Would you feed your 14 month old baby fried bacon or Fruit Loops?

I'm trying to decide whether or not I should get "mad" that our daycare is feeding my daughter crap for breakfast.





In addition to full strips of chewy (not crisp) bacon and sugary cereal, they also provide 2% milk rather than the recommended (up to age 2) whole milk which we take in ourselves.

Would you feed your 14 month old baby fried bacon or Fruit Loops?
I might give my 14 month old a few Fruit Loops to chew on if I didn't have anything better to offer, but no that would not be my first choice. Not exactly the breakfast of Champions is it?


I think you have every right to voice your concern!!


If you can't convince them otherwise, feed your child before you leave home, or send in a packed breakfast.
Reply:All licensed daycare centers have to prepare meals that fall within the government's guidelines - this usually falls under the jurisdiction of the state's health department. All public schools serve cereals such as this, sugar and all, several times a week at least, although I'm not sure about the bacon. You might be surprised what's allowed in these nutritional guidelines, I see them when my daughter brings home the monthly lunch and breakfast menus for elementary schools.





However, if your child is in a home daycare that has under a certain number of kids (the number allowed varies from state to state), these rules do not apply at all, and the provider can feed them anything.





Also, check the Fruit Loops box next time you are at the store. Some of the most popular kinds of cereal are now whole grain and have less sugar, due to consumer demand. And remember, a growing child needs more carbs than us adults. If you choose to make them all whole wheat at home, that's obviously great, but it's realistically never going to happen 100% of the time outside of your home. Just start young helping the child make wise food choices as she becomes able to understand.
Reply:I'd be furious. I am very lucky in that my daycare follows a menu plan put in place by the department of children and family services. There is no nutritional value to bacon, and there are a bunch of dry cereals that are more nutritious than Froot Loops. Even if time is short, maybe you can feed your daughter breakfast at home or send her with her own food. If they continue to serve her 2% even though you specify that you want her to have whole milk, then who know what else they might do. I know what a challenge it is to get good daycare, but is it possible to start looking for a new facillity? Good Luck.
Reply:Organic fruits and vegetables? Gross! Let the kid have something she might actually LIKE now and then. There's nothing wrong with her eating bacon and Froot Loops now and then. If you're that upset about it, take her out of daycare and care for her at home.
Reply:bacon wouldn't be my first choice either - or damn fruitloops for that matter.


what happened to plain Cheerios? or a piece of toast?





I'll echo the other contributors and recommend that you provide your child with some more acceptable food choices. Also have you voiced your concern directly to the daycare provider? you can do this without losing your temper.
Reply:I feed my baby at home - before taking her to daycare. Even though she is one of the first kids to arrive at 630am!





I tell them that I already fed her - and they will just give her enough fruit loops with the other kids to keep her busy - but not enough to make a meal.





As for the milk... I suspect they give my daughter lowfat also (as well as juices) - which is why I still have whole milk at home. I give her only milk at home (unless we are going out) and that way I know she will get enough whole milk servings for the day.





As for the bacon... Its fatty and probably high in salt. If the rest of her diet is balanced, then it shouldnt be too bad. I'd just ask the daycare to limit how much they give the kids. If you can team up with another parent who's kid goes there - its even better when you mention your concerns to the daycare director.
Reply:I think that these foods are fine, as long as your child can chew it..... this is provided by the daycare. If you do not like what they provide, you can send your own food from home. You have no right to be "mad" unless you provide something else.
Reply:if the sitter is going against your beliefs in raising a child then i would either talk to her or take her out and find someone els. some daycares say this is whats for breakfast, lunch, dinner. and everyone gets the samething. but dont just sit back and let it happend if you are unhappy with the care.
Reply:In my opinoin, if you don't like it either send your own food, get done your job and take care of the kids yourself, or find a new daycare. Bitching about is not going to do anything about it except make you more upset. Voice your concerns or take it into your own hands. Good luck
Reply:Most licensed day care's have to provide a menu to the state of what they are feeding the kids each day. Since you have a dietary concern with the milk, if you are willing to provide the whole milk, I don't see why they wouldn't give it to the child.





