Yes it's a pretty common model tbh. Not looking forward to having to do it!
Oh man, I didn’t see it coming! I would have prepared if I new it was common lol
I've literally never heard of this!
Never heard of this
Is this normal? Have any other preschool parents run into this?
My son is starting preschool this month, and they just sent out the snack calendar for parents. I looked at it and realized it's not a "pack a snack for your own kid" situation. Instead, each parent is assigned about two days a month where you're expected to bring enough individually packaged snacks for the entire class. They want at least 20 snacks each time, so around 40 total for the month.
What also surprised me is that they're pretty specific about the brands. It's not just "bring crackers" or "bring popcorn." They want things like Trader Joe's snacks, Pirate's Booty, and other specific brands. Maybe it's because of allergens or ingredients? I'm honestly not sure.
I'm already paying just under $10,000 a year for my toddler to attend this preschool, so I guess I assumed snacks would be included in the tuition. Every daycare we've used before either provided snacks or, if parents had to bring them, you only packed for your own child.
Listen, I can afford it... by a small margin. 😂 It's not that I'm unwilling to buy snacks. It's more the principle of it. If I'm paying that much in tuition, I kind of expected basic things like class snacks to already be covered. It just feels strange to be paying that much and then getting a shopping list for the entire class.
Is this actually common at preschools? Have any of you had something similar, or is this out of the ordinary?
Yes it's a pretty common model tbh. Not looking forward to having to do it!
Oh man, I didn’t see it coming! I would have prepared if I new it was common lol
I've literally never heard of this!
Never heard of this
That seems excessive Ive never heard of a snack calendar although I do live in Ireland.
USA BS as usual 😂 I wish this was not a thing
We have one! But my daughter goes to a co-op and it was all explained in the handbook so I knew what I was getting into.
I have never heard of this in my entire life and honestly wouldn't even consider it safe. Buying snacks for kids you don't know and whose allergies you don't know is dangerous. And it's dangerous for your kid if someone else does it. Especially at preschooler age you never know what restrictions a parent might have. I remember doing a while food investigation because my kid was allergic to some mystery item. I would have been pissef if anyone gave mh kid any uncleared food during that time. I also remember my kid had a friend who truly uncommon allergies. I remember the kid was allergic to carrots and things no one would think about.
Right! Thats what I am saying. It seems ludicrous on a lot of different levels.
You should absolutely be made aware of any allergies for any classmate, if you’re packing snacks or lunch even for your own kid. It’s standard practice that if any kid in the class has an allergy, that food is off limits for all their classmates during school. And there are always guidelines too.
I think it's common for preschools not to provide food. The only times I've heard it covered is at some more $$ daycares. My son's current school does a model where each parent buys groceries for snacks for the week. Sure, it's kind of annoying that week, but I love the convenience of not thinking about it the rest of the year. My son moves to older classes this year and we're going to be packing 1-2 snacks and lunch each day. Already missing the communal model.
I appreciate this perspective! Maybe it will actually Be helpful overall, not having to think of another thing to pack every single morning.
Very normal.
Eek I’m spoiled from the daycares time for me to suck it up lol
We have it too. Happens like twice a year for the whole week. The snack is line leader that week, so it feels special and my kid looks forward to getting to pick the menu and share with everyone on her week.
This model sounds best. I wouldn’t want to have random days a couple times a month. Nightmare to remember but 2 weeks out of the year, sure why not easier to plan and sounds like the kids have fun with it too!
That’s nice to have them engaged with it, this one is every single month. And we don’t have a choice of what to bring.
Yikes, no at least where I live that's not normal. We specifically aren't allowed to send food for the rest of the class for things like birthdays because of allergies. Paying the amount I do for nursery I'd be very annoyed being told I have to participate in something like this.
Agreed. We pay for preschool and can buy lunch or bring our own lunch for kids with a few things (peanut butter) to avoid. All snacks are provided by them.
I know right, I have mixed feelings about it because as some folks have said on here it made their days easier. But I’m not so sure, and it seems like there’s potential for liability allergy wise. I guess I’ll see how it goes lol!
Our two oldest just finished their first year of preschool each (one in 3k and one in 4k). 4 year olds class provided snack daily, 3 year old we had to pack snack daily. I would’ve much preferred buying snack for the whole class two days a month than packing a snack daily. It had requirements for each days snacks for him and the bandwidth to pick and pack it in addition to lunch daily was cumbersome.
I actually see where you’re coming from there, maybe it will turn out to make life a little easier. Since I have the calendar of what to buy in advance might just stock it up in the pantry and be ready to go!
So the school told me this has to do with something called the Color Me Healthy Program. https://colormehealthy.com/
Ahh, yeah, some typical NC bullsht. If you're paying $10K/year, what does the daycare say that covers? I'm so curious.
Huh. I’m in NC and my daycare provides both morning and afternoon snack, but I pack lunch. We can’t send anything with peanut to school but other than that we’re good. I also pay around the same amount.
40 for the month seems a lot because if every parent is doing that then there's twice as many snacks as necessary.
