New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 3A - CHILDREN AND FAMILIES › Chapter 52 - MANUAL OF REQUIREMENTS FOR CHILD CARE CENTERS › Subchapter 6 - PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS › Section 3A:52-6.3 - Food and nutrition

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) All centers shall comply with the following
				requirements:
1. Food served to children who are
				present during normal mealtime hours or required snack periods, as specified in (b)
				and (c) below, shall be provided either by the child's parent or by the
				center.
2. If the center chooses to
				provide food, the center shall ensure that all food served to children is prepared
				by either:
i. The center on-site or off-site;
				or
ii. A caterer who is licensed,
				registered, certified, or otherwise approved, as appropriate, by the local or county
				health department or State Department of Health, as applicable.
3. If the center chooses to have parents provide
				food, the center shall have a supply of food at the center for any child whose
				parent forgets.
4. If the center
				provides food, the center shall ensure that the food is stored, prepared, and served
				in a sanitary manner.
5. Staff members
				shall advise parents of any repetitive feeding problems experienced by their
				child.
6. Staff members shall not
				force-feed or coerce a child to eat against his or her will.
7. A snack shall be served to all children who are
				under the center's care for at least three consecutive hours and for all children
				who are served on an after-school basis.
8. Drinking water shall be made available to all
				children.
9. Centers that provide meals
				shall ensure that:
i. For children on special diets
				(for example, due to health reasons, religious belief or parental request), an
				alternative choice of food is provided by either the center or the child's parent;
				and
ii. Individualized written diets and
				feeding schedules, if submitted to the center by the child's parent or health care
				provider, are posted in a location that is accessible to staff members caring for
				the children, and are followed.
10. The center shall have a supply of food at the
				center and shall serve a snack to any child who is hungry or has missed a
				meal.
11. Unless contraindicated by the
				parent or health care provider, the center shall:
i. Not serve sugar sweetened or artificially
				sweetened beverages. Parents that provide such beverages for their children shall be
				provided with information regarding healthier options;
ii. Not provide solid food to children under the
				age of six months;
iii. Not provide
				cows' milk to children under the age of 12 months;
iv. Provide only whole pasteurized milk to
				children between the ages of 12 and 24 months or milk with reduced fat (two percent)
				for those children who are at risk for hypercholesterolemia or obesity;
v. Provide skim (fat-free) or one percent milk to
				children older than two years of age;
vi. Ensure that food and beverages are in
				accordance with minimum Child and Adult Care Food Program's (CACFP) standards,
				contained in the Child and Adult Care Food Program,
				7 CFR
				226.20, which is incorporated herein by reference,
				and can be obtained at
http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/care/childcare.htm
,
				including portion size and nutritional value;
vii. Provide a variety of both fruits and
				vegetables and high portion of whole grains; and
viii. Limit foods that are high in solid fats,
				added sugar, trans fats, and sodium.
12. The center shall ensure that these safety and
				sanitation practices are followed:
i. Older infants
				shall not carry bottles, sippy cups, or regular cups with them while crawling or
				walking;
ii. Sippy cups shall be labeled
				with the child's name;
iii. Food left
				uneaten in a dish shall be discarded;
iv. Food shall not be shared among children using
				the same dish or spoon; and
v. Unused
				portions of food shall be labeled with the child's name, date, and type of food. The
				food shall be stored in the refrigerator, returned to the parent, or discarded with
				the parent's consent. All unused food shall be discarded if not consumed by the end
				of the day.