1. (a) Child care staff shall assure that all food and drink served to children is:

   1. (1) Safe for human consumption and free of spoilage or other contamination;
   2. (2) Stored, prepared, and served in a manner consistent with safe food handling practices for the prevention of food borne illnesses, including those set forth in He-P 2300; and
   3. (3) Stored in a way to protect it from dust, insects, rodents, overhead leakage, unnecessary handling, and all other sources of contamination.
2. (b) Meals and snacks provided by programs shall meet US Department of Agriculture dietary allowances.
3. (c) Child care staff shall assure that no more than 3 hours elapse between meals and snacks offered to the children.

4. (d) Child care staff shall:

   1. (1) Follow individual feeding schedules provided by the parent or guardian of each child who has not reached a developmental level which enables them to eat on schedule; and
   2. (2) Comply with dietary restrictions as requested in writing by the parents or guardians of each child, due to food allergies, religious, or philosophical beliefs.
5. (e) Child care staff familiar with children’s allergy action plans and known allergens shall take steps to ensure that children are not served or exposed to the known allergens.
6. (f) Child care staff shall not serve foods that can cause a choking hazard to children younger than 3 years of age or to children who have been identified as having chewing and swallowing difficulties.

7. (g) In programs serving infants and toddlers, child care staff shall:

   1. (1) Follow individual feeding schedules provided by the parent or guardian of each child who has not reached a developmental level, which enables them to eat on schedule;
   2. (2) Not introduce new or solid foods to any child without the consent of their parent(s) or guardian(s), and as appropriate based upon their chewing and swallowing capability;
   3. (3) Hold infants younger than 6 months of age or who are unable to sit in feeding chairs while being fed;
   4. (4) Not hold more than one infant at a time to bottle-feed them;
   5. (5) Not prop bottles; and
   6. (6) Not feed infants or children while in a crib, or while on rest mats, beds, cots, or sleeping bags.
8. (h) Child care staff shall dispose of, or return to the parent or guardian, milk, formula, or food unfinished by a child, as directed by the parent or guardian.
9. (i) Breast milk and prepared formula shall be stored in covered containers, labeled with the child’s name and dated.

10. (j) Breast milk shall be:

    1. (1) Used immediately or stored in the refrigerator no longer than 4 days;
    2. (2) Labeled as used and returned to the refrigerator after each feeding if there is any left-over in the bottle, if being returned to the parent or guardian; and
    3. (3) Not fed to the child if left unrefrigerated for more than 2 hours.

11. (k) Prepared formula shall be:

    1. (1) Used immediately or stored in the refrigerator no longer than 24 hours;
    2. (2) Discarded if not fed to an infant and left unrefrigerated for more than one hour; and
    3. (3) Discarded after each feeding, if there is any leftover in the bottle.
12. (l) Frozen breast milk shall be labeled and dated and stored in a freezer at 0 degrees Fahrenheit for no longer than 6 months.
13. (m) Thawed breast milk shall be used within 24 hours.

14. (n) Child care staff shall gently swirl the bottle of formula or breast milk to recombine the contents after warming by:

    1. (1) Holding under warm running water;
    2. (2) Placing in a container of lukewarm water; or
    3. (3) A waterless warmer.

Source. #4871, eff 7-24-90; ss by #5203, eff 8-16-91; ss by #6558, INTERIM, eff 8-16-97, EXPIRED: 12-14-97 New. #6719, eff 3-25-98; ss by #7294, eff 5-26-00; ss by #9160, INTERIM, eff 5-26-08; ss by #9310, eff 11-23-08; ss by #12046, INTERIM, eff 11-19-16; ss by #12174, EMERGENCY RULE, eff 5-17-17; ss by #12415, eff 11-6-17; ss by #13373, eff 4-22-22 (formerly He-C 4002.22); ss by #14356, eff 9-22-25, EXPIRES: 9-22-35 (formerly He-C 4002.31)