I think they mean like it’s one pack of snacks with like a 20 count or two packs of 10 count . I wasn’t very clear about that.
I paid more than twice that for my kid to go to preschool. And now that my kids are in elementary school, I have a back to school list that runs over $100. So $20 in snacks doesn’t seem that big a deal to me…
Hey, it ain’t easy. My hat goes off to you queen. But I didn’t say it was $20 dollars a month for snacks. We have to bring at least 20 snacks twice a month, not sure how much that would cost. Maybe it’s less than $20 bucks maybe it’s more. But I will say having working moms have to commute to the store buy these snacks bring them in feels a little annoying. I would much rather the school have us bring cash and they obtain the snacks.
My older kids went to a private religious school for preschool and we did not have to bring snacks. I had one go to a Montessori preschool for a year and we also had to bring month snacks for the class. They just specified no nuts and low sugar. It is what it is at least they get exposed to snacks we don’t buy. Spice it up a bit.
We have to supply some but they have a sign up list and it’s not mandatory. It’s kind of a pain bc some parents just won’t sign up. Ever. So I pick up the slack lol. There are some limits but you can’t make me buy name brand snacks if I don’t have the money.
This is how my sons preschool is, except they are not strict about brands or things needing to be individually packaged. His classroom is only 10 kids which probably helps a lot. They’re mostly strict about no nuts, and it has to be moderate healthy - no super sugary processed things. I usually bake something for one of our snack days, like muffins. I don’t know if that might weird some parents out, but the teachers always seem to enjoy it. I include a list of the ingredients as well.
So personally, I’d take this over having to pack snack every single day. Needing to pack a snack is pretty common at least where we live. What doesn’t make sense is 20 kids twice a month. A month has maybe 20 school days so are there 2 people each day? I’d still take this though. I always pack 2-3 things to make sure my kid has enough so it amounts to the same thing without the daily mental load lol
Pre-k and kindergarten I did the snacks purchase for both my kids. It was annoying.
Yes, its normal. You can find little deals, like at dollar tree. The mutlipacks of snacks. Dont worry you can make it happen.
That’s a good idea, I’ll have to check like dollar trees and grocery outlet
This seems like a hugely wasteful practice from a packaging point of view alone. The snacks I pack for my preschooler are things like apple slices, carrot sticks, a cookie from a larger packet. Nothing individually wrapped, nothing particularly unhealthy. I'd question why people aren't just providing their own snacks.
Right like let’s fill up the land fill folks!
We did this for my kids kindergarten class last year. Luckily it was once a month. We just got a big ol package of store brand Oreos and they loved it. Previously in PreK/preschool we just brought snacks for our own kid in their bag each day.
Where I live in the US, this is totally normal. And we are paying over $24,000 a year for daycare…
No my US childcare center will provide snacks and breakfast, I just have to pack a lunch. That seems like some BS
Yep. Allergens make it very specific. What’s fun is when you have two kids at the same school who both have to bring snack on the same day-that’s a shopping cart of snacks
This is wild! My kid’s preschool asks families to bring veggies for soup day (they make soup every Wednesday) but it’s like one carrot per week.
That’s really cute!
My daughter’s church preschool was like this but it was a really cheap, part time program with a small class so it wasn’t a big deal. Where I taught where it was a full time program with a big class and hefty tuition, snacks were included.
It depends on the kind of preschool. I have 4 kids and have toured more than my fair share of preschools. All have been very upfront at sign up. Some you pack your kids lunch and snack every day. Some they provide everything. Some are co-op / community contribution like yours. It can be kind of excessive and a lot of hard work, but it's sort of what you sign up for. There's usually some sort of trade off, maybe price.
We have one day a month to provide snacks for the class of 10 preschoolers, I knew about it when we chose this preschool though. Its a cooperative preschool so parents are involved in basically all aspects of keeping the school running, monthly fees, one day a month volunteering in the class and providing snacks on that day.
Girl, you pay $850/mo for daycare. You can afford an extra $20 for gummies and goldfish.
Lmao no lie detected. I just don’t wanna go to the store and find their very specific snacks, since it can’t just be cheese sticks it has to be the organic valley cheese sticks! Not with the green banding but with the blue😂
Buying snacks for other kids is whatever, expensive annoying something to remember but whatever. I do not want my kid eating all the random crap other parents are picking for snacks! Maybe this isn’t important to everyone but food health and wellness is very important to our family.
My kids didn't go to preschool but yes snack for the class (ours was once a month) was a thing in kindergarten for both of my kids.
Uhhh what?? That’s crazy. And is it all processed junk too?? My son’s preschool gives them things like sliced fruit with cheese or homemade guacamole with pretzel sticks.
Just so I'm clear. Instead of packing a snack daily for your own kid, one is provided for everyone, which means each family takes on bringing snack twice a month instead of individually, daily?
Yes! Which might end up being advantageous in the long run. Idk yet, we shall see!
Due to COVID and moving, we've been in four different preschools, private and public, and... No. Not a thing. In fact I think they like to minimize parental snack contributions due to allergens.
