Guest Posted June 8, 2009 Posted June 8, 2009 Hi all I'm new and am in need of some advice please I am getting really confused about how to charge for food and what sort of prices to charge, not sure wether to charge each meal, perday or include in hourly fee, I will be greatful for ideas and advice on this please. Thanks Michelle
Guest Posted June 8, 2009 Posted June 8, 2009 When I was childminding we charged £2 per meal, drinks included in that. Or they could supply a healthy packed lunch. It was easier than trying to included it in the hourly rate, as some parents would rather supply a pack lunch.
Cait Posted June 8, 2009 Posted June 8, 2009 Do you provide snacks as well as meals? That would need to be factored in, even if children were bringing their own lunch, unless they brought snack too
sunnyday Posted June 8, 2009 Posted June 8, 2009 Hi Michelle and welcome to the forum - I'm pre-school so can't really help - but there are lots of lovely childminders using the forum - I'm sure someone can offer help! Looking forward to 'talking' to you. Sunnyday
Panders Posted June 8, 2009 Posted June 8, 2009 I'm pre-school too, but just wanted to say welcome to the forum 1Michelle!
Guest Posted June 8, 2009 Posted June 8, 2009 Hi and welcome I decided on an hourly rate that was inclusive of everything - I felt it was too complicated otherwise. All children are offered a home cooked meal, this gives them opportunity to try new foods - all of my parents are happy with this and none bring packed lunches. A friend charges £2 per day for food. I take off £3 per child for food when I do my accounts and this includes all snacks too. hope that helps
Cait Posted June 8, 2009 Posted June 8, 2009 Do you have a local childcare network? They may be able to offer you advice about local rates
Upsy Daisy Posted June 8, 2009 Posted June 8, 2009 (edited) Hi Michelle and welcome to the forum. I made the choice to ask parents to provide main meals and I include healthy snacks in the hourly rate. If you feel that you need to offer meals then you need to make sure you cover your costs. Carefully work out as best you can how much the meals will cost you. Make sure you include costs for cooking and your costs for fuel and time for buying the food. You can't work out a definite figure for these but there should be a small amount in the cost of a meal to cover these. It is much easier to make sure you cover all of your costs now than to put your prices up later. You also need to decide what you will do if a parents expects a certain type of food, eg organic or something your family doesn't like. Will you make meals especially for each child? If so they may cost more. I am willing to provide food if necessary but I charge a lot because I would prefer parents to provide their own. Work out what you are happy with because you will be stuck with it for a while. Good luck, Alison Edited June 8, 2009 by AlisonP
Guest Posted June 8, 2009 Posted June 8, 2009 Hi, I think thatI remember being told that we were not able to charge for meals directly, not sure if it was to do with being registered as a food business or because of tax reasons?? Sorry cant remember, memory is a little overstretched!! I have always had all inclusive charge. Makes life so much easier. Although possibly loose out in this way.
Guest Posted June 8, 2009 Posted June 8, 2009 Hello Thats a good question, i did include in the hourly rate as it seemed the norm aroud my area! However to supply and maintain the healthy eating can & does get pricey... Im currently on maternity and think i shall start to charge a basic fee when i start up again... interesting reading all the other comments.
Guest Posted June 8, 2009 Posted June 8, 2009 just like to add - 'food for thought' a little moan, I started providing all home cooked meals about 3 years ago- I was fed up of feeding under 3s jars of food or awful Junk food, I researched, planned menus and cooked and provided food- I incresed my hourly fee to pick up the cost. Great success- parent and children love it.... I now find that its a bind-continualy having to think, plan meals, particuarly after weekend and holidays, the freezer is always full of 'mindies' food, and its a chore. but I wouldnt want to go back to what it was before!!!! Sorry about the moan...
Guest Posted June 8, 2009 Posted June 8, 2009 Hi all I would like to say a big thank you to everybody you have all been so kind and helpful.Was really nervus about asking at first so thank you for making me feel at ease will use this site more often. I have choosen to counteract the cost within my hourly fee hopefully this will put a stop to clients deducting the charges for food when they decide to have a day of and I have allready brought the food.
dublinbay Posted June 9, 2009 Posted June 9, 2009 Hi Michelle and a warm welcome to the forum. I'm glad you have found it so helpful and I look forward to 'seeing' you around here often.
