Please critiquemy daycare menu - Page 2

[velochic]

Originally Posted by organicmidwestmama

seriously, the usda wants americans prone to obesity and diabetes apparently. your meals do sound about as good as could be within the high-carb, high grain, high-fruit sugar guidlines set forth by the usda.

the usda also says a potato doesnt count as a "grain" so kids end up getting served 2 high-carb/sugarry foods in one setting if theres potatos. im not saying kids should never have potatos, but its just not so healthy, imho to feed both bread and another starch at one meal.

I agree. I didn't realize (as is obvious from my first reply) that the OP had to follow the USDA guidelines like schools, as she didn't state so in her first post. I can't believe how unhealthy these guidelines are. I watched Jamie Oliver's series on improving school lunches in Britain a couple of years ago and was thrilled when I saw he was doing the same in the US. Until watching that show, I didn't know how unhealthy USDA mandated lunches were.

In light of that, OP, I think you're doing a bang up job! Would you be willing, though, to let people bring their children healthier food if they preferred that?

[faeriecurls]

I think your menu changes are great. You are working with guidelines that are horrible and doing the best you can.

I would probably switch sweet potato fries for regular fries on the chicken nugget day.

It's still pretty light on vegetarian options IMO, but I guess if you don't have children who are veg*n it's not as much of an issue.

I'm surprised that beans count as a vegetable.

On the hot dog thing - Hebrew National is not nitrate free.

[corrie43]

The food program allows no outside food like a lunchbox, but I can have parents bring in a bag organic fruit ect. As long as I prep and serve it,it is ok. If a parents sends in a lunch I lose out on 2.50.but I still have to make enough food to serve them in case the parent forgot to send the lunch.

That is why I am trying to get the menu to where I feel no one would see the need to send anything in.

I am in a pretty non cruchy area, so I could see parents wanting to send in junk food vs parents wanting to send in healthier stuff. I would get bombarded with lunchables if I let some parents send in food...LOL

But the new families I have are on board with healthy food and I hope to attract more likeminded families with my good menu and more eco friendly/AP daycare practices.

[caiesmommy]

I think your doing great...you've got to work with what you've got and your trying! I think the newest menu is the best so far. Great job

[crunchy_mama]

I agree w/ everyone else- I think you are doing great considering the guidelines you are given! I think the b-fast burritos and french toast are some good ideas to get in the guidelines and have some protein as well. I would make sure the yogurt is full fat and perhaps some nuts/seeds to top the oatmeal. If I do oatmeal here I also serve it w/ a bit of homemade sausage as well and extra dollops of fat in there.

[corrie43]

Is quinoa a good grain to make meals out of? I just went to the grocery store and I live in a rural area and boy there is not much variety and choices here.I got the stonyfield farms cream on to french vanilla yogurt. There was no organic whole milk plain yogurt in the whole store.

Would organic whipping cream be a good choice as a topping for french toast and oatmeal? If added jut a dash of vanilla and cinnamon to it.. Better than syrup I would think.. The kids don't like pure maple syrup, so I make my own with real sugar and butter. I figre it is a step above the high fructose corn syrup stuff.

[jeanine123]

Quinoa is a great grain. From my understanding, it's got the most amount of protein of all the grains.

[kittywitty]

I think it looks really good even for USDA guidelines. When my kids had to go to daycare when I went back to school, you can't believe the food they served. Nothing whole foodish or not out of a can, etc. So for around here, you're doing awesome!

I would recommend 2%-whole milk. I've never been to a doctor or WIC who did not specify several times that children should have whole milk until at least elementary age. Plus it tastes better! I can't stand skim.

[organicmidwestmama]

Originally Posted by faeriecurls

I think your menu changes are great. You are working with guidelines that are horrible and doing the best you can.

I would probably switch sweet potato fries for regular fries on the chicken nugget day.

It's still pretty light on vegetarian options IMO, but I guess if you don't have children who are veg*n it's not as much of an issue.

I'm surprised that beans count as a vegetable.