Ask the provider for the menu, and check out your state guidelines if your concerns aren't answered. The only other options you have are to provide your childs meals yourself or find another daycare.
Reply:Fruit loops are ok, I think they actually have quite a bit of Vitamin C. But you're right, she should be getting whole milk and not eating greasy bacon. Technically, if they're following a food pyramid it might be ok, but it doesn't sound super healthy. You could ask to see a copy of their weekly or monthly menu and ask if you can substitute your own food on days they are serving crap, or you could find a new daycare. But you have to decide whether uprooting your daughter is worth it--is the food bad enough to move her?
Reply:The bacon would be fine (if she has enough teeth to chew it properly and not choke), however the Fruit Loops are so heavily sugered! That is terrible for their teeth, as well as encouraging them to only eat sweet foods. Breakfast is such an important meal and sugar is nost certainly NOT recommended for a childs development. At 14 months they truly need nutritional meals.





I personally would complain and take in something else from home to eat(altrhough this in itself can be a problem as she will want what the other kids are eating) . I am quite surprised that the daycare does not offer the children more nutritional foods, quite irresponsible. If your daughter gets used to fruit loops, it will be a huge battle to get her to eat anything remotely healthy and wholesome.





Good luck to you. Speak to the daycare, and perhaps to the other parents and see if enough of them are willing to talk to the daycare as a group with these concerns.
Reply:i would check with the daycare about why they are not following the government guidelines for the menu!!! as far as i know all U.S. daycares are supposed to follow the same nutrition guidelines, you may want to check on it!
Reply:I feel suspicious about bacon because i would never give my children bacon in this young age. However fruit loops are OK, as long as its just once a week. See if they have different menu on different days. I think your daycare do not know we can only built the health eating habit in this young age after two years a child only like to eat the thing which he or she have been introduced in early age.
Reply:oh no. My daughter is 21 months and I still don't let her eat bacon or wieners unless they are cut up in small pieces. I am so scared of her choking and bacon is the so hard to chew even for adults.


I still give homogenized milk to my daughters it is very important for their brain development.





http://pediatrics.about.com/od/milk/i/05...
Reply:fruit loops love em
Reply:I think that's terrible. I don't even let my 13 year old eat fruit loops!! The bacon is a choking hazard. If at all possible I would find a new daycare and specifically ask about what they feed the babies when you are looking for one and asking the questions. Good luck.
Reply:I dont think you are over reacting about this at all.She is your daughter and what you decide go's in her body is what go's in.You pay they childcare alot of money and they should feed your daughter what you want.Remember they work for you.Let them know that you are not happy.I recommend you give them a list of food you want them to serve who knows maybe they will change the menu and that will be better for all the kids at that daycare.
Reply:WTF? That's INSANE. This is another reaosn why I am glad that our daycare has us supply the food.





The bacon thing is ridiculous. I give my 16 month oldcrisp vegetarian bacon occasionally. Why would a baby need fatty, chewy bacon?? THere is nothing nutritionally beneficial in that.





The sugary cereal, also ridiculous. Sometimes I bust my husband for putting some of my older daughters fruity cheerios or lucky charms on the baby's tray. But to have a school do it?? Silly.





Finally, they should be providing whole milk. Talk tot he director. THey are not feeding the kids with common sense or age-appropriately and I'd be pissed.
Reply:fruit loops once in a blue moon...not everyday...but my son has yet to have bacon and he is 16 months old....and instead of fruit loops i bought the fruity cheerios....i think really he has only had fruit loops like once in his life.....but i would def mention this to the daycare....they should be feeding your child good nutritious breakfast...mine feeds my son a healthy breakfast every morning....



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