Is this "normal" re. how snacks are served at daycare?

supermom2008 · December 2012

My 4.5 year old goes to Pre-Kindergarten from 8.30am-3.00pm at a private school. It's not the most expensive in the area but a very nice school and fits our needs. I pack him lunch everyday and the school provides two snacks. The school provides plates, flatware etc for meals and snacks.

At 3.00pm, His Grandparents pick him up and transport him to a daycare, where he stays 'til I pick him up around 6.20pm. He does to daycare after school x3 a week, and spends two afternoons with his grandparents.

I got off work a little early and picked him up at 5.30pm yesterday. The kids were all sitting down for a snack and the crackers were laid out on the table, instead of on plates. I didn't say anything, but I thought it was weird that they didn't have plates for each kid, instead, each kid had 4 crackers on the table in front of them. Would you say something? I thought it was so gross, and when I asked my son whether they always eat off the table, he said "the table is clean mommy, no germs"......

jldittber · December 2012

I see where you're coming from, but with all due respect.... my kid will eat his cracker off the floor LOL.

Really, I do get what you're saying.. and I am a clean freak...but I found I am more laxed in this area than I thought I would be. My kid's school uses napkins for crackers, and I'm ok with that. Its also the most expensive school and great program.

My suggestion though. Take a few days and pick up your child at random hours and observe. Then things that really bother you, bring up. Me and DH never tell the school when we are coming and sometimes we pick him up at noon, then 3, then 6..

supermom2008 · December 2012

Just to clarify, this is not at his school. They school provides plates for lunch and both snacks. I've visited him at school and witnessed it myself. The "crackers on table" happend at the daycare he goes to from 3.00pm-6.20pm , three times a week. not the end of the world, but I was just wondering if this was the norm.

MoreThanABride · December 2012

At DDs daycare they serve crackers on napkins for their late snack.

laurakaz13 · December 2012

At DD's daycare afternoon snacks are served on plates, but they are delivered that way by their kitchen (all food is prepared on site at DD's daycare.)

Would I be upset about this? Um, I probably wouldn't have even noticed. Like PP said, DD will eat food off the floor any day and I'm not as anal as I used to be.

CPBP · December 2012

My DC does snacks on the table, but they wipe them down before serving. I never really gave it any thought. Half of the time I put snack on our table for him or (even better) a bar chair, so he can reach them!

I assume they do so because the plates would become frisbees or obejects to whack friends with! If the table is clean, not a big deal IMO.

EastCoastBride · December 2012

My DCP usually puts their snacks on a paper towel. But as long as the table is wiped off before hand, I wouldn't really care if crackers were put right on the table.

IdigDirt · December 2012

DS would eat a napkin if I put it in front of him and thinks plates are fun to throw so I put his snacks on our kitchen table at home and now feel like a slacker mom. As for the question at his old DC I remember seeing the older kids eat off the table but don't know how they do it at his new one.

LoCarb · December 2012

Our DC provides snacks on plates or napkins. Eating off the table wouldn't bother me if I saw them wipe it down with Lysol wipes first.

cchill01 · December 2012

Yep, pretty normal. If it's a messy snack, like corn bread, trail mix or muffin, then they are served on napkins or in a cup. If it's a clean snack like graham crackers or ritz, they will just hand them to the kids or put them on the table.

The tables are sanitized after lunch, so I figure that's as clean as it gets in a daycare setting.

Daisy22 · December 2012

I'm not sure about the 3pm snack but the 5pm little snack which is a few crackers is done on the table or just handed to them on the carpet in circle time. I never thought twice about it but I know our daycare is constantly wiping everything down. I'm pretty sure their classrooms are cleaner then my house.

emberlee3 · December 2012

All food is required to be on a napkin or plate at DS's preschool. Even the kids who bring their own breakfast/snack in the morning (school opens at 7, school breakfast is not until 9:30) have to go get a paper towel to set it on.

ASmallWonder · December 2012

Yeah this wouldn't hit my radar AT ALL.

mben1119 · December 2012

elmoali:
Yeah this wouldn't hit my radar AT ALL.

Same. If I even try to put any of DS's food on plate or something, that sh!t is flying through the air within seconds.

KathrynMD · December 2012

our daycare does dry snacks like crackers/cereal on a paper towel or in a small dixie cup.

When DD was younger (in the toddler and 2s rooms) I think they did it on the table. but, they clean the table like 10x a day

Brit's Luna154 · December 2012

I have caught DD eating nasty things like carpet fuzz and random bits that the dog tracks in by our back door, I hardly think the germs from the table at daycare are going to be the grossest thing she puts in her mouth all day. I'm sure they clean the table before they serve food on it, anyway. This wouldn't have hit my radar at all. In some ways, I am kind of happy to hear that they are conserving resources by not using unnecessary plates.

Tink112011 · December 2012

lasposa425:
This would only bother me if the table wasn't clean.

Same here, and I can promise you that our daycare table is cleaner than my house is.

jnealet · December 2012

They ususally put down napkins at D1's preschool but I've seen kids sitting at the table in the morning eating their breakfast on the table. They wipe that thing off so many times, it doesn't bother me.

ridesbuttons · December 2012

supermom2008:

I thought it was so gross, and when I asked my son whether they always eat off the table, he said "the table is clean mommy, no germs"......

Your son is wise.

ewilliams1127 · December 2012

elmoali:
Yeah this wouldn't hit my radar AT ALL.

Me either. I let DS eat off the tables at restaurants because he just throws plates and bowls (I wipe it down first most of the time lol). I'm not a germ freak though and DS has never been sick. ::knock on wood::

Leap08 · December 2012

I actually have no idea how our daycare serves snacks, but I wouldn't care if they were eating off of a clean table.

mrsseguin · December 2012

My kids DC serves snacks right on the table, I've never thought anything of it. We do it at home too. We already have a lot of dishes, to clean up dishes from snacks too would be a lot IMHO just for some crackers.

magdusia · December 2012

at my son's school they use napkins.. So they put the snack on top of the napkin. No plates either. I personally would say something, but my son has food allergies, so he would probably have other issues eating directly from the table.