We haven't had one of these in a while. I feel like I'm failing in the food department because dd has become a little picky and she wants milk over solids. So I started googling around and I saw some sample menus for what a one year old should be eating. Holy crap! It seems like a lit of food and a lot of work. Then i started wondering if im the only one who doesn't feed their kid like that.. So, what dood do you send your kid with for the day?
Re: daycare moms- food
This is one of the sample menus I came across:
Breakfast
1⁄2 cup iron- fortified breakfast cereal or 1 cooked egg
1⁄4–1⁄2 cup whole milk (with cereal or without)
Fruit can be added to cereal or on its own
1⁄2 banana, sliced
2–3 large sliced strawberries
Snack
1 slice toast or whole wheat muffin with 1–2 tablespoons cream cheese or peanut butter, or yogurt with cut-up fruit
1⁄2 cup whole milk
Lunch
1⁄2 sandwich sliced turkey or chicken, tuna, egg salad, or peanut butter
1⁄2 cup cooked green vegetables
1⁄2 cup whole milk
Snack
1–2 ounces cubed or string cheese, or 2–3 tablespoons fruit or berries
1 cup whole milk
Dinner
2–3 ounces cooked meat, ground or diced
1⁄2 cup cooked yellow or orange vegetables
1⁄2 cup pasta, rice, or potato
1⁄2 cup whole milk
I feel like this might be easier to do if I were home with her. It seems like a lot to send to daycare and really time consuming. What does the "lazier" option look like?
why vegetarian? Do you have separate containers for everything?
no, they provide the table food but I feel like there aren't enough fruit and veggies in the meals so I try to send a home made meal, yogurt, cheese stick and a vegetable. I send bottles of wcm.
#2 due 12.23.17
6 oz. bottle (2/3 formula, 1/3 milk)
a multigrain waffle (frozen, toasted)
handful of puffs or cheerios
cup of peaches (prepackaged, 100% juice)
3-4 oz. milk
yogurt or purée (prepackaged, with fruit and veggies in it)
6 oz. bottle (2/3 formula, 1/3 milk)
handful of puffs or cheerios
2-3 slices of colby-jack cheese, chopped or a multigrain fruit bar (prepackaged)
3-4 oz. milk
chicken, cheese, onions, and bell peppers (outta my fajita wrap)
peas and carrots (fresh frozen, thawed in the microwave)
2-3 oz. water
6 oz. bottle (2/3 formula, 1/3 milk)
I keep it as easy as I can by buying organic and/or fresh frozen foods with as few preservatives as I can afford and use before they expire. We're going to 50/50 bottles this week and trying to get him down to one in the afternoon and one before bed. Again, it's a process.
When he's off bottles completely, daycare will move him to the toddler room, where they provide milk and two snacks (morning and afternoon), as well as cups, spoons, etc. We have to pack him a lunch. Which is a pain the aaaaaaaaass.
Mantra: you're amazing, you're doing great, you're an awesome mom.
YOU ARE DOING GREAT.
My daycare provides meals, thank god because I suck at feeding. On days when they are home with me they eat oatmeal with fruit for breakfast, and maybe a muffin or toast. Lunch and dinner usually consist of one of the following: peanut butter on wheat bread, meatballs, scrambled eggs. That's pretty much the extent of my cooking ability and we have it every single day because I suck. Recently they have started rejecting all vegetables, so I've had to sneak them into other things. I mash up cooked carrots and mix it in with their eggs or meatballs, or I will get a vegetable puree or mashed squash and spread it onto bread.
DH and I don't eat dinner usually. After they go to bed, I will reheat leftovers or will stick a frozen meal in the microwave, but its usually not anything I'd want them to have. I hate food. I hate cooking. If I could just take a pill and never eat again, I'd be totally fine with it, so I'm really struggling with changing my own attitude towards food for the sake of my girls.
LO then (2 days) and now (1 year)
sorry if it's because of my comment. I really didn't mean to imply one was better or easier than the other.
Today and yesterday I sent in more fruit and her meals. Yesterday she ate a lot AND drank 4 bottles. I was shocked. Today she drank more, ate less. Idk. I guess it will need an adjustment period? How is that sample menu different from what you usually give your DS? @MangoMama82
deedee1017 thanks for starting this discussion. I'm curious on what thoughts are on convenience toddler food like Gerber Graduates.
I try to give homemade food at home, however, it just doesn't seem feasible for me to prepare food everyday. So far, I've sent in the Quart bottles of formula and the jars (or pouches) of baby food.
As my boys start to transition, I also wanted to get thoughts on quick nourishing drinks and/or snacks. Currently they get a 6 oz bottle (half almond milk, half formula). Then they have oatmeal (sometimes with the breakfast on the go pouches) when they get to the center.
I want them to have sufficient to eat and for it to be as healthy as possible but I also need the convenience (at least for daycare).
I also try to do as much homemade food as possible, but like you, sometimes I just need easy things to supplement the stuff I make, especially at daycare or on the go. I recently found these organic smoothie pouches in the supermarket. Dd seems to like them and I feel good that she gets another serving of fruit.