I’m not doing that shit. Snacks are included at our daycare. I sent cupcakes for his birthday and that started a chain of everyone else doing it for their birthday and that’s about as much as I’m comfortable with
10k a year I’d gladly pay that and provide snacks - I’m paying $18700 and that’s with a discount cause he’s the second kid!!
DAMNN 😭im glad I am in an affordable area.
Is it a co-op? We were at a co-op for 5 years which required us to work in the classroom 2-4 times a month and bring snack for the class and all adult in the classroom a minimum of 2x per month.
Just an fyi Pirates Booty was sold and ingredients were changed! Only in America.
I heard 😭 and apparently it tastes like a turd now
Odd that this preschool didn't provide you with a guide or something when you signed up that explained this. My kids brought their own snacks. I'm too much of a rebel though. I'd have brought a barrel of animal crackers from Costco no matter what kind of list I was given.
I was all in favor of the snack calendar until you said you paid tuition. That's something I expect to do to help teachers because my kid goes to public school. But for private school? And specific brand names is wild.
My Montessori school does this but it’s a week of snacks once per year. Much prefer that than every month. Ends up being about $200-250 but it isn’t specific to brand (pretzel sticks, for example) and it’s mostly fruit.
Our preschool did this. It was nice that we didn’t have to pack something every day and the kids got a variety.
Absolutely not normal for preschools where I’m at but we also pay significantly more than you do. We switched our youngest from daycare to preschool and are paying more although preschool is pretty in-line with daycare costs here. For that kind of savings I would 100% be ok with it. The flip side is I have to supply cleaning supplies + I paid a $350/ child comprehensive fee.
I’m sure the specific brands are because of allergies like you said. If you don’t have a Sam’s Club, Costco, etc. membership, find someone who does or get a guest pass and stock up on one or more of the snacks. More efficient for your time and money in the long run. It’s too bad they weren’t more up front about asking that from parents though
Yes we had to do this in preschool. In kindergarten (same school) we just had to pack a snack for our own kid every day. Which I much preferred.
Our preschool doesn’t provide food, but every kid brings his own lunch and snacks.
That's crazy. The only place I've seen that is parent run cooperative preschools- and those cost a fraction of your tuition. You may be stuck with it if you want to stay there but man, I'd be pushing back with other parents.
That’s kinda crazy if you are paying tuition. Never heard of that before, but I’m in Canada.
Not from the US, are these even healthy snacks? We have to bring snacks for our own and a few times a year they ask for some veggies or fruits, but that’s voluntary. They get a warm meal from preschool, we pay about 3000 a year for fulltime.
We did that for our kids' classes, but we send our kids to a public school in a rural town, so it made sense. I would be mad if I paid $10,000 for tuition AND they couldn't provide snacks with that.
At my daughter’s preschool you just had to bring any kind of snack once a month.
This was how it worked at one of the preschools we toured (it was a co-op so maybe that’s why?). Every other school was a bring-your-own-snack situation. I personally don’t really trust everyone’s home kitchen cleanliness so I’d much prefer my kid bring his own food or have food provided by the school cafeteria.
If there's 20 kids, I don't get why you have to do it twice a month. Assuming the daycare is M to F, your share would be once monthly.
I have no idea, but they have each of us on the cal for twice per month
Yes this is absolutely normal for a preschool that is not a full time daycare. We have been to multiple church based part time preschools and they all do this. However I have not seen them be specific about brands, just have to be two food groups (per state regulations) and nut free. IMO you are paying for the snacks one way or the other, either in tuition or by purchasing them yourself. I’m guessing it’s related to type of license or something.
We have to bring lunch but preschool provides snack for all classes. We also pay very little so it’s a super nice perk I am in the US
We did this at our preschool.
Never heard of that before. Our preschool is $26,000/year 🫠 breakfast, lunch and snacks are included
How is each parent assigned two days a month and must bring twenty snacks? Is snack twice a day? That’s the only way that makes sense. Because forty snacks each month for twenty days of preschool means that either there are forty kids in the class or twice daily snacks. I think. I’m not good at math so this has mean confused.
It’s not like those snacks are even healthy or filling. Pirates booty gone in 30 seconds and they are still hungry. I would chat with a few parents and see what their thoughts are. Our pre k wanted us to send snacks and gave us a snack bag that was to be used for the AM and pm . The kids had to learn how to open things and keep it organized.
I don’t think I’ve ever heard of this. Snacks are generally provided by the daycare/preschool at every school I’ve toured or heard of in our area. The only exception is the co-op, but that makes sense, since they only charge like 300 a month (and require a minimum of parent involvement). I do have to pack lunches, but a lot of daycares around us also provide lunches. We don’t pay an excessive amount even though we’re in a vhcol area.
I haven’t heard of that but $10,000 is already incredibly inexpensive for preschool where I live (we went to a pretty barebones program and it was $27,000 per year)
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In my experience this is unusual. We went through two daycares and they provided all snacks through the tuition we paid.
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