Ready meals given to baby at nursery - is this normal?

[MumtoBen]

My baby started nursery 4 months ago for 2 days a week (now 12 months). We were told that babies were given freshly prepared food. My baby has had 6 sickness bugs. We are been told this week that he has been fed supermarket ready meals. Surely this is not a good idea? They are full of salt and additives. I think some this food might have caused some of the stomach upsets and he has not put on any weight in 4 months. He only has freshly prepared food at home. What do you think?

I'm sorry to say this, but a lot of private day nurseries are all only interested in making money, and therefore cut corners.

One nursery I worked at, which had an extremely good reputation (and still does.....) had a menu up, full of fresh food, but the reality was, the children were given tiny little plastic bowls of plain pasta with a bit of grated cheese, nearly every day, and for tea it was crackers and marmite or toasted spaghetti hoop sandwiches. The babies were given packet baby food (note packet - cheaper than jars!)

The parents didn't have a clue

The children also ate their tea off the table as the owner couldn't be bothered giving out plates

This thread is so depressing. Take your baby out and find a better nursery. If you're in a major city it can't be THAT difficult, can it?

Katiepoo - the nursery had just opened when we looked at it back in May last year. We recently had the OSTED report. All areas were 'satisfactory' except 1 which was good.

Dinny - even though we live in a major city within 5 miles there are 4 nurseries. Ours, 2 for people on benefits only and 1 other which takes babies from 1 yr 3mths (my son is still a bit too young for this one). The situation is depressing.

We have decided to write to the nursery manager and owner, with a copy to OSTED and Environmental Health. We have been promised that ready meals will not be used from now on. But a bit concerned that damage to my son's stomach may already have been done. There is a family history of allergies on both sides. I breastfed for ages and cook fresh food at home to lower his risks. Luckily he has attended the nursery so infrequently due to illness that he has eaten very little of their food.

i wouldn't think any permanent damage has been done so try not to worry. Totally agree with your approach - and i would "turn up" to pick him up early at meal times to see what is going on.

Definitely not on. Both of the nurseries DD has been to have provided freshly cooked meals every day. Her current nursery doesn't have a kitchen itself and contracts in the University next door to do their food and have it delivered just before meal time. I would go spare if DD was given a ready meal instead.

i would have hit the bloody roof, nurseries places don't come cheat these days and to give your child a ready meal, christ wheres the money going (now I know a lot of people say that nursery staff are underpaid and thats a different subject altogether) but come on giving children fresh veg/meat isn't that expensive, dd was given spag hoops a few weeks back and when I got home I was thinking wow they made homemade spag hoops so I mentioned it the next morning i think, the response was oh no they are tinned from asda WHAAAATTTT, anyway dd is coming out in a few weeks coz i've given up work so I'm not going to mention it, as it goes tho the girls are lovely and do a really good job of looking after her, have you raised your concerns to them yet???

scrap that last bit, didn't read all the thread and see you have mentioned it

I think it is appalling for a young child to be given ready meals in a Nursery and adult ones! Well out of order - I would question the standard of care of the Nursery. I also would contact OFSTED.

My dd1 who is 17 months goes to Nursery and they cook meals on site - I thought this was usual?

At the end of the day, a private nursey is a profit making venture - so I don't expect that they use top quality and therefore more expensive produce therefore dd1 has a vegetarian diet at Nursery and gets organic meat at home.

I have some ready meals in for my dd1 as an emergency - but Hipp Organic ones - relevant for her age - not ones full of crap, additives or salt!

Mykidsmum "my mother in law cooks in a kitchen at a nursery, and they use aeroplane meals, so are reheated ready meals."

Honestly??

TBH the illness thing is quite usual, especially given the time of year he started attending nursery. My DD started nursery in Oct 04 and was dreadful the first winter with continuous colds and stomach bugs. But this winter she has fared much better.

However I think the readymeal thing is really bad and that they ought to be doing something about it.

You can put me in the "friggin mental" camp. I would be furious. I wqould demand the nutritious meals they promised, and if it didn't happen immediately, I'd wrote ofsted. And then I'd write Jamie Oliver and ask him to embark on nurseries.

Then, I'd ask one of the staff is she wanted come be my live out nanny for one and a half times whatever they are paying her.

Oh yeah, and I actually wouldn't be quite so worried about the illness. AS annoying as it is, it is actually good for his immune system. I'd be much more peeved about them feeding him utter and complete rubbish.

I would be very cross

I am not surprised, our local nursery gave all the infants 'smash' instant potato.
Its a bit harsh on 4 month old infants tummies.