DAYCARE center owners? do you have a fulltime cook? also do you serve breakfast?

Question

do you have a fulltime cook or does one of the workers do the cooking. i am wanting to open a small preschool for 20 kids. i want to know if i need a parttime cook in addition to the 2 workers i will need?

Answer 1

Many places have the food made outside the facility and place an order each morning for lunch, which is then delivered. This is part of the reason parents have to call out if their child will not be in. You will have to price different catering companies to see which would best fit your needs.

OR - Since you have to have the proper teacher-child ratio at all times, you cant have one teacher gone to cook, unless you plan on relieving her, but then who would be doing your job? Since its going to intially be a small facility, a part-time cook is also an option, but you have to take into consideration not only the cook's expense, but the shopping, food, and tableware expenses as well. It might be more cost effective to just have it catered.

Good Luck!

Answer 2

I am not an owner, but I work at a daycare.  We used to have a full time cook, but now have a part time one.  We've always served breakfast--breakfast being cold cereal, milk, and juice.

Answer 3

i have been a director in centers that have done it both ways and one where i was the cook (yes, and the director).  i would suggest that a teacher not do the cooking so that you can maintain proper ratios.  to get your business off the ground, i suggest you try to do it to save cash until you're up and running.  it's not usually a full time position but you can make it one if you need to in order to hire someone.  i always had my full time cook be the center opener/cook/van driver.  that way she had full time hours with benefits.  i found it was easier to find someone to hire when it's full time with benefits.

as for breakfast.  it really depends on the type of people you will be servicing.  if you are in a high end area where the parents are wealthy, then you wouldn't need to.  but if you are in a lower income area i would highly suggest you serve breakfast as many kids in low income areas go to daycare/preschool without eatting breakfast.  and they really need something in their tiny bellies.  i always served breakfast regardless of area of service.  that way i knew all kids had breakfast.  even the wealthier kids might get there at 6 and be hungry again by 7 or 730 when you serve breakfast.  if you do serve breakfast, be sure to set a firm time limit.  the child must be in attendance by 7:00 in order to participate in breakfast service at 7:30.  that way you'll know how many to prepare for.

also, depending on the area of service you might consider fuller snacks.  i was a director at a center (where i was also the cook) that the kids were 'at risk' and if they didn't eat at daycare, they didn't eat.  seriously.  the parents (mostly young, single moms) couldn't afford much food at home so they depended on us to feed the kids, leaving more food for the other family members.  sad, very sad.  we would have loaded baked potatoes (with cheese/real bacon/broccoli), peanut butter/banana sandwiches, cheese slices/saltines/apple slices........just a few suggestions.

so, the secret is to know your area of service and meet that demand.  good luck.  i envy you just starting out as i just retired.

Answer 4

I've seen it done both ways... in an actual day care center...the cooks aren't usually full time employees...they come in the morning and prepare lunch and snacks..the afternoon snack is planned and prepared but the cook leaves after lunch and the staff are responsible for distributing the snacks.

One thing to consider...if one of your staff is preparing meals and snacks...will you have the correct child:teacher ratio in each room.  If not...then you best hire a part time cook.

Answer 5

You can ask the childrne to bring lunch. My daughter's daycare did not provide any meals, just snacks. This might be easier for you because of the possibility of food allergies. You do not want to be held liable for feeding  child something you did not know they were allergic to. Most places I've seen they have microwaves and refrigerators. For a daycare that size, they might allow two microwaves-b/c of fire codes.