Guest Posted June 9, 2009 Posted June 9, 2009 Hi all I would like to say a big thank you to everybody you have all been so kind and helpful.Was really nervus about asking at first so thank you for making me feel at ease will use this site more often. I have choosen to counteract the cost within my hourly fee hopefully this will put a stop to clients deducting the charges for food when they decide to have a day of and I have allready brought the food. I agree Michelle (and Abimat too - an incredible amount of planning goes into just the food preparation for the week, especially when little johnny won't eat pasta, so and so's allergic to cows milk and another one won't eat fruit or veg and anothers vegetarian etc, etc) however I think adding a significant amount onto your hourly rate is less complicating
velvet Posted June 9, 2009 Posted June 9, 2009 Hello and welcome to the forum Some one has alraedy mentioned this but I too was told you can not charge seperatly for food unless you are registered as a food buisness and have inspections, food hygiene etc
Guest Posted June 17, 2009 Posted June 17, 2009 I agree Michelle (and Abimat too - an incredible amount of planning goes into just the food preparation for the week, especially when little johnny won't eat pasta, so and so's allergic to cows milk and another one won't eat fruit or veg and anothers vegetarian etc, etc) however I think adding a significant amount onto your hourly rate is less complicating Hi just read your thread I offer a cooked meal at lunch time and the cost is in the hourly rate, I advertise that I give a snack at 4pm this helps the presure of then cooking a hot meal, I offer crumpets, sandwiches, yogurt etc. My parents are happy because they have family teas, but quite honestly even if they didnt, mindees having a cooked lunch and then the substancial snack at 4pm along with mid morn.afternoon biscuit or fruit, theymhave a enough to eat even if parents dont have a family meal at night. AJ
Guest Posted June 18, 2009 Posted June 18, 2009 Hi i charge £2 for cold meals and £2.50 for hot meals but i do take into consideration electric/gas/time etc i also encourage the parents to provide there own as id rather look after the kids than cook.But do remember all chilminders have to be registered with the environment food agency and also keep the reciepts.
Guest Posted June 18, 2009 Posted June 18, 2009 Hi, I think you need to be very carefull about charging for cooked, its not just about being registered with environmental food agency. But serving food and charging comes under a whole different set of rules and legislation. You might put yourself at risk!
Guest Posted June 19, 2009 Posted June 19, 2009 Hi,I think you need to be very carefull about charging for cooked, its not just about being registered with environmental food agency. But serving food and charging comes under a whole different set of rules and legislation. You might put yourself at risk! Can you tell me where this comes from please? because according to all the regulations it is ok to charge for food as its common knowledge as a childminder we provide snacks and meals.Ofsted do no not have a problem with this either or the NCMA or network. It is standard procedure to be be registered with the environmenal food agency as well as doing the health and hygine certificate. so if you can would you provide links or something please otherwise im concerned as the majority provide meals and charge for them. thank you
Upsy Daisy Posted June 19, 2009 Posted June 19, 2009 But do remember all chilminders have to be registered with the environment food agency and also keep the reciepts. I was told on a business for childminders course that you only need to have one weeks worth of reciepts for each tax claim. So go out and buy one weeks worth of childminding food in April each year (from M&S if you want) and then claim that amount of money for food for each childminding week over the rest of the year. Apparently the tax office have agreed to this but you might like to double check for yourself just to be sure.
Guest Posted June 20, 2009 Posted June 20, 2009 Hi I would like to say where I got this from but ‘oh know’ not sure.. It was during the training with food hygiene certificate; the guy had previously worked for environmental health. He raised the issue of cooking food from scratch, such as a cafe or restaurant- rather than just re heating food that parent have brought in.. He was very clear that if you charge for food that you have cooked from scratch then it is a different set of regulation. Advice –to incorporate charge i fee. Now, I might be barking up the wrong tree, yes fine with ofsted and Ncma . but if you have discussed this with environmental health and they are aware of it and ok then that would be ok. They are the guys that should know- What loops to restaurants and cafes need to jump through!!! Is it the fact that the premises are also used as a family kitchen, storage of other food- not consumed as a business etc..?
Recommended Posts