal made with fresh ingrediants that morning, or a choice of freshly made sandwiches / jacket potatoe / salad.
Now i dont have to cook it or wash up, just eat it Grin

nannynick · 25/02/2011 20:22

wizzywig wrote: "i dont know of anyone else that gets their lunches and dinners provided for by their employers, unless they work in a restaurant or something similar."

Well, nannying is "something similar" as nannies are cooking food for people to eat. Thus chef gets their own plate.

Iggly · 25/02/2011 20:26

My nanny brings her own lunch - I didn't think about itTBH. But she does get two breaks a day when DS naps - there isn't much to do as I do most of his washing and his meals are quick and easy so most of his lunch nap she watches telly! Which is fine by me.

Blondeshavemorefun · 25/02/2011 20:46

Tbh eating 2 punnets of fruit doesn't sound that bad

And yes some employers don't allow the nanny to eat [ hmm]

But we don't get actual lunchbreaks and often nannies can work 11/12hrs a day and by eating what the children do we show a good example

Laquitar · 25/02/2011 21:04

Am i the only one who Smile @ the phrase 'feeding the nanny'?

Maybe we should adopt a NLW method Wink

Catilla · 25/02/2011 21:28

I know where you're coming from in terms of stress when things you've bought aren't there any more (bit of a control freak here!). However I've realised that the amount of money involved is nothing compared to the total amount of money involved in childcare, and that a happy nanny and good relationship are most important.
Also my nanny helpfully suggested that she sometimes eat dinner with the children as It seemed to improve their behaviour and their eating - and I'm very happy to make that investment in their manners, health and happiness.

I have to say that for me this all fits with the fact that having a nanny is fantastic in teems of convenience and personalised care, but also I will be pleased when I don't have to have someone else in my house! ...pluses and minuses...