What do you feed your DCs after a day at nursery?

[katechristie]

Have just gone back to work after a year maternity leave. DS is 3 and DD is 12mo. In nursery they are given breakfast 9am, lunch 11.30am (hot dinner) and snack tea 3pm (sandwiches/soup/jkt pot/crackers etc. with fruit/cake). For the last year I've been slaving over a hot stove, juggling DD to get a decent tea on the table for us all to eat as a family at 5.30pm, when DH gets home.

However, we only get home from work/nursery ourselves at 5.30 now and it's occurred to me, that really I think the DCs are eating enough at nursery and a cereal/toast with some fruit when we get home, then milk before bed is probably enough and DH and I can eat when they are in bed. That saves rushing to cook something quick as soon as we get home, and means we can have half an hour quality time with them instead.

Am just checking what others do to reassure me really that they will be getting enough to eat and don't need the offer of another hot dinner. - On the days we're at home, we have brek 8.30ish, lunch 12pm (sandwich/jkt pot/soup etc.) snack 3pm (smoothie/biscuit/fruit/cereal) then hot dinner for tea 5.30pm. Be grateful to hear any thoughts on this, TIA.

DS is nearly 3, at nursery they have mid-morning snack, hot dinner, snack tea at 4pm, so very similar to yours. We then have our family tea together round the table when DH gets home at 6:30pm. I always offer some to DS but he very rarely has any. He definitely has enough to eat at nursery, offering him more is for social reasons rather than to fill him up.

DS (4) had a weetabix, yoghurt and small chocolate crispy cake today after nursery. Usually i do something like cheese/beans on toast, cheese and crackers.

dcs not at nursery at the moment (long story) but when they were we always did what you suggest. (they had similar meals/snacks at nursery to what you describe)

Depending on how substantial the 4pm "tea" had been at nursery, I would do something like a yogurt, drink of milk, possibly a sandwich/something on toast. (slightly more filling snack if the "tea" had been something like ham and crackers with salad veggies)

Dh and I prefer to eat later; find it more relaxing and practical. We do try and eat together with the dcs one or two evenings a week.

I always just give mine milk before bed
I pay enough for nursery without having to feed again!!
I know some who give breakfast before they go and then dinner when they come home
no no no, overfeeding imo

Your nursery sounds like it offers similar meals/times to ours. My DS1 (2yo) will have a small snack ( a few breadsticks/slice of toast/fruit) when he gets home and then milk before bed - that always seems enough for him. HTH

DD1 (almost 4) has been fine after nursery until very recently, but now she will ask constantly for food between coming home about 5.30 and bedtime about 7 (yesterday she had some toast, a banana, two satsumas and some Maltesers )

She is very slim and I give her as much as she wants within reason - but I would never cook her another meal.

On the days she isn't at nursery, dd1 and dd2 will eat together and I'll sit with them and eat seperately with DH once the girls are in bed. Usually at the weekends we take all our meals as a whole family as DH is around, and have a 'special' meal on a Sunday.

It's really hard trying to juggle hungry/ tired little ones and cook - so I don't do it

DS (2.6) gets breakfast with me at home, then snack at nursery at about 9.30am, lunch (hot meal) at 11.30pm, tea (snacky thing) at 3.30pm. We're home by about 5.15pm and he has a snack then. Often he doesn't eat very much at all.

Last night he had houmous and breadsticks and about half an apple. He has a bottle of milk before bed too.

He goes through phases of being hungrier but never hungry enough to eat another meal in the evening.

Toasted teacakes, crumpets, cheese/beans on toast, sauseages, soup, fruit, yoghurt, jelly, toast and jam.

Ds has tea at about 4pm at nursery. That's a long time to go without anything to eat Compo before breakfast the next day. Not overfeeding just giving them what they need.