Just me or is the excessive??? Food for kids at the babysitter

Ok so my kids are at the babysitter (private arrangement) Mon - Thursday 7am - 4pm. I provide EVERYTHING and i send food for my kids based on what I know they like at the time and are likely to eat. Lately because they have been sick that hasn't been allot.
So I get this note in the girls bag yesterday she wants
- 2Ls milk- 6 mandarins
- bananas
- grapes
-apples
- a packet of pasta ( you know the ones where you just add milk/water)
- a large box of strawberry museli bars
- cheese sticks
- biscuits
To me, a little excessive..... Whats written in blue is what I would usually send.
My kids when we are at home they get variety, are never hungry and eat most things. I send baked beans/spaghetti because i know they they eat that and her note says - quote - they must be tired of it (She still them in the cupboard!)
I send treats to share with her kids eg. choc biscuits or juice - stuff they don't usually have.

I don't know, maybe its just me but i think that this is crazy amount of food to be sending (On top of the normal stuff i send). And to be honest i'm annoyed, i'm not a damn money tree who can just buy up big when she feels the need to change what my kids eat.

My sister has a private babysitter as well. The babysitter started making lists like that and she suspected that the babysitter's kids (teenagers) were eating the food she sent. Now she packs a lunchbox each every day and sends milk at the beginning of week, she also makes sure there's a uht milk (she buys it) at the babysitter's house in case the milk runs out or she doesn't have time to grab one on the way etc. It's working really well and saving her heaps of money. Maybe that's something to think about.

Honestly, I don't think it's that excessive. Maybe a little bit, but not overly.
My 2 big kids eat heaps through the day. Just today (and it's only 12.45) they have eaten, two slices of toast each, a muesli bar each, mandarin each, one banana, one bowl of chicken noodle soup, one tinned spaghetti toastie, a cup of milk each, two buttered arrowroot with sprinkles biscuits each. And the day is barely half over. It does slow down in the arvo, but generally they will eat more until 3.30pm when I stop feeding them in preparation to get them hungry for dinner at 5.15/30pm. Then they have dinner, and usually some fruit or yogurt (sometimes a treat like cake or icecream) after dinner.
But that is my kids, your kids are different and you know them. If you don't think your kids would eat that much, could you pack all of their own food, and then she won't have to feed them at all.

I was just going to say pack a lunchbox as well. It takes up a bit more time for you, but you will save money and sounds like hassle in the long run.

Definately pack a lunchbox... that way you pack for them & them only and don't have to worry if the food is being given to someone else or going to waste.

I don't have kids the age of yours but I imagine that it is a reasonable amount of food. My 20month could probably consume near that amount of food in 4 days. I think sending their lunch every day is a good idea. What I would be annoyed about is the note, why couldn't she just talk to you? If your kids are spending so much time with the babysitter she would have an idea 'if' they are sick of the food you send and she could have gently said something without putting your nose out of joint iykwim. So that part of it does seem a bit weird.

I have 2 school aged children who eat a lot and that is excessive IMO. I too would send a lunch box, and I would probably make extra food for the night before (say dinner) for hot lunches, and make a container that can be reheated in the microwave for each child.

It really irks me when people take advantage of their employers, be it babysitting, an office or what not. If it was something you offered to do then I think it's rude to be expected to feed all the children. I'll say this in the past when I have left my kids with people I often leave enough food for all the children even if I'm paying... but it's not something I need to do every day!.

Sounds excessive to me, and sounds like she may be trying to take advantage.

I agree that maybe you should try using a lunchbox system and see if that changes things up a little. If she still has things that you have bought in her cupboard then you should be asking for that back, because obviously you could use that at home.

To me I don't think it's over the top, that is, if she only expects smallish amounts if each (eg they might have a mandarin one day, banana another, apple another....). I knw my DD likes the variety - but if your kids don't ten guess sending larger amounts of fewer things is fine.

If the things in blue are what you normally send - do they have milk, bananas and biscuits and nothing else for a whole day or do you send things other than what's on the list too? What do they have for lunch - like a sandwich or something filling? The list looks ok to me, but I don't think that pasta sauce stuff is particularly nutritious (or the strawberry mbars either tbh). Probably no need for quite that much fruit.

May I ask what it costs you at this babysitter for the tiime they are there?

No I send stuff for sandwiches, yoghurt, sultanas, muffins or cupcakes if we have baked, left overs if there are any from the night before, cold meat or mini frankfurts as well as the stuff I high lighted

Hmm, well then I don't see the need for all the other stuff then - I'd much rather feed them home baked than packet stuff like is on the her list. Is that for a day or the 4 days? Still seems like a heck of a lot.
I'd go with packing each of them their own lunch box plus perhaps the milk and some bananas and say that's what they have for the day, end of story. Perhaps her children like the things on the list?

To me that sounds way to excessive! I agree at trying the lunchbox thing and you will know what's eaten and what's still left in the lunchbox too at the end of the day.

If they haven't eaten the spaghetti or whatever and she has it in her cupboards why isn't she giving it back?

That's what I'd assume is for the 4 days but I can guarantee I'll get another note during the week asking for more food. I don't mind the note because it reminds me what to get but the way this note was written is what I took offense too

Is that what she feeds her kids, and doesn't wanna be feeding the kids different things, in case it causes arguments? Just a thought :)

If you're also sending lunch then id definitely say it's excessive. I agree with the others - send a lunchbox.

Thanks everyone. I feel a bit better now. Will try lunch boxes and see how we go. The girls love her (and her family youngest kid is 9) so don't want to run that for them by causing issues.

I'd buy super dooper lunch boxes or get my mum to give the kids them. Then you can take them and make a big deal about how excited the kids were to use these new lunch boxes. Incase you are worried she take offence. I'd give the milk and maybe a packet of biscuits (treat to share).

You know I couldn't say that was too much or too little. My kids vary so greatly one week to the next!

Hey Sunshine, I thought there was some info missing from your original post! lol If you are already sending them lunch and the things in blue are extra just in case they are hungry etc then YES that list is way too much food.

I would be sending lunch boxes and asking her to send anything that they dont finish eating back in the box, that way you can monitor for yourself how much or little they are eating. Yes its gross getting half eaten sandwiches back etc but it works.

I agree, pack a lunchbox each day.