Preschool / Childcare Center That Doesn't Serve Food

Do you know any of the other parents that have LO that go to that school? Maybe you can drop off at their home at 630 and they can car pool and maybe you can pick up and drop off for the pm?

Another reason more schools are doing this is because EVERYONE has allergies now a days, and most fast food places (except chik fil a) are making their menus as allergy-free as possible, to broaden their customer spectrum. Smart move on their part, bad move for our bodies. I pack my kids lunches every day so I know they're getting the healthy, good stuff ;)

If you provide the food, will they serve it? Or is it up to her to say "I'm hungry, I'd like my morning snack now". How about drinks? I'd ask how those logistics are handled --- or visit for a day and just watch. If they're good, they'll let you do that.

Frankly, to me, the no windows things is a drag. Okay, you do like in FL, so it seem Vitamin D isn't an issue like it is here in MN, but still, it seem rather depressing. What about when it's raining? For days on end? Bleh.

My kids' preschool provided snacks, but we had to provide a lunch (no peanut butter, pork or shellfish). It was the Jewish Community Center and we're not Jewish, but we liked what they taught and it's not like we disagree with Torah themes such as "helping the environment" and "working with others". The Torah is the Old Testiment, after all.

You can give it a try and pull her out if it's not working, but I'd make sure to better undertstand how they handle food/ drink that you do provide.

EDIT: after reading your SWH, the fact that this center thinks that fast food is APPROPRIATE food on a daily basis actually makes me question the quality of their thinking overall. What else are they slipping on?

And your daughter is going to find it hard not to beg you...daily...for fast food over peanut butter. This arrangement might just make your life a living he!!.

Fast food lunch and no windows? I'd pass on this one.

Fast food and no windows... I would keep looking. Good luck

Just to add: my concern wouldn't be so much bring your own food (though that may be a hassle for you), but how many kids do actually eat the fast food for lunch? And what kind of example does that set for your daughter? How can a program be "highly recommended" if they teach bad eating habits? Not a place I would want my child at every day.

My daughter just started all day preschool at a church center also. They provide morning and after noon snack, but thats it. I have to pack her lunch. And I have to follow the rules of the recommended daily allowences. I have to include a meat, vegetable and fruit. Also, they won't heat up a lunch, so it has to be a cold lunch. I feel ok with packing her luch. Its not that hard. I pack a cold cut sandwich, fruit, veggie and one snack (like pretzels or fruit snacks). I wish they would allow a hot lunch, especially in the winter, but its really not that bad. The more you do it, the easier it gets. The center she is enrolled in is an excellent center with a stellar reputation so its worth it to me. Good luck!

Our preschool is at a church also and has very few windows. This doesn't bother me at all since the kids go outside at least 2 times per day and sometimes three. None of the public schools around here have windows - that is for safety and for hurricanes. Remember, the schools are the hurricane shelters!

Regarding school, our school doesn't serve food but offers pizza from Pizza Hut on Fridays. We pack our sons both lunch and snack everyday and pizza on Fridays. I pack a breakfast for my baby (11 months) since he is still asleep on the way to school. My older (5) eats his breakfast with us at home. And no, the baby doesn't get pizza on Fridays:)

I would visit the school at lunchtime and see what the children are eatting. Ask the director how many of the kids bring/buy. Personally, I would not rule out a school because of what they serve. Have you been to public school? My older will start kindergarten in 3 weeks - we will pack daily.

Good luck! C.

that is ridiculous. i can't imagine that if you are in the orlando area that preschools/daycares are that hard to find - and many are faith-based. personally i wouldn't go there. ours does two snacks and lunch - we provide breakfast (which they will prepare. we usually do cereal - raisin bran or frosted mini wheats are our favorites - also frozen waffles, fruit etc)

My kids went to a mothers day out and we had to provide our own snacks/meals. Expect once every few weeks they would have chickfila delivered.

I think, that even if oyu did pack her lunch, would if she won't eat it and eats what the school is providing? I worry about this now that my son is staring kinder this year as well.

