Tuesday

The Hungry Chef

Jan Brewerton
     My nanny often complains that there is nothing to eat in the house. I don't understand what "nothing" means. She knows we don't keep soda and chips and ice cream in the house. I feel like we are not in balance nutritionally. I come home and everyday she has made something. Peanut butter fudge, chocolate cake, cinnamon babka, pudding, smores, etc.  I get that she tends to cycle more towards always hungry, but I think all of this baking to feed her appetite is churning an appetite in my own children. We always have plenty of fruits and vegetables in the house. I even left out a recipe book with fun children's treats like insects on a log (celery with peanut butter and raisins). She's even made ice cream (chocolate berry) out of our fresh berries and chocolate. The problem is not that her creations are not good, they are. I would just prefer that my children eat fresh peaches plain, and cut up bell peppers, and strawberries with no sugar.  How can I get her to understand that I don't want my kids to go down this path? Does anyone keep junk hidden in the house for the nanny so they don't bake themselves silly? How does that work out? She is a live-out but works long, 11 hour days, M-F.

Nannies, what's the food situation like at your job? Email isynblog@gmail.com

8 comments:

STAHP said...

Your expectations are perfectly reasonable! There is no need for all the baking. I would be very firm witb her that baking is for special occasions. She's welcome to bake in her own house /living quarters if she's a live in.

Kids need a healthy environment. If she won't eat veggies and fruits to set a good example, it may be time for a parting of the ways.

Dadhere said...

She needs to buy her own junk. And keep it separate from your kids' food. Offer her a junk drawer to use. You sound very sweet, but be firm with her! I depend on my nanny to enforce my no junk food rules. Has she always eaten this way?

melissa said...

More often than not, I brought my own snacks to work. I worked 10-10 1/2 hour days too. There's no reason that you should be feeding her sweet tooth. Or her, for that matter. I was absolutely allowed to eat anything I wanted, but I also respected my employers (meaning I did eat some of their food occasionally, but mostly I had my own). As with ANY job, it's not the employer's responsibility to feed their employees. If she were a live-in, this would be a different situation. Have a conversation with her stating clearly your expectations for your children's diets. As for her needing something sweet, that's on her.

Anonymous said...

Talk to her. Your house, your kids end of story. Ask her not to create anything out of your food that the kids can have abiding by your guidelines. If she wants something other than that, she can buy it herself.

Angi

Anonymous said...

*that the kids CANT have

RBTC said...

i agree - i was always very aware of my clients food needs issues - i have some favorite foods from clients i thought i would hate to this day - but you do need to communicate in a forward yet maybe even humourous way - if she is good with the kids - give some slack and take time to communicate

Anonymous said...

I work 12+ hour days as a live out nanny. I bring all my own food and on occasion may have something small at their house. they eat a fruit and vegetable for lunch and dinner and fruit at breakfast and snack times. Junk foods are treats and if You don't want them having them then tell her so. It's her job to respect what you as a parent want for your children. If she feels hungry and the need for junk then bring her own food. If treats on occasion are fine with you then let her know once or twice a month she can do a cooking project with them for a "junk food" type treat.

Anonymous said...

She should be bringing her own food. Give her a personal drawer or basket to put her food in.