Ds' nursery is serving junk food, does this happen at yours, and how to tackle it.

[paow]

Hi ya,
My Ds (who is 13 months) started nursery a few weeks back, and I wrote a list of foods I didn't want him to have (I'm an Annabel Karmel follower)
They were surprised when I said no sausages, processed meats and cheese, etc.
Not sure if they are following my guidelines but have got the weekly menu, and although it does offer some fairly healthy foods, but it's also offering:
-spaghetti hoops
-sausage rolls
-angel delight
-potato waffles n beans
-swiss roll
-ice cream cones

And other bad sugary foods, is this a norm in your nursery? Surely, after Jamie's dinners everyone should know this is bad for the kids and it makes them hyper??
I am writing a letter to the principal, but what to say without sounding rude?

Thanks!

Well I don't really eat them myself, but dd has them once in a while. Similarly beans, sausages etc (sausages not out of a tin mind!)

They do not in themselves constitute a healthy, balanced, fresh food diet but they are not the food of satan surely? Or is it lack of freshness that's the issue?

OP is being a bit precious imvho (sorry OP)

But as I say, I am probably more relaxed than some

if it is 3 days a week, tehn he is getting good stuff the rest of the time at home, DS went to a private nursery and it was only home cooked fresh food, it does not have to be that much of an issue profit margin wise.. speak to the manager as it bothers you.. maybe ask one or two of the other mums hwo they feel?

It isn't great if your child is getting this sort of 'convenience' food every day, I agree. My son's last nursery was a fabulous place on every count except for the snacks they gave the children - crisps, squash, biscuits, cake every day. It did get to the stage where things were awkward because I complained on several occasions and the nursery still didn't do anything about it. Eventually I raised it at the parent's monthly meeting (does your nursery have one?) and almost all the other parents agreed with me. OVERRULED! The nursery changed it's menu the followjng month - fruit, wholemeal bread/crackers and cheese, water or milk at snack time; cakes and biccies only on birthdays or special occasions. In other words, common sense eating! Maybe you could sound out other parents and see if a few of you can get together and raise the issue?

TBH i was much more rigid about what ds ate at 13 months than I am now he's two so I probably would have been dubious.

I also prefer that on the days DS has lunch at nursery it's nutricious and wholesome so I don't feel so bad if I need to get the tin opener out at tea time . I want his occassional convenience meals to be for my convenience not the nurseries

Agree with LoveAngel. Personally I wouldn't send my DCs to a nursery where I didnt think the food was up to scratch. From what you say the menu is not great, whats wrong with fresh food?
I think sugar is ok for treats like birthday cake but don't really agree with processed food at nursery (or anywhere else in fact!).

connor - thats my saving grace, my kids eat better at nursery than they do at home, but they are at nursery 5 days a week so i don't think i am ruining them and my weekends are about being with them and not spending hours in the kitchen cooking up a storm that they won't eat.

at 13 months my kids didn;'t have teeth so they were still on purees and mush at nursery - i would have been upset if they'd been given beans and waffles simply cos they 'couldn't' eat them!

Still abit foxed by the cheese objection. Heart sinks...cheese is abit of a staple here. Does no one else serve cheesy mash or is it just me? oops what have I done!

(it was processed cheese that was the problem - normal cheese ok)

Quite Meely. I think that's why people get secretly pissed about nursery food not being wholesome all the time because it uses up your quota of "Oh everything in moderation" meals.

I think the OP meant prcoessed cheese - like dairylea, cheese strings etc (?).

Cheesy mash, cheese on toast, cheese sangers a staple in this house, too!

Cheese is fine but the things the OP mentioned being served didn't sound healthy/nutitious.
Surely if you are paying for childcare - and most nurseries are quite expensive IMO - then they should be providing a healthy and varied menu for the children in their care?
Also agree with "everything in moderation" but this should a choice made by parents at home and not the overall approach to food at a day nursery, IMO.
They could offer as alternatives:
eg
wholemeal pasta plus tomato & veg sauce
sugar free/organic baked beans on w/meal muffins with cheddar cheese on top
homemade choc pudding (not Angel delight!!)
homemade ice cream with fruit
These all sound nice too but are healthier/ more balanced choices.

God yes, DS goes to a great nursery but still gets served some of the stuff you mention and I honestly don't mind.

The key thing is what the balance is - at ours typically they have 'good foods' for lunch which is their major meal (e.g. three bean casserole followed by fruit salads) and then have 'worse' foods in the afternoon for tea which is more of a snack (e.g. sausage rolls and raisins).

If your nursery is feeding them the 'worse' foods consistently then I'd be concerned otherwise I think it's pretty reasonable.

In answer to the OP, I would write and request that they offer a wider chpice of healthier foods and perhaps give suggestions, as above.
As another poster said, perhaps try and get other parents on side.

Just had a look through the thread, I run a private nursery and I would never feed the children cheapest of the cheap. Our children get the best thats on offer. They get a nutritious meal and healthy pudding daily for £1.25.
Today they have made thier own lunch of frest fish cakes and vegetables. The children went to the local fish mongers
and bought the fish with staff.

Not all private nurseries are out to make profit!

my dt's nursery is a family home (the family live upstairs) and only has places for 50 kids - so i do think smaller nurseries find it easier to feed fresh for a smaller audience.

I have heard of other nurseries round here server up chicken nuggets and chips for some meals - but like i say have never seen that on my boys daily diaries.

I think 12 out of a possible 15 meals a week (assuming they do breakfast/lunch/dinner) as well as snacks is a fairly wide choice of healthy options tbh.

'Junk food'? A balanced diet includes that food you have listed. What's wrong with giving your kids 'normal' food as well as super-healthy stuff?

A little bit of everything is what is required.

I think you are being a bit precious.

at ds nursery (and many others we checked out) no sweets, cakes et al are allowed
he doesnt stay for lunch but the options are all much healthier than stated in op stated and are cooked from scratch too at local primary school
even for birthdays you have to bring in fruit or savouries, no cake chocolate or biscuits allowed

i thought this was standard these days actually...

can he take a packed lunch?

if he takes a packed lunch, u should get a discount - why pay all that money and then provide your own food.

i pay over a grand a month in childcare there would be NO WAY i would provide my own food as well!

A balanced diet includes the occassional bit of "junk". DD has high cholesterol and obviously needs a very healthy diet to keep it in check but I still let her have the odd sausage and chip - otherwise she's going to grow up with food issues. Children need to learn to balance their diets, not to be food snobs.

The nursery my DTS go to serve healthy balanced meals most of them time and once a week they serve simple stuff like fishfingers and beans. Does it bother me? No because sometimes that is what they get at home.

If parents can put their hand on their heart and say that they never give their children junk including sweets, biscuits, crisps then they can complain. If not, then, imho, they are being a tad hyprocritical. Obviously, if the nursery served junk all the time, then that is a different matter and I would have words with the manager and if still not happy, move my child elsewhere if it bothered me that much.

As long as the overall balance is nutritious and healthy, I'm happy.

i've just remembered at the age of five i refused ketchup on my food while i was staying in hosp after an eye op because i didn't know what it was! Not because we never had it, but because my mum bought the shops own brand and it was called tomato sauce!

sigh

OMG a grand a month!!! For one child only or do you have more?

Spokette - the whole point is crap food should be the parents' choice and not the nursery's. A public service (which a nursery is) should provide a healthy meal and thus ensure the wellbeing of the child whilst in their care.

twins brangelina - 25% discount for the second too, it's the cheapest in the area but the best as far as i can tell!