If you childmind before and after school only

[Doonhamer]

And the mindees are, at most, in your house for30-45 mins each time, what do you do as snacks?

We have
crackers/rice cakes with cheese, banana or another topping/
brioche/pancakes/scones/malt loaf/crossiant/toasted teacake/toast etc

then they get a choice of fruit or yogurt to go with the above :)

So quite a selection/choice then? The problem I have is that with the exception of 1, sometimes 2 most of the others have had their breakfast just before arriving at mine. They get here at 8am and we leave the house at 8.30.
Yet they all want toast. and then som of them ask for biscuits (I say no, not in the morning).
Yesterday there was 7 mindees in the house, and 4 of them arrived after 8am, yet were still expecting toast. Sometimes i feel that all i am doing is making toast and drinks. They say things like can i have jam, or peanut butte ror honey or jsut butter, or can mine be hot toast, or cold toast.

I actually feel like yelling " no more toast"some days and I actually feel that the ones arriving after 8am shoudln't be getting any, seeing as they have breakfast before they get here,a dn are actually only wanting toast because the ones who get here earlier are having it

I won't give breakfast after 8 am for that very reason, there is not enough time after then before leaving for the school run. When parents sign the contracts I explain this & remind the children if they ask for something to eat, although will offer fruit that can be eaten easily as an alternative, especially if they haven't eaten.

ooops I meant to add no breakfast here as our school has a free breakfast club. The list I gave was for after school x

No snacks before school. They have just had breakfast. If you are meant to be giving them breakfast, that's different, but for those coming in just wanting extra food, I wouldn't be giving them any. Maybe change your policy, to say breakfast will be served at x time, if your child requires breakfast, please discuss with me about changing your hours to include this.

After school, as soon as we walk in the door, I give a snack and a drink, then they have all had one regardless of what time they are picked up.

In your circumstances I agree with above. I would just say breakfast of porridge/ toast is available for mindees arriving between say 7-7.45. Any time after fruit is available

I've been worrying about this.

After a long maternity leave, I'm starting back up as an after school and holiday club - but have already had enquiries about before school.

My own son has severe (life threatening) food allergies, including dairy. I don't mind making endless rounds of toast with dairy free margarine, but am not comfortable with providing cereal with cows milk because I don't want to be calling an ambulance at 7.45am (my son can react on skin contact to traces of milk and some other foods)

If a child was hungry, then I would have to feed them, but the options would be limited...

Green bananas - I think it's perfectly fine to just say due to severe allergies no dairy will be served at all on the premises. You can always offer dairy alternative made porridge, toast with dairy free spread, fruit etc. I wouldn't offer dairy in the afternoon/ eve either

Thanks Artandco. I think you're right - breakfast and afterschool snack will be provided by me and will always be free from all of DS's allergens.

Holiday lunchtimes will probably have to be a different matter... I used to provide all food, but found that I spent so much time cooking and clearing dishes that it compromised the amount of time I was able to spend playing and organising activities with the mindees.

I'm thinking of asking parents to bring packed lunches, preferably without any really splashy stuff like yoghurt and milkshakes, and make sure that DS is sat apart from any children who might smear him with food or try to touch his lunch with allergeny fingers. I think he should be able to cope with that (it's what happens in his reception class) and I can make sure that he is supervised by me and a sensible older child at all times. And I will have a good emergency plan and keep the epipens handy.

But I would like breakfast and snack to be a stress-free shared activity. Thank you for reassuring me