How and what should I feed my daughter? Advice needed please, can't work this out at all

[BarbaraVineFan]

I am a single mum to a DD who is 3 in October. From September she is going to be at nursery very long hours (7.30-5.30) while I work.

The problem is food.. In order to get there for 7.30 I will need her to get up at about 6.30 in the morning. I don't need to give her breakfast as she will get that at nursery. However, the nursery serves the main meal at lunchtime and then a 'high tea' of sandwiches type thing at about 4pm. So by the time I get her home at 5.45ish, she will need to eat again. But I can't figure out how to do this or what to give her, considering that she will need to get to bed quite quickly in order to have enough sleep for the next day :( how should I do this? Does anyone have any suggestions? I am scratching my head to work out what to do! Thanks in advance :)

Both of mine went 7.30-5.30, don't sweat it. Lots of children do. I agree with this and was surprised you started your OP saying she was doing 'very long hours'. I think she's doing pretty standard hours for a 3 year old in nursery, and lots of much younger children do the same. Can you save a little bit of your dinner from the night before to give her? Or suggestions of scrambled eggs etc are good. By 3 I think most children do need to eat again when they get home. My 3 year old does and she has always been completely average for height and weight - I wouldn't say she's a big eater compared to a lot of her friends. Hope you find your groove with it soon.

Toast
Cereal
Sandwich
Potatoe Waffle
Scrambled egg
Baby bel
Crackers

Forget the high tea thing - they won’t get much (I work in Early Years). so she will be hungry. But yes no need for a big cooked meal as she will also be tired.
But try and give something nutritious.
cheese on toast
Beans on toast
omelette
pasta in butter and grated cheese
porridge with fruit

She won't need a full meal having had a hot meal in the daytime. This is what they do in Germany - big substantial meal at lunchtime, bread/cheese/salami/cucumber and yoghurt or something for dinner.

I would do a decent snack like cereal and banana. IME they don't want to eat a huge amount because they're too tired, so something picky is a good idea.

Sometimes I do something like cereal and a banana for dinner after nursery or I give her what I had the night before so it’s ready as soon as we get in the door. So Monday night I will make pasta and have it for dinner, then she has the left over pasta for dinner on Tuesday, then I save her some of Tuesdays dinner for her to have on Wednesday etc.

The evenings after nursery are very rushed!