How to Design Your Own Babysitting Meal Plan

Being responsible for the meal of a child you babysit is one of the more demanding aspects of the job. Parents usually want their child to follow the nutrition plan they have already designed. However, professional babysitters must have knowledge of healthy diet habits. In case parents do not have specific expectations -- or rely on your professional skills -- a meal plan is essential. It will help you avoid forgetting meal times, as well as allow you to focus on playing with the child, instead of trying to decide what to include in the next meal.

Instructions

• 1

  Find out the age of the child. Small babies need lots of breast milk or formula and easy-to-chew food, for example, while older children who can use eating utensils allow you a wider selection of dishes.

• 2

  Ask if the child has any known allergies or has shown acute distaste for any kind of food. The distaste for vegetables that is normal among children, for example, is something you can work on, trying to explain to a child old enough to understand the benefits of eating them.

• 3

  Determine the time you will spend with the child during the day and how many meals fall within your working hours. For example, parents who leave early for work need you to prepare breakfast for a child, while dinner must be on your plan if they return late in the evening.

• 4

  Check if parents already are equipped with formula milk, baby rice or fruit creams that young babies require. Ask the parents if they prefer their child to eat specific brands, before visiting the supermarket.

• 5

  Set a meal plan for the whole week, even for days and hours you are not working, in case you are unexpectedly asked to watch the child.

• 6

  Design the meal plan and outline it on a colorful piece of cardboard. Young babies require breast/formula milk as breakfast, between meals and at bedtime. For lunch and dinner, include baby rice, fruit and pureed vegetables, while for supper, older babies (after the age of 8 months) can eat easy-to-chew food, such as mashed potatoes, wheat based cereals, pasta and beans. For older children, always make sure the weekly program includes milk-based products, pasta, meat, fish, vegetables and eggs to cover the major food groups.

• 7

  Give a copy of the schedule to the parents or ask for permission to put it on the refrigerator. Parents also can benefit from your plan to spend more time with their children as well as to avoid repeating the same recipe -- an unpleasant surprise for kids.