Meals from Childminder

[HM2000]

Would any other parents benefit from a healthy hot meal being provided by the childminder at lunchtime?

In what way? While they are at the childminders or a home delivery type thing?

While they are at the childminder. I also find home delivery meals useful!

Are you wanting your childminder to provide your child with a hot meal while they are there or a childminder considering what to provide at lunch time?
I’ve been a childminder For 15 years. I started off providing a hot meal but swapped to lunches (something on toast/sandwiches etc) about 3 years ago. Trying to find something that everyone would eat was a nightmare. I was spending so much time cooking something that I was then putting in the bin and was so fed up of it. It was also a massive rush if we had been to groups in the morning to come back and sort a meal out. My own family started eating more, so for example a packet of mince would only feed us, whereas in the past I would have been able to save some and reheat it the next day for the little ones. At the time, all the dc were having a second hot meal in the evening With their families anyway, so it made no difference To them and No idea what new families think, I guess if they weren’t happy about the food they wouldn’t have signed up. And I’m full with lots of enquires so I guess they aren’t put off.

If its at the childminders then why would the parent need a hot meal? Surely they could make their own and anyway, most would be at work? Unless if they pick it up when they drop the child off, but definitely seems more of a hassle than it's worth.

My childminder offers a mixture of hot and cold meals during the days my DD is with her. So some days it is sandwiches and other days it is hot meals. Some days the meals are vegetarian (or even vegan) or some days they aren't.

I've never told her my DD can't eat anything simply as I don't want a fussy eater.

As a childminder I don’t provide food , the parents have to supply all food and snacks for there children. So if this is not the service a parent is looking for they will need to go else where as I will not be introducing home cooked foods. Even with home supplied packed lunches the kids still play up at meal times and refuse to eat it i am just glad it’s not my food that’s being wasted or my time being taken away from the children while I cook.

Parents provide food at mine.
I dont want to keep records of what I'm serving and where I brought ingredients. I dont want to worry about allergens. I dont want the waste I think my time should be spent with the children not the kitchen. Hot meals in the day mean you cant go out or do activities. At the end of the day Parents would choose not pick up their children waiting for them to be fed at mine....sometimes for over an hour....rather than spend time with their children or have family meals. Children eating at 4 in time to go home at 5 could eat at home.....and normally did having a second evening meal or snacking on crisps cakes and rubbish at home. As 4 is too early to eat the last meal of the day then go 11 to 12 hours .

My daughter attended one childminder who offered lunch and dinner for a small fee and it was great. She had her own primary kids to feed though so I guess it was easy for her. I couldn’t find any who offered this when I looked the second time. So now I have to send a packed lunch and tea, which is a pain.

I provide lunch for my mindees, but other childminders don't. The difference is usually reflected in the price.

Our childminder sometimes serves hot lunch but doesn’t offer dinner because she prefers to eat together with her own children as a family meal. She’s happy for us to send a packed tea if we want to, and does provide a substantial after school snack.

Our first childminder offered breakfast, lunch and dinner (served around 1600), which was amazing as I never needed to worry about food on days when DS went there! But she could do that because she worked with an assistant so had an extra pair of hands.

Dd is at a nursery and I love the meals that they provide. They're varied and nutritious. For the hours I send dd (8-6) I need her to have at least one hot meal, as she eats all if her 3 main meals there. I wouldn't choose a childminder who only gave cold food/stuff that I sent in.

I provide all food. It's much less hassle and I love cooking. It's one of the reasons parents choose us. After a long day at work, they appreciate not having to cook as soon as they get home.

I would have loved this as a working parent as couldn't pick DD up until 6pm (she was with a childminder from 4 months old).

Now she has an after school childminder which does provide hot meals and it's a god send