NUTRITION POLICY

It is our policy to provide healthy and nutritious snacks and meals to all children in our care. For toddlers and preschoolers who are old enough to eat regular adult food, we provide lunch and two snacks each day. Food safety standards recommended by the Child Nutrition Program of San Diego are observed at all times when storing foods or preparing meals or snacks for the children.

The milk we serve is hormone-free, homogenized and pasteurized whole milk. All juice is 100% juice without sugar or water added. We balance the children's intake of juice with filtered and purified water. To help keep the children hydrated throughout the day, the children can get their own water while they are outside and the preschool children can get their own water inside as well.

Lunch and snack menus are created using the Food Guide Pyramid created by the United States Department of Agriculture. Snacks consist of a drink of either milk, juice, or filtered water and at least one of the following: fruit, vegetable, meat, meat alternative, bread or bread alternative. Lunch menu selections are made from each of the following food groups: a protein entr�e selected from the Milk, Yogurt and Cheese Group or from the Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs, and Nuts Group. A grain selection from the Bread, Cereal, Rice and Pasta Group. Two selections from the Fruit and/or Vegetable Group, and milk as a beverage. The lunch menu for the day is posted on the bulletin board or on the magnetic board on the refrigerator.

Our mealtime schedule is as follows:

Morning snack between 9:15 and 9:45 a.m.
Lunch between 11:30 and 12:15 p.m.
Afternoon snack between 3:00 and 3:30 p.m.

If parents arrive later than a snack or mealtime, it is their responsibility to make sure their child has eaten before they arrive. Except for special occasions or illness requiring a special diet, parents are asked not to send any food with their child. This especially includes, but is not limited to gum, candy, chips, cookies, and cereal. Infants up to one year of age will be served meals at times consistent with their regular eating patterns. For infants who do not eat regular adult food yet, parents are responsible for providing formula or breast milk, infant cereal and/or baby food their baby will need while in our care. Baby bottles and baby food are heated in an approved bottle warmer and never in the microwave oven.

It is the parent's responsibility to notify us if their child has any food limitations. If at any time a child exhibits symptoms of a food sensitivity, the parents will be notified immediately.