Our preschool didn't serve food because it kept the cost of tuition down significantly. Since mine went only part time I just packed a lunch.
Can your daughter eat breakfast at home and just pack a morning snack, like yogurt or a granola bar and fruit?
It's too bad the church is only offering a fast food menu. Our preschool did have a similar option twice a week, one day it was pizza and the other day it was Mexican food (either a quesadilla or burrito with rice and beans, fairly healthy.) Maybe you could see if there are other places in your community that might be willing to work with the church.

My grandaughter is a good eater and she has always carried a snack pack. When her school provided lunch, we used it. This year her school had food brought in from a public school nearby. She often did not like the menu, so she started carrying her lunch from home too. Sometimes she would carry sandwiches, something from last night's menu, and sometimes we would treat her homeroom with pizza. A few times her father would bring her some favorite lunch from a restaurant. It worked out pretty nicely.

Wow, I can't believe that. I enjoy taking my kids to the fast food places so we can play in the tunnels. But I just can't see eating that much of their food. We so often share a very small snack and buy food meant for one and share it among 3 kids. We'll eat our fruit and other healthy drinks at home and have only water there. I can not see raising kids on that food every single day as their only choice. I also don't understand how it's cost effective.

I wouldn't do it at all. There's just no way.

I would look elsewhere. I can understand allergy-free food, but there must be a better option. Usually parents tell the providers/schools about the allergies and they have to remember and write it down and serve around the allergy. Plus it's weird they have no windows? Is that up to code? I don't know about Florida, but it wouldn't be over here. That's a fire hazard. I guess I just don't see how it would be built with no windows as any type of building, but maybe code is different because Florida is such a hurricane hot spot. My last in home daycare I brought her food, but it was because the daycare provider was struggling financially, I eventually left for other reasons. My daycare provider now provides the food and she provides healthy food and snacks, besides the occasional teddy-graham crackers. I would think it was strange to provide only fast food and would wonder if that conflicted with daycare/preschool laws/codes. Some states/cities mandate to provide at least 1 healthy meal. Regular fast food is not healthy at all.

MOST all Preschools, have the kids bring their own home lunches. But they usually serve the kids a snack. Or the kids bring their own.
Because, Preschools do not cook nor serve, food. They do not have... board of health, licensed, "food servers" or certified, kitchens.

Keep in mind, that Preschools, MANY of them, are not like an Elementary school, and therefore, they do not have a cafeteria nor a full kitchen, to make/serve the kids food.
Nor do they have licensing, for this.

At Preschools, you the parent, DOES make home lunches and snacks, for your child.

This Preschool you mentioned, has outside vendors, to provide food.
To satisfy, the general population of kids, who need food, in this manner.
Some kids, do not even have parents, that make 'good' food for them.
So bear that in mind.
For some kids, this may be the ONLY full 'meal' they get, all day.
Per the money ability, of their parents. Or they are in hardship.
So the parents, opt for the Preschool's lunch plan.

Home Daycare and a facility daycare, has various licensing requirements. Not it all being the same across the board.
And no, it will not always be, the "ideal" foods/drinks, that a parent may want. BUT... they do have to satisfy, certain rules/guidelines, about being a "Provider."

So now, it is up to you... to choose, which Provider or facility, you want.
NO childcare facility, will 100% satisfy, all parents.

In Florida I imagine that a lot of buildings are built like this to save money after hurricanes blow through.

I have taken both the kids to Mothers-Day-Out programs at a church that did not offer meals. I packed easy stuff. Little cans of mini ravioli's, spaghetti O's, sandwiches and such. It is just one meal so I wouldn't worry so much about it being a well rounded meal. I always sent yogurt or cheese sticks, and they were never eaten and had to be thrown away.

my kids daycare didn't serve food either. they did order out to a diner, which served fruit or veggie, nuggets, or turkey sub, pbj, etc. on fridays they ordered pizza. i packed my sons lunch every day except for some fridays. it was never an issue. and honestly, after working at a daycare and seeing the expired food, and nasty stuff they were fed, i'm glad i could bring my kids lunch. i would pack some dry cereal or something and a fruit for breakfast, and do something for lunch that is quick. make it the night before. i don't think the windows would be that big a deal. at the elementary school my daughter goes to they have windows, but they are covered and never opened. at the daycare they were always closed and covered, too.