Food to send to childminder?

DeadorAlive · 2005-05-04T09:45:47+00:00

Hi, any ideas or points to other threads for meals I can prepare in advance and send down to childminder for my 2yr old and 4yr old, with the minimum of fuss for my childminder to cook/reheat? I'm vegetarian but my girls aren't, but I don't have a clue what to do with meat dishes, what point do you freeze/how to reheat properly etc. Half the stuff I do send down, which my girls eat at home, my childminder says they won't eat and I'm getting fed up of chucking food away. Thanks in anticipation...

Xena · 04/05/2005 10:47

What sort of things have you already sent?

lunavix · 04/05/2005 10:47

Have you had a look at any Annabel Karmel books?
They're quick and easy recipes (there's a 'family cookbook' which I find fab and a 'lunchboxes' one too) and it tells you what you can freeze and stuff. Ds loves everything of hers!

popsycal · 04/05/2005 10:53

i just send sandwuch type lunches for y 2 year old......

pus other bits and bobs

Xena · 04/05/2005 17:58

Ok does you childminder have children of her own or other mindees? The reason for my question is that as a childminder I feed all the children because children always want what the others have and I can control what food is eaten and when. It would be an idea to find out what others eating at the same time are eating. What do your children say they want to eat?

KatieMac · 04/05/2005 18:56

I'm with Xena - I serve the same meals to all of them as it stops arguing....so what are the others getting if you are sending salad and the other children are getting choc spread sandwiches - I wouldn't be surprised that they don't eat theirs {grin] I don't think I would either

feelingold · 04/05/2005 19:19

I too like to feed my mindees at the same time and with similar food ( for example sandwich fillings may vary but all having a sandwich). Then when I get the fruit/yogurts etc out they pick which they want.
I find that this works for me and I only charge a small amount for food (basically to just cover the actual cost of food).

Original poster

DeadorAlive · 05/05/2005 10:37

Hi, my kids are there for both meals sometimes so as well as the usual 'sandwich' n yoghurts etc. I have to provide a 'meal' too.

I agree that what the other kids are having is a problem, cos they might be having snacks etc. and so mine don't want their cooked meals.

My childminder and I also had different opinions on what to do if a child refuses the food given (when they eat it at home no problem). She would often relent and give them something else - even if just jam n bread cos at least they're eating. Me on the otherhand, sorry if you don't agree, would say nothing else to eat until the next meal time unless it's milk and fruit. But, at the childminders they were filling up on biscuits and always get chocolate at the end of the day. This might be strict but it is working, if they don't eat a meal there's nothing in between except healthy stuff ... (just had to leave typing as noticed my youngest eating something off her shoe...if that wasn't bad enough it was bloody cat food!!!!!!!)

Anyway, the types of meals I have sent are usual spag bol, lasagne etc. but I'd like to send homemade burgers, breaded chicken etc. so that they are eating 'convenience' stuff for CM and like some of other kids, but don't know when to freeze them

Sorry to waffle and not going to read back and edit cos this cat food thing has just turned my stomach.....[poorly looking smiley face]

OP posts:

RTKangaMummy · 05/05/2005 10:51

I am a CM and the parents always provide the all the food and snacks.

Then they have the control over what their child eats

If they want them to have organic they can

Also I don't see the point of the mindee getting to like our spag bol as mindee needs to like the family food not mine

Mindee's food is usually whatever the parents had for their tea the night before,

Roast meals, spag bol, stew, lasagne, casserole, fish pie or anything really

RTKangaMummy · 05/05/2005 10:53

Disagree with giving biscuits etc

Original poster

DeadorAlive · 05/05/2005 11:48

Hi, my kids are there for both meals sometimes so as well as the usual 'sandwich' n yoghurts etc. I have to provide a 'meal' too.

I agree that what the other kids are having is a problem, cos they might be having snacks etc. and so mine don't want their cooked meals.

My childminder and I also had different opinions on what to do if a child refuses the food given (when they eat it at home no problem). She would often relent and give them something else - even if just jam n bread cos at least they're eating. Me on the otherhand, sorry if you don't agree, would say nothing else to eat until the next meal time unless it's milk and fruit. But, at the childminders they were filling up on biscuits and always get chocolate at the end of the day. This might be strict but it is working, if they don't eat a meal there's nothing in between except healthy stuff ... (just had to leave typing as noticed my youngest eating something off her shoe...if that wasn't bad enough it was bloody cat food!!!!!!!)

Anyway, the types of meals I have sent are usual spag bol, lasagne etc. but I'd like to send homemade burgers, breaded chicken etc. so that they are eating 'convenience' stuff for CM and like some of other kids, but don't know when to freeze them

Sorry to waffle and not going to read back and edit cos this cat food thing has just turned my stomach.....[poorly looking smiley face]

OP posts:

Original poster

DeadorAlive · 05/05/2005 11:58

Didn't mean to re-post...

I sometimes send what I've had for tea night before, but it's vegetarian so I need to cook their meals especially for them - and so I'd rather do a batch all at once so it's all there ready in the freezer to take out in the morning (but I'm not used to dealing with meat, and have to admit it turns my stomach but got to do it etc etc etc.)

Am I sounding slack with this thread?

OP posts: