My daughters daycare hasn't been giving her the food we pack for her: Should we fight it?

As kids get older they do want what the other kiddos are having. It’s very normal. It actually helps kids learn to eat different varieties of foods. I am a daycare owner and a lot of my kiddos do not like eating period. Their parents are always concerned because they don’t like eating at home or are very picky at home but they eat everything when they are in daycare. Including veggies (fresh). A huge part of kids learning to eat different foods is by them watching their friends eating it. I would go ahead and let the providers feed her their foods. It will help your kiddo open up to different foods. If you feel they aren’t feeding her healthy enough I would just ask and voice what your concerns are. You may be surprised.

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Just pull her out of the damn daycare and stop your whining. God forbid a place do their damn job without someone complaining over nothing

Melissa Hand if this was the biggest problem we had!!!

Honestly who cares if she eats breakfast twice shes clearly hungry! Just let it go shes eating happy and healthy thats all that matters…stop packing snacks dont see the issue. My daugher is in headstart and I’m not allowed to provide any food!

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If it is a state funded daycare typically they have to follow specific guidelines for foods and have paperwork the director has to fill out and submit. Also she may actually be wanting what the rest of the kids want for snack time. If she is eating the lunch you provide then I wouldn’t worry too much about snack. All foods in a state associates daycare must meet the guidelines. You could speak to the director and explain your concerns. But if she isn’t eating her snack at least she’s eating something.

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its a tough one…, but let her eat the food they provide so there is no problems w her wanting others eat or them wanting what she has. its only lunch and snacks geesh .ur first kid?

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Let her eat what the other kids are eating. Singling her out for only your lunches might cause her to just throw yours out so you won’t know. You pay for them providing lunches.

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It’s cheaper to let her eat what they’re offering, why not let her?
As long as she’s eating, I don’t see a problem with it.

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I would just let it go. I mean as long as she is eating

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It’s normal for her to want to eat with the others kids and have what they have. Have you bothered to find out what they give the kids at snack, most day cares don’t give just the junk food as you seem to think. Let her have the snacks and don’t worry so much.

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If your daycare is DHS certified and they should be following a meal plan. And while you will have days where the meal plan might call for chicken nuggets and fries. You should have more days where they have fresh fruits and vegetables and other healthy things. Do they not have a meal plan that you could look at? then if there were days that they where having something that you did not want your cold to have you could send stuff on those days?

Honestly if the food you are providing isnt because of a dietary restriction and the reason she isn’t getting the food you provide is just because your child wants what everyone else has… take it as a blessing that it’s one less task you have to do as a mom. As long they are eating that’s all that matters.

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My kids are 6 and 4 , they eat nothing…so let her eat if shes eating. Be thankful some of us wish our kids would eat

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My daughter is the type to eat what she sees all the other kids eat, even if her food is some of her favorite…
Let her eat what she wants at daycare

It would really suck to watch other kids get corn dogs and fries while you’re stuck eating something else.

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Let her eat what she wants to eat. Save yourself some money and keep the snacks at home for her. Just pack her lunches.

I’d be ecstatic if I could get my toddler to even eat anything regularly.
Let her be part of the group.

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Well, if she wants one thing and the daycare workers say no, and hand her something else, is it likely to cause a melt down? Is she the type that wants what she wants? If you stick to your guns, you may be setting the workers up to have to calm down a child who feels left out right before she goes home. I personally would let her have the snacks, shes still eating your breakfast and your lunches, so it’s not like shes filling on junk food all day.

If she wants what the other kids have and is eating, what’sss the problem?

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“Don’t let your kid be the odd one out… Let them develop unhealthy eating habits like all the other kids.”

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The daycare I work at the infant room can bring their own baby food but we frown upon it in the older rooms and most our infants just eat what we have and if they need baby food we puree it for them. Doesnt hurt to talk to the head lady just to see what’s said but I wouldnt push it to much they are following guidelines if anything I’m sure

I’ve worked in a daycare. There were kids whose parents packed their meals and snacks. The ones whose parents insisted we only give them what they provided spent most of their day in tears because they wanted the same things everyone else was having. Up to you, but not worth it.

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I worked at a daycare and 99% of the time the kids never ate what they were packed and only wanted each others’ lunches. Some kids get tired of eating the same thing over and over again.

