Nursery concerns

[heywassuphello]

My 16 month old started nursery in august, just 2 afternoons a week so I get some time with my newborn and a bit of rest/time to shop and clean. Also so he can have a chance to play with other children his age, he's so sociable but I don't get chance to do many groups with him because of the new baby. All going well apart from 2 minor things, what would you do?

The menu for this nursery on their website says alsorts of yummy healthy things like paella, homemade pizzas, homemade soups, salmon, tacos etc etc. During the time he's there he has a snack (usually banana, oranges etc or sometimes a biscuit) and an evening meal but it has only ever been ham/cheese sandwiches or jacket potato? I've mentioned this and they say the menus changed so nothing I can do about it really. Apparently the one on the website is the spring/summer menu. I feel like they've just put that on there to generate business, when really they don't feed the kids anything like that. He rarely eats there as he's not a big fan of bland food. I give him a big dinner at home which he will devour.

Secondly he always comes home sooo thirsty so I don't think they're giving him enough to drink.

What would you do? He seems to enjoy it and the ladies are lovely and seem very warm and caring towards him, so I'm really thankful for that. Shall I just accept he might not eat as well for those 2 days a week? The drinking thing needs to improve definitely but I don't want to upheave him for these minor things.

Our nursery gives the proper main meal at lunchtime (big variety of different hot meals etc). The afternoon tea is served at 3.30pm-ish and is always something like bagels/sandwiches/jacket potatoes/pasta/soup. I always then offer dinner when we get home.

Would he get a more varied meal if he was there over lunch?

Re the water, yes definitely ask what their policy is. Ours has water bottles out in one place all the time and they help themselves, maybe just let them know that he might need prompting?

I find that ours does have a wide range of foods they offer them but it varies throughout the week too, they get it from Asda and have a delivery once a week so by the time delivery is due it’s a beans on toast day 😂.

The lunch is the hot meal, which wounds like he isn't there for? Then afternoon snack is always something easy like sandwhiches, jacket potatoes, wraps etc.

The water, juwt ask them to make sure they are offering his drink to him more as he seems thirsty, thats an easy one to raise

@TheOpportuneMoment

Our nursery gives the proper main meal at lunchtime (big variety of different hot meals etc). The afternoon tea is served at 3.30pm-ish and is always something like bagels/sandwiches/jacket potatoes/pasta/soup. I always then offer dinner when we get home.

Would he get a more varied meal if he was there over lunch?

Re the water, yes definitely ask what their policy is. Ours has water bottles out in one place all the time and they help themselves, maybe just let them know that he might need prompting?

This was the case at our Nursery too for both meals and water.

Lunch is the hot meal at our nursery too, afternoons are like sandwiches, jacket pot etc.
Raise the water issue with them deffo but remember he'll be running round so he could be drinking loads there but still need more once he's out of the mayhem. So might not be that they aren't offering.
Cups tend to be left out within reach for the kids at my nursery.

Are you sure the menu on the website is for the evening meal? Most nurseries advertise the dinner menu, and then offer a snack / light tea option for the evening meal. Such as toast, sandwich, jacket potato, bagel etc.

As for being thirsty I would have a chat with the staff and see if they can remind him to drink during the session. Does he have a water bottle he can open?

Our nursery is proper hot meal for lunch then a smaller evening meal ( jacket potato, sandwiches, crumpets etc )

Often kids don't drink a lot at nursery because they're having too much fun to want to stop and drink.

Thanks everyone, yeah they said that they get a hot meal at lunch which is understandable. But online menu states that evening snacky tea is all these healthy options but it's not the case sadly.
I will ask about their water policy:)
Thanks all-great to get some insight!

Our nursery is the same - hot meal at lunchtime and snack-y tea at 4ish. Is jacket potato or a sandwich twice a week really that unhealthy for him?

The water thing I'd bring up when you take him next, ask them to offer/encourage him to drink more frequently as he's probably too distracted by playing.