Talk to me about food you provide

[SillyMillysMummy]

I need ideas for snacks and lunches. I have 1 dd but she is very set in her ways and always wants exactly the same for lunch, ham sandwich, yoghurt, grapes, apple and then something sweet.

Want to diversify

My very first thought, and I hope you aren't offended by me pointing it out, is that expecting something sweet aftwerwards is not a great eating habit - I know because I have it. To minimise it, yoghurts are the something sweet here, occasionally something we have baked.

Am I right thinkin she likes finger foods best then? How about things like pitta breads with veg sticks and dips, cheese and low salt crackers, or homemade veg pizzas, chunks of chicken, soup with warm baked bread (this is our favourite lunch).

How old is she?

Sorry that first sentence sounds very foo police Please don't think I am one of these 'my children only eat organic with no salt or sugar types'

SMM, if you Google "childcare sample menus" or similar terms you will find some CMs' or day nursery websites where specimen weekly menus as supplied to mindees are posted as information for prospective parents. This will give you an idea of the sort of thing which is considered a good healthy varied diet that parents will feel confident about their child being supplied with.

Here's one for example

Hope you find that helpful.

lol Sammyk, I know its a bad habit thats why I am wanting other ideas tbh, I have spent that much time and effort trying to fit getting registered and all the paperwork etc in, along with the usual house and mother stuff that 'anything easy' has kinda been the order of the day for quite a while now

Thanks for advice will have a look at link

I can email you a copy of my menu if you want?

great katymc thanks

annamarierichardson at yahoo dot co dot uk

It's not sending

Do you want to try sending one to me? Katymacb hotmailcouk

Might have sorted it

strange - sent

yep got it lol

omg, your menus put my parenting to shame

Remember I childmind differently

If you had 12 extra children each meal you would plan a bit more enthusiastically - it saves so much waste plus I know they have a minimum of about 7 F&V a day

B/F is cereal & peaches/banana/raisins or toast & jam

I also make my own bread

AND there is rarely one of us at meal times normally 2 or 3 (plus DH doing the dishes)

dont feel so bad now

tbh that link looks alot more doable iykwim, although yours have some great ideas

I use this guidance, it is full of ideas and portion sizes too.

Menus for 1-5 year old

alibubbles thank you for that link - excellent! I've put it on my pin board already!

alibubbles great link thanks

from that link alibubbles gave I have come across an amazing document, written by the scottish executive, 'nutritional guidance in the early years' am gonna print a copy, its really an excellent document

I have a hard copy that they sent to me, it really is excellent.