Food served at Daycare

RosesRRed

What are some examples of food served at your childs daycare? I just realized my school offers food but I personally think most of it is junk food ie. cheese burgers, chicken rings (what is a chicken ring), steak fingers, lots of tater tots.

Do you mind saying which school your LO is at? Is this the norm or is my school one of the few that offers less nutritious foods?  

SigmundsGirl

DS's daycare will start providing lunch in September and I am a bit concerned it will be junk based on what I see they provide for snacks. I haven't seen a menu yet, but they said all lunches are approved by the government for nutritional standards, and that doesn't mean much to me.

So far the snacks I've seen have been graham crakcers, Nilla Waffers, PopTarts, Cheerios, 100 % natural fruit juice cut with water, etc.

I'm okay with some juice, but I don't want him getting cookies everyday. And PopTarts are too sugary. I talked to his teacher and asked her to give him cookies no more than once a week and to supplement with the snacks we provide. If I am unhappy with lunches we will do the same.

I've seen that the more expensive daycares provide somewhat better snacks, but we just can' t afford it and it makes me sad. I reallly wish we could. But I think he goes to a good daycare and that he learns a lot and is well-cared for, so we will just send our own food if we don't like what they provide.

PM me if you want the name of his school. I don't like posting that information on a message board.

Suzi-G-

Our school doesn't provide lunch and I'm cool with that because every where I looked that did provide lunch I thought what they served was junk.  I don't think your school is unusual at all, I saw a lot of "canned corn" "tater tots" and "chicken nuggets" on school menus. 

We do have group snacks in the older rooms, but the snacks are provided by the moms and they're normally crackers, fruit, cheese sticks, raisins etc.  The things I would buy for Cooper anyway.  

erica_kaspar

Typical Meals

Shepards Pie

Lasagna

Chicken Spaghetti

Red Beans and Rice

Jambalaya 

All have fruit and vegetables 

sad5781

We are in an in home day care so I'm sure my answer doesnt apply... some days he gets their dinner leftovers (which is always more nutritious sounding) and other days I can tell he gets more chicken nuggets/spaghetti o's/pizza type food.  Its probably the same as what I would feed him... very good some days, crap others

lauroura

Ours doesn't provide lunch but they allow you to purchase lunch that they get from fast food places...Chick Fila etc.

They do snacks and I have issues with them...powdered donuts, honey buns, fruit loops, pop tarts, nutrigrain bars. I just take Evan's his own healthy snacks and told them he can have one of their snacks every once in a while.

 

michellebelle

Sounds similar to Erica's above.  Homestyle food with veggie and/or fruit choices at every meal.  Very balanced.  I will PM you the name.

ETA - snacks vary as well.

Sometimes they have something sweet like chocolate cake in the afternoon with milk.  Other times it's peaches and cottage cheese or cheese and crackers.  Then there are days where it's a snack of carrots and celery.

Oooh i just found a sample menu and will send ANOTHER PM with it so you can see it.

STBMrsMartin

We are at an in home day care and she is enrolled in the SW Human Dev Food Program. So she follows their recommendations. Turkey tacos, turkey meat loaf, with rice and wheat bread. Snacks yogurt, saltines, Cheese, etc.

 

chrisbride04

Our center serves breakfast and snacks. Breakfast is always cereal, usually 1-2 sugary choices and 1 a little healthier. Fortunately DS prefers the less sugary stuff.

Snacks I've seen recently are cheese sticks, yogurt, pudding cups, muffins, pop tarts and crackers.

mom2ll

Our school uses an ouside catering service.  Here is a link to the menu for September.  We only do pizza day on Fridays.  We pack a lunch the other days and bring their own snacks.  Honestly, the food seemed to "mature" for my kids until recently. 

https://www.kenodanfoods.com/menus.htm

kreeper611

Ours does a mix of good food and junk. They always get a fruit and veggie for lunch but some days lunch is steak fingers. I have a bigger issue with snack...like Lucky Charms. I just make sure I give C good fruits and try to give him veggies at home. The thing is he eats better at school and if I send him stuff that the other kids are not having he wants their food anyway. Jealousy. I like to think if I fixed his meal it would be healthier but really some days it would still be chicken nuggets.

readyforbaby

The food they serve at our daycare seems decent.  I am sure it could be fresher (canned vegs and fruit) but fruit or veg is served with each meal.  DS will not eat either at home but normally does at school so that makes me happy.  They have cheerios, french toast sticks, egg/biscuit, oatmeal for breakfast.  I don't pay super close attention to lunches (bad I know!) but I do know they have pizza on Fridays.  Sometimes they have soy nut butter sandwiches, tuna sandwiches, tacos, sloppy joes etc.  Snack can be vanilla wafers, cheese cubes, trail mix, etc. 

Quizzle

MY daycare gives a balanced meal, but some of it is junky. I dislike when they give her sweet cereal and I seriously raised my eyebrows the day I looked at the sheet and saw they'd given her donuts! I've started requesting no sweets on her sheet.

 

She eats pretty healthy at home, and she always eats all the fruit and a lot of the veggies at daycare, I just wish we didn't have quite as many processed foods. I don't think she'd eat as much if I sent stuff though. 

lilycat

Daycare is pretty much junkie. Fish sticks, chicken nuggets, lasagna, hot dogs, ravioli... They have recently upped the Cheerios and downed the Lucky Charms - that's progress - still not my first choices.

Lucas's school does a little better than daycare - actually a lot better, imo. They changed to a company that focuses on better foods. They may serve chicken nuggets sometimes, but they make them like my mom used to (not from a package).

If you like whole foods and emphasize quality protein, good veggies (not corn as a veggie), and fruit that isn't a cocktail, you send the lunch at almost all institutions. 

TexasHarmony

readyforbaby:

The food they serve at our daycare seems decent.  I am sure it could be fresher (canned vegs and fruit) but fruit or veg is served with each meal.  DS will not eat either at home but normally does at school so that makes me happy.  They have cheerios, french toast sticks, egg/biscuit, oatmeal for breakfast.  I don't pay super close attention to lunches (bad I know!) but I do know they have pizza on Fridays.  Sometimes they have soy nut butter sandwiches, tuna sandwiches, tacos, sloppy joes etc.  Snack can be vanilla wafers, cheese cubes, trail mix, etc. 

Our kids are in the same school.  That is spot on for breakfast.  I have also seen green salad on the menu, bean burritos, meatloaf, spaghetti, etc.  Some days good, some days not so good.

I don't think I have ever seen sugary cereal though...just cheerios.