20 CAR § 1025-801 – Nutrition requirements

(a) The center shall ensure that lunch is served to each child.
(b)
1. (1) Breakfast, lunch, snacks, and evening meals shall each meet current United States Department of Agriculture guidelines, including portion size (see Appendix B).
2. (2) Menus for all food service shall be posted (see Office of Early Childhood website).
3. (3) If sack lunches are utilized, the facility shall ensure that they also meet these requirements.
4. (4)
  1. (A) Milk shall be served to each child during the day.
  2. (B) Exceptions may be made for children who suffer allergies to milk.
(c)
1. (1) Breakfast shall be made available for children who arrive before 7:00 a.m.
2. (2) Breakfast may be served to all children rather than a morning snack, provided there are no more than three (3) hours between the beginning of breakfast and the beginning of lunch.
(d) All food service surfaces shall be kept sanitary.
(e) Food shall be served on individual plates, bowls, or other dishes that can be sanitized or discarded.
(f) Food and drinks that are not available to the children shall not be consumed by staff in the children's presence.
(g) Mid-morning snacks or breakfast and mid-afternoon snacks shall be provided for all children.
(h) All food brought from outside sources shall:
1. (1) Come from Department of Health-approved kitchens and be transported as per Department of Health requirements; or
2. (2)
  1. (A) Be in an individual, commercially prepackaged container.
  2. (B) This does not include individual sack lunches brought from home.
(i) All refrigerators used for food storage shall be maintained at a temperature of forty-one degrees (41°) or below, and all freezers used for food storage shall be maintained at a temperature of zero degrees (0°) or below.