Child Care: What Will My Child Eat?

Many day care centers are part of a special government program called the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). Your child’s day care center may be, too. CACFP assures that meals and snacks served to your child meet government nutrition guidelines for healthful eating.

You can relax, knowing that your child can eat in a healthful way.

What Can You Expect

If your child is 3 to 5 years old, here’s what a CACFP meal or snack provides:

Breakfast

• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup juice, fruit or vegetables
• 1 child-size portion bread, cereal, rice or noodles

For Lunch or Supper

• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 (1/2 cup) portions juice, fruit, or vegetables
• 1 child-size portion bread, cereal, rice or noodles
• 1 child-size portion of meat or alternate (meat, poultry, fish, cheese, egg, cooked beans or peas, peanut butter, yogurt, nuts or other protein food) For Snacks: two of any of these foods
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup portion juice, fruit, or vegetables
• 1 child-size portion bread, cereal, rice or noodles
• 1 child-size snack portion meat or meat alternate

For more about CACFP meals and snacks:

Talk to day care staff. Some families qualify for free or reduced-price meals and snacks.

Check the web sites: www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/Care/CACFP or www.nal.usda.gov/childcare

You Can Help!

Childcare staff can help make child feeding easier for you. Together you can help your child eat healthfully and enjoy all kinds of food. Here’s how you can be “partners”:

• Tell childcare staff – if your child has a food allergy or other food concern. Let staff know if your child must eat or avoid any foods for religious or other reasons, too.
• Put your child’s name on containers – if you are permitted to send food.
• Volunteer – if you can. Tell about a new food, and help with a tasting. Help with field trips to a food store or garden or with cooking activities. Eat with the children.
• Attend family or parent events. Offer to bring another parent if you drive.
• Talk to your child about what they ate at the center. If it’s a new food, make it at home, too. Children need to try new foods several times before they like them.

Nibbles for Health Nutrition Newsletter for Parents of Young Children, USDA, Food and Nutrition Service