Food for CM Children

[MUM2BLESS]

I provide snack for some of the kids. Would love to have some ideas for what could come under snacks. I do not really want to be doing cooking as such, rather something healthy but quick

I was wondering cm who are vegetarian do you only do vegetarian food? Also cm who avoid certain food for relgious reason how do you handle kids who are not of your relgion?

Anyone dealing with fussy eaters how do you handle that.

One of my mindees is a bit fussy with what she eats. I try to encourgae healthy eating whenever possible. She likes some fruit and also yogert.

Any imput would be appreciated

I'm a parent but my cm provides snacks (although I pack DS snacks anyway as well, but it's included in her price).
She gives a variety of fruit, breadsticks, rice cakes, raisins, and on special occasions there are biscuits and sometimes cakes (not daily, of course!)
If we have baked something at home, I would usually send in enough with DS to share with kids at cm.
I'm vegetarian and DS isn't given meat. It's fine.

DS enjoys the Nairns oatcakes (the cheese ones in particular) and they are really wholesome and filling. Raisins are always a favourite treat.

I am a Vegetarian CM and I do give my mindees (and my DD) meat. I know a CM who didn't eat certain foods due to her religion and her mindees parents were happy for their children to follow her diet.

My snacks tend to be veggie anyway - fruit/veg/breadsticks/crackers/cheese/etc

The snacks I offer are:

Rice cakes/dutch crispbakes with dip (hummus, cream cheese and pesto)
Breadsticks
Chopped fresh fruit
Dried fruit
Homemade cake or biscuit (occasionally)

Cherry tomatoes and cheese cubes

Fussy eaters - I find peer pressure generally works, but I have had one child, who was given a familiar food, with tiny tiny bits of different things to try (although all the foods were the same as the other children - just different quantities). I had to work closely with her Mum on this, so she maintained a balanced diet.

I am a vegetarian childminder.

For lunch I serve sandwiches, wraps, pasta salad, pizza (all vegetarian)

Snacks are mainly fruit, milk, breadsticks, savoury homemade muffins (all vegetarian again)

If children are staying very late in the evening then I do offer a cooked dinner. I explain to parents when they come to visit that I am a vegetarian and I am willing to serve fish and chicken on some days but will not serve red meat. I never mix the chicken/fish into the food but serve it on the side. If I am cooking something like cottage pie / spaghetti bolognese then I make it with Quorn and the mindees don't get any fish/chicken that day. If I am making mash and veggie burgers for my own family then I serve the mindees a piece of chicken or fish instead of the veggie burger.

I mainly buy the ready breaded 100% chicken/fish fillets as I can just pop them in the oven without having to touch them.

Thank you so much, some really great ideas .

I am trying to plan my food so that it is varied and healthy.

Do you decide what you have for snacks or do you get input from the kids? What happens if the children do not want what you have on a partiuclar day? do you take their likes into considertaion?

Do you plan your menues for the month? or do you do it weekly?

Some of my parents provide the food some I provide.

Look forward to your replies.

Sorry I have lots of questions.

My CM gives the DCs the breadsticks/fruit/raisins that everyone else has mentioned. On the day when my two older DDs have gymnastics after school (and before tea) she gives them brioche or a sandwich, as she says she feels they need something a little more substantial to keep them going!

I love my CM - she's fantastic.

I have a few things at a time with snacks, so there is normally something all the children like. If they ask for something in particular, I offer to put it on my shopping list for another day and they are usually happy with that.

Thanks again everyone.

Any parents who provide snacks themselves, what do you provide? (food wise).

Need to let parents know that no fizzy drinks, as this has been include not too long ago. What is the requirements regarding this?

I pack fruit, oatcakes, dried fruit, breadsticks. It would never occur to me to give him a fizzy drink. Goodies oatbars, humzingers...

I sometimes pack a water with dash of juice (juice and smoothie boxes when needed for constipation and wee difficulties).

