I take the feeding of children seriously. I cook whole foods, and have a large variety of ways to get kids to eat whole grains, veggies, and proteins. I previously took a course targeted to child care providers called "picky eaters".
Although my family does eat meat (in moderation) my daycare program is 100% veggie ! I feel that meat standards is a funny topic and I like the families to choose what , when, and how much meat to give their children.
We do eat farm fresh organic eggs, and a variety of dairy products. The same goes for the grains and produce as well. I do try to buy organic when reasonable to do so, but this is not always possible. (I get large bulk orders delivered to my home with dry goods and grains etc.)
I try to avoid an abundance of corn, wheat, vegetable oils, soy products, and of course packaged foods.
The list of things I make from scratch is a long one .... I don't buy hummus, pesto, butter, nut butters, juice, crackers, cookies, muffins ..... just about everything we eat is produced right from scratch in my kitchen !
I also keep a strong focus on live, raw foods. I dehydrate a large percentage of my foods to avoid nutrient destruction in the cooking process. We have green smoothies with kale, spinach, dandelion greens, and all kinds of lettuces. The kids LOVE them and are always asking for more green smoothies please ! Nothing makes me happier then little green moustaches !
I also cook with olive, or coconut oil not corn or vegetable, & in salads we do use some cold pressed oils like avocado, and walnut.
I feel that white flours, and sugar are mood altering drugs, and I try to avoid them when possible. I will not feed your child sugary snacks and send them home to you, and I ask you do not feed your child a sugary breakfast and send them to me :) ** pretty please ! The crackers that I create for the little ones are made from vegetables and flax (that's all !) and the kids love them. I don't like the idea of filling a belly up with wheat and salt as a snack.
I put up a menu for each day of what your child had for lunch so you know what you should feed them for dinner. If for example we had pasta, I would encourage you to focus on proteins for dinner time.
Speaking of protein .... people always ask me what I do for protein. Well we eat eggs, yogurt, cheese, all kinds of seeds, and nuts, and make butters and milks from them too. And let's not forget that the most absorbable form of proteins are from plant based foods ! These little guys are well fed and none of them are lacking in protein :)
When your baby is very small you can send in meals for them to have if you like, until they are able to eat what the others are eating. I would think that by 12 months of age they would be fine to just have lunch like a big girl/boy with the group.
As far as milk goes, if your baby needs special milk or if you are set on them having strictly organic milk, you will need to send in their milk for them each day. I will provide a large glass of milk at lunch time. If your baby is still using milk as a food and will need 2-3 servings of milk send in the other "feedings" as well.
I do accept breast milk too in specially labeled bottles. (We can chat about this if need be.) We are 100% breastfeeding friendly !!