On the hot dog thing - Hebrew National is not nitrate free.

if you are a dcp getting usda food money you cannot serve vegan meals or you wouldnt be meeting requirements.

[Mylie]

I think your menu looks great...

Not everyone is in an area that provides all the good foods..Sometimes we have to make do with less cause our stores don't carry organic/fresh..

Your menu looks alot better than what is served at my little ones daycare..

Donuts and raisens and milk
Toast with peaches and milk
Processed french toast sticks with savalot syrup and raisens,milk

Everything that is served at my little girl's daycare is from savalot..All fruit is canned and the same..applesauce,peaches,pears or mandarin oranges..About once a month they get 1/2 of a banana.

For snacks they get koolaid and cheetos.For lunches they get things like frozen fish sticks and canned white beans..Gross!!!

Again..I think your menu looks varied and great...As the mom of a severly allergic child I would never expect anyone(even a daycare provider)to know how to feed her and I send all her foods in myself..But I do keep a copy of the menu so say if on the very blue moon occasion there is something she can have then she can have it..But they never serve it too her without my permission anymore

And there is nothing wrong with the occasional meal of tator tots and chicken nuggets..You just have to go for the healthier versions..My 2 year old loves Cascadian Organic Tator Tots with 365 Organic ketchup..

Good luck on your opening!!! Daycare is fun...

[Magelet]

your new menu looks great (particularly within those crazy guidelines.)

sadly, not only are hebrew national not nitrate free, they're filled with crap. I sorely miss kosher hot dogs, and though I finally have grass-fed, crap-free all beef hotdogs I can give a try (horribly expensive).

INGREDIENTS: Beef, Water, Contains 2% or less of: Salt, Sodium Lactate, Spice, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Paprika, Sodium Diacetate, Garlic Powder, Sodium Erythorbate, Sodium Nitrite, Flavorings. CONTAINS: Soy

yikes! hydrolyzed soy protein is basically msg.

I miss being able to stop on the street and get a kosher hotdog.

[ASusan]

Originally Posted by Magelet

whole milk is better because it is less likely to have additives, because our bodies need fat to absorb fat soluble vitamins, and because it keeps us full longer and better (better stabilization of blood sugar than carbs, which also means it is LESS likely to make one fat, rather than more.) Children in particular need saturated fat for their growing brains and bodies. (when you realize that cell walls and the brain are mostly saturated fat, specifically cholesterol, it's obvious that we need some in our diet, particularly children.)
any other points I missed mamas?

To further the brain development point, the brain is still myelinating, and myelin is basically made of fat, so healthy fats are VERY important for proper brain development. Full-fat (organic, if possible) milk is best.

Originally Posted by blueridgewoman

Can I just say, and this is in NO WAY a reflection on you, because I think you've done a great job adapting the standards to some great meal offerings, that I totally abhor the USDA standards for their sponsored meals? Good lord. How much sugar and carbohydrate do they really think kids need? And skim milk? If I gave my child most of the meals that fit with their plan, she'd be crazy hyper and starving in about 20 minutes. Gah. (Again, totally no reflection on you, corrie43- your options seem like the best case scenario. )

Yeah, the USDA standards for daycare meals SUCK. I am frequently horrified by what they feed children at my son's daycare. Luckily(??) he is allergic to many foods, so we bring lunch for him.

Originally Posted by corrie43

Honestly if I could afford to give up the food program I would, but we are lower income so they even cover my own kids meals when they eat with the daycare children.. If my income goes up and I get bumped to the lower teir I just may drop it. Yes the standards are crazy. A french frie counts as a veggie, a pop tart, donut, even cake, counts as a grain. So for now I have to work around it.. That is why I figured if I can find help anywhere it would be here in this forum. Everyone would have great ideas for me.

