Do you provide lunch for your nanny?

emilyec1

We're ironing out the last details of the contract, and our nanny expects us to provide lunch for her (using ingredients from our kitchen like bread, meat, cheese, etc.). She seems to feel this is pretty standard. My DH and I bring our lunch to work with us, so I don't really see a difference between the two situations. Just because she has access to a kitchen? I'm not trying to be stingy, but we're on a budget with our grocery bill as well as with other things. What do you all do?

DCMerged

My nanny brings her home and others we interviewed said the same.

If you really like her and it wouldn't be too much of a burden I guess I would be okay with it. However, I wouldn't call it standard.

p.s. I can barely find time to grocery shop for us!

megann831

when I nannied they said I could have what ever I wanted from their kitchen and I always ate lunch using their food, unless we went out for lunch. I wouldn't have minded if they asked me not to use their food, but it would kind of bother me if a nanny I was hiring expected to be able to eat my food.

KathrynMD

I don't have a nanny, but from what I've gathered on here, if you don't let your nanny eat from teh kitchen, you should give her space to store her food.

honeybee111

We have a nanny and we told her she is free to eat whatever in our kitchen, but she almost never eats our food - I think she thinks it's weird to eat an employer's food.  Plus, she's kind of a picky eater, so I think most of what we have around doesn't appeal to her.  She stores her own stuff in our freezer/fridge/pantry for days when she doesn't bring lunch.  She does use our condiments, and she uses our kitchen equipment(blender for making smoothies, etc.).

groovygrl

I guess it would depend on what she expects- like, just teh cold cuts & bread she likes each week would be easy, but if she wants all different stuff & you have to go shopping for it and whatnot, that would annoy me. I think I'd actually rather give her a $20 food allowance a week and let her bring her own.

TX-Bride

If you are on a budget for your own grocery, then let her know that part of her salary includes allowance for a meal, example would ($5/day), if she opting not to bring her own lunch and make a sandwich at your house with your ingredients, you would deduct $5/day from her salary.

JennaNAaron

When I nanny'd I brought my own lunch, but they said I could eat anything I wanted of theirs.  The only stipulation was I shouldn't eat the last of something (i.e. the last cookie).

hansa11

Our nanny may eat/ make whatever from our kitchen she wants, unless we tell her we're saving something.  She's always brought her own lunch though, because I think she finds it easier to have her lunch ready-made so it's one last thing for her to worry about when she's trying to get lunch ready for the kids.  She eats snacks from our place.  Occasionally she goes out to lunch with the kids and she always pays for herself.  I'd pay for her if I asked her to take the kids out for lunch for whatever reason.

We did put it in our contract that she could eat our food, but there's no way I would have put in there that we're responsible for providing her lunch or certain kinds of food.  I have enough trouble keeping up with the grocery shopping and am often asking her to pick up things from the grocery store for me (errands are part of her job duty) that it would be not worth the stress of making sure the right food is being provided each week.

 

soxvyanks

While I don't have a nanny, this is something that wouldn't bother me at all.  I would gladly allow them to have whatever was there and make sure that I bought extra lunch meat/cheese which wouldn't cost much.  I also wouldn't take $ off her salary.

When I was a nanny, the family always let me know that I could have whatever I wanted.  From time to time I would bring something from my house (yogurt and peaches or granola) it was always purchased and available for me the next week without asking.  I wouldn't ask her for a list, rather I would just make sure food was available for her.

If you are already buying food to bring for lunch, I would think the cost would be negligible.  And if she is a great nanny, I wouldn't want to chance starting off the relationship on the wrong foot.

dizzycooks

When I was a nanny they told me to eat whatever I wanted and offered their leftovers (dining out or homecooked).  I never ate the last of anything though, that might be worth saying.  They did ask me if there was anything special I wanted and I always just said fruit, cheerios, and goldfish.  It worked for me as a college student, lol!  I ate the same thing as their kid which I think is kind of nice for the kids.  Anyhow, I guess I'd say they are welcome to help themselves, how much can she really eat?

asyph107

That seems so odd to me. My work doesn't provide me lunch why would I provide my nanny lunch? I always tell her she is welcome to anything but she brings her own lunch. I would not have been on board with providing her lunch, we pay her plenty.

ljanette85

when I worked as a nanny I always brought food even if the family told me to help myself... it just didnt seem right to be making meals with their food. I think its odd that she requested that. The only situation that of know of where that would be normal is with a live in or an au pair

ZacksBride

when we had a nanny, we specified she bring her own food.  she was obviously more than welcome to store things in the fridge, etc.  we use bottled water in our house, and she would drink that, but there were never really any issues with her expecting us to provide lunch

orangetulips12

I have a nanny and she brings her own lunch.  I tell her she is welcome to have whatever we have in the kitchen.  She usually helps herself to our coffee, cookies etc.  I told her to tell us if there is something particular she would like--particular brand of coffee creamer, coffee etc.  She has never asked for anything  My sister also has a nanny and my sister buys her lunch.  Her nanny gives her a written grocery list of what she wants for lunch.

It is very hard to find someone you trust to care for your child.  I realize budgets can be tight.  However, if my nanny regularly wanted me to provide lunch I would.  Maybe you could provide a reasonable allowance like someone else suggested ($5 a day out of salary).  

  

  

emilyec1

Wow, such great responses. So glad I posted, thanks!!

Strunella

Our nanny brings her lunch and usually brings her own drinks, too!   Whatever she helps herself to (coffee, snacks, etc.) is fine with me.   She also will share some of her food with DS, now that he is old enough to show an interest in people's food.  Of course I don't expect her to do that, it's just nice that she does it.

MrsKM82

I have never heard of not allowing your nanny to eat at your house. I was a nanny for a few families and I would have felt very awkward/uncomfortable if I was told I could not eat their food. They all said I was welcome to whatever food they had.  That being said I never once thought they needed to buy me anything extra and most of the time I brought my own lunch since it was easier. I also made sure to be polite and not to eat anything that they were running low on, restaurant leftovers unless they specifically offered, etc. I would have snacks though (string cheese, apple, yogurt etc) and if I need end up making my lunch there, it was along the lines of a sandwich or mac and cheese. 

bearkatjen

I nannied full time for a summer, and I had open access to the kitchen. I think it would have been odd to be restricted from that. I'm making the children food, why wouldn't I make myself something as well? That seems standard to me.

aprilsarahjune

honeybee111:

We have a nanny and we told her she is free to eat whatever in our kitchen, but she almost never eats our food - I think she thinks it's weird to eat an employer's food.  Plus, she's kind of a picky eater, so I think most of what we have around doesn't appeal to her.  She stores her own stuff in our freezer/fridge/pantry for days when she doesn't bring lunch.  She does use our condiments, and she uses our kitchen equipment(blender for making smoothies, etc.).

This.  We have had two different nannies and offered each the option of eating our food and/or letting us know what kind of food they want us to stock up on.  Neither nanny ever ate much or asked us to buy anything.

I guess op's nanny has the right to try and negotiate whatever she wants, but it sounds like this makes you uncomfortable and/or is out of your budget, so either she is not the right person for you or you just have to say no.

rubber_chicken

When I was a nanny, I ate lunch at my employers.  I always ate whatever I made for the kids - spaghetti or sandwiches or what have you.  I don't remember ever talking to any of my employers about this, I imagine if it bothered them they would have brought it up.

When I was a babysitter in high school, I was always told to help myself to the kitchen.  If you find a good babysitter and want to be sure she's always available on Saturday nights for you, there are two rules: 1) Round up, don't be stingy man and 2) stock good snacks. Mmm, fruit rollups!