As I said before, if we have baked something yummy at home, I'll send in enough for cm and mindees to have as a treat snack (I don't bake often) - it's always somewhat healthy, though and she is welcome to keep them for herself if she prefers .

Sorry the oatbars and humzingers I do send.... Looks like I said I don't as after the fizzy drinks comment. I would assume that parents wouldn't ever send fizzy drinks.... But I saw a little boy younger than my 2 yo walking around drinking from a coke bottle a few months ago, so I guess never safe to assume

Thanks again.

Cm what would you do if children arrive without their snacks? I have some who's parent's provide and others who pay a higher rate and I provide. I find that the children who bring snack in are provided with a good amount of snacks. If they do not arrive with their snack what do I do, as they usually have quite a bit from home.

Its not fair for them not to have when the others are eating but at the same time they are not paying for the snacks. Do you get what I mean????

My cm provides snacks included in her rate (though I still send some) and charges for meals (so I pack them), but if I forgot DS' lunch one day and she had to provide it, I'd pay her for it (hopefully before she had a chance to mention it or charge me for it!).

But in your situation, if they don't pay straight away after saying they forgot the snacks, just charge them.

You are so thoughtful HavePatience

I think I will let the parent know that if snacks are forgotten I will provide but this will iccur a charge.

What do cm charge for snacks if not included in the fees? I would perhaps provide a drink fruit and maybe yogert. Would however prefer if it came from home as this saves time and I can avoid any fussy eating.

Write a good healthy eating policy and then go through it carefully with the parents when doing contracts etc and explain that no fizzy drinks, no chocolate etc are allowed.

My hourly rate is inclusive for drinks (water, milk, sugar free squash, fruit juice - although that's limited due to amount of sugar in it!) and snacks, but I charge extra for meals. One child I mind, her Mum pays me a full extra charge for meals although she is only here 9-3 because she eats so much!
I offer fruit (apples, bananas, grapes, tangerines, watermelon, apricots, pineapple), bread sticks, rice crackers, a yoghurt. Sometimes boiled eggs are requested! :) These are snacks. Actually today was olives, cheese and focaccia bread but that's only because they saw me make the bread!
Sometimes they'll be super hungry and ask for breakfast the minute we walk in the door from the morning school run despite having had breakfast at home, so they'll be offered weetabix, porridge or toast.
Lunches vary from soup and a sandwich to scrambled eggs on toast, or depending on how many I have that day I might have plated up extra when I was doing the previous night's dinner.
I meal plan a fortnight at a time (to budget mainly), but it's handy so their parents don't cook the same thing for dinner that they've already had for lunch for instance. If I know the children don't like something in particular (after they've tried it and not just turning their noses up at it!) then I'll avoid it but likewise if I know they love something then I'll make sure to include it.

I have to say that if a child forgot it's snack then I would be unlikely to make a charge. If however it was a constant occurrence and you hadn't allowed for it in your hourly rate then you must discuss it.

squishyCinnamonSwirls that names sounds great

Thank you so much!! Have you been cm long? that sounds like years of much experience. How many children do you cm?

Your menu is really yummy and healthy!!

I may do jacket pot, yogert and a drink for example. Is that a snack or a meal. Out of the six children, only two have snack provided by myself.

As regarding forgotten snacks, two of the children come from the same family.

I think I will do a policy on eating eating and drinking, when I revise my policy. Thank you for that idea

I will try to make time to plan what I will provide in September for those who I provide snacks for.

Am I right is thinking that most cm provide snacks for their cm children?

                     <strong>Everyone you been really helpful</strong>.

When one of the mindees first started coming she wanted the same thing most days. I had to try to make the snacks varied and healthy.

I think I will plan my menu taking into consideration the likes of the children. I think I have made work for myself by allowing one of the mindees to choose what she wants most of the times. For example I will go out and purchase something which she likes, only to find she does not want it, when offered on a particular day.