Yes, again, HORRIFIED when I saw TODDLERS being fed quartered pop-tarts as their afternoon snack. And the day they had "milkshakes and moms" event, not only was their chocolate syrup and several kinds of sprinkles for the ice-cream-based milkshakes, but they had baskets of donut holes for the children! DS and I sucked down our rice-milk-and-ice-chip "milk shakes" and I got a leftover buckwheat pancake from his lunch bag for us to share. (I wasn't told in advance that there would be a "treat" in addition to the milkshake. I was just happy that they tried to accommodate his allergy.)

Originally Posted by corrie43

The food program allows no outside food like a lunchbox, but I can have parents bring in a bag organic fruit ect. As long as I prep and serve it,it is ok. If a parents sends in a lunch I lose out on 2.50.but I still have to make enough food to serve them in case the parent forgot to send the lunch.

I'm assuming they make exceptions for allergies?
I don't think our daycare is losing out on us bringing DS's lunch, because only some of the slots are Head Start slots (and thus they get funding for those lunches). We are a full pay slot, and I think we're just paying for food in that cost. Heh - I should ask for a refund of the lunch money that's rolled into our cost. (Ours is also center-based, not home-based)
.

I am in a pretty non cruchy area, so I could see parents wanting to send in junk food vs parents wanting to send in healthier stuff. I would get bombarded with lunchables if I let some parents send in food...LOL

Yeesh. Good for you for working your best within those crazy USDA guidelines.

And I wouldn't stop trying with the real maple syrup. It has trace minerals and a bunch of phytonutrients. Of course, I am just trying to justify my over-use (at least a Tlbs for me and tsp for DS, daily).


Keep up the good work!

[organicmidwestmama]

Originally Posted by ASusan

...

And I wouldn't stop trying with the real maple syrup. It has trace minerals and a bunch of phytonutrients. Of course, I am just trying to justify my over-use (at least a Tlbs for me and tsp for DS, daily).


Keep up the good work!

i like the taste of real maple syrup a whole bunch but honestly, despite it having phyto-nutrients (aka nutrients in plants) it has 12 grams of sugar per Tbls, and 4 grams sugar per tsp, which is exactly the same amount of sugar in any other sugar, oh except honey, which has 5 grams per tsp. its not quite as healthy as us natural foods loving people have been believing. it is still sugar, just more natural looking and with a teeny tiny bit of nutrients.

[corrie43]

Yeah, I am not keen on any syrups, so I am slowly transitioning. They don'tlike pure maple because it is too sweet, so that is good. I make my own syrup with brown sugar, water, butter ad maple flavor currently. I am slowly going to cut the sugars and add fruit purees to it to make it more healthy and less sweet.

Part of my dilemma is we live in a low income area and I already charge very low rates for daycare. ($125 a week for 50 hours) Watching 4 full time kids last year we figured out after taxes and expenses I only cleared about $2.50 an hour. That was serving cheap bulk foods. Making my menu healthy is going to make my profits go down even more. A lot of it is planning purposes too. I need a fixed menu so I can make things in bulk and freeze, buy ahead of time on sale and make sure I have everything I need for the week. I was planning on getting canned or frozen fruits and veggies when stuff is out of season, which for maine is almost all year..LOL

So I am going to work more beans into the menu, falafel is pretty cheap. I am going toget rid of the hot dogs altogether. Maybe even add in more vegetarian meals. Beans and cheese do count as a protien for the food program, as well as eggs, so maybe add a quiche in there as well. I wil go back and rework some more.

My other downfall is my husband. He goes to the store this weekend and comes home with craplike corndogs and hash brown patties and sausage that is full of crap. I feel like I need to use them up because we spent money on them. So this morning we had farm fresh eggs, peaches, yucky hash browns and sausage. I have not started serving my new menu yet becase I haven't tweaked it. But honestly, all the parents came in this morning and were like, YUM hashbrowns and sausage. They are all perfectly happy with the regular store brands, soI feel like why the heck should I should I spend more when most of them don't care..AHHHHHHH well I am going to do it anyway because it is better for everyone and Plead to my husband to stop buying crap. I am going to use up the crap stuff and then just start my new menu in a couple weeks..