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Dont stress to much,they all become little copycats that wanna have the same things @ all times and includes food and snacks,try not to fight with them after all your kid is in their care all day,wishing your little 1 well🤗

She probably does want what the other kids want. I’ll pack my son a lunch at school because he will say he doesn’t want what’s on the days menu and then at school he will decide to buy his lunch anyway cause he wants to get food from the cafeteria. I wouldn’t make a big deal out of it.

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So stop packing a lunch. The daycare my kids used to go to wouldn’t serve homemade food either

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If she is eating that’s fine I would not want my child to watch others eat things she likes and my daycare made her eat something different. If she prefers their lunch so be it.

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My son makes me pack his lunch every single day. Hes now in 6th grade and it’s getting old. Let her eat what they have or you will be packing her lunch forever

In my experience from working in child care centers there had to be a medical reason, like allergies or a doctor’s sign off on being vegan, for children to receive a different meal. Even then children with same restrictions received the same meal. The food would still come from the cook, and provided by the center. I hate to say this but even in the infant rooms formula and purees had to be un-opened and in store packages.

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See this is why I choose my sons daycare because they buy and make everything that day in the kitchen. He eats healthy there then at home :joy: sometimes

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I work at a daycare and the parents are not allowed to bring food in unless it’s the school age kids on pa days or summer program. Even if they are on a special diet the cook make accommodations for them .

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They should provide a weekly menu for what your child is giving to eat. You can balance it out at home

Same with my kids, but I look at the lunches I send with them as a backup. If they are fed, then I’m happy! Most of the time when we pick them up they snack on their home lunches on the way home. Kinda like their after school snack. But they always have a home lunch with them in case they are still hungry from school lunch or just need a little extra snack :slight_smile:

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Daycares make good food, and they may have a menu set up that you could ask to see so you know what they are eating 🤷

Seriously the kid would want what everyone else has :woman_facepalming:

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It’s the starting of a phase. Of course she wants what they have. And of course she never had problems in the past. It’s new. She’s learning and getting older. If they provide the meals, why are you sending her with a lunch to begin with? To monitor what she eats? If the school provides the food then they are following guidelines. Let her eat what everyone else does. That’s how it will end up anyways. Corn dogs and chicken nuggets aren’t gonna kill your kid. I promise. :woman_facepalming:t3:

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Omg, seriously. No need to overreact. She wants to try new food, great no problem.

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Day cares have to provide healthy balanced meals with healthy snacks, and tbh you aren’t there so how do you what they are cooking, ask to see a menu or send her some where else if you don’t like it.

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Maybe she just wants to fit in.

I suppose every day care of different, but both daycares my son went to made different lunches regularly. I don’t know what they make at yours but ours did quesadillas, pastas, salad, all kinds of stuff. And unless there’s an allergy, they generally do want what the other kids have. Even the school he’s in asks for healthier snacks. Unless there’s an issue, i don’t think it’s worth pushing.

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As long as shes eating what does it matter? And they should provide a menu if not ask them. If you dont like it then talk to them.

Let her eat what the other kids and you can make her a healthy dinner when she eats with you

I have this same issue with my 5 year old. He started Charter School and wants to eat Breakfast,Lunch and snack at school. Most days, I get him to eat breakfast or take a sandwich for lunch. It’s a deal I made with him that he has to have 1 meal( breakfast or lunch) from mama. That deal hasnt been broken since sept however my price is "scratches? before bed daily and that puts me to sleep at 8pm also!!!

My son was very active & my kids loved breakfast food. He would eat breakfast at home, again at preschool & then ask for seconds & thirds! At daycare I would send food & the provider would feed him the other kids’ leftovers. I didn’t realize she was feeding them ice cream in the afternoons! , and was sort of annoyed, but you can’t spoil all their fun & being a caregiver can be super stressful.

Both my kids went through a stressful chubby phase in junior high (divorce, etc.) but both are now slender, watch what they eat & eat healthy as adults. What you feed them & teach them at home will stick with them longer than the corn dogs & Rice Krispie treats.

You may want to talk to your day care provider about following nutritional guidelines vs. junk food and/or offer to supply enough healthy food (fresh fruit & vegetables) for all the kids on occasion. They’re little, so you shouldn’t need much.

If there are no allergies or anything why are you so insistent that you pack her lunch? Seems a bit much if you ask me and I can assure you they don’t give them crap food.

Ask your kid if she ask for what everyone else is having. If you don’t want her to do that tell her. Not day care.

I think she probably wants what the other children are eating and doesn’t want to be different

I would be very skeptical
People are told awful nowadays and I would feel terrible if someone put something in my kids food.