Ohio Administrative Code › Title 5101:2 - Division of Social Services › Chapter 5101:2-12 - Licensing of Child Care Centers › Section 5101:2-12-22 - Meal preparation/nutritional requirements for a licensed child care center

Current through all regulations passed and filed through July 1, 2024
(A) What are the requirements for meals and
			 snacks in a licensed child care center?
The center is to:
(1)
			 Serve varied, nutritious, and appropriately timed meals and snacks as described
			 in appendix A to this rule.
(2)
			 Follow the portion sizes and nutritional requirements for meals and snacks
			 described in appendix B to this rule.
(3) Serve food that is not a choking hazard,
			 and that is developmentally appropriate in size, amount and texture.
(4) Provide meals and snacks according to the
			 posted current weekly menu, and spaced no more than four hours apart.
(a) The menus shall be posted in a visible
			 place readily accessible to parents.
(b) The menus shall include all meals and
			 snacks being served by the center, any substitutions shall be noted at the time
			 of the change.
(5) Serve
			 only one hundred per cent, undiluted fruit or vegetable juice, if used to meet the fruit or vegetable requirement for
			 meals and snacks. Other fruit or vegetable juice is permitted as a beverage
			 alternative.
(6)
									Ensure that
			 supplemental food is on-site at the center and that no child goes more than
			 four hours without at least a snack or meal, except when
			 sleeping.
(7) Obtain a physician's written instructions if
			 administering a medical food
			  to any child or if an entire
			 food group is eliminated. When special diets are required for cultural or
			 religious reasons, the center shall obtain written, dated and signed
			 instructions from the child's parent unless the special diet is part of a
			 center program.
(8)Set its own policy
			 regarding the accommodation of a parent's alternate diet for a child when the
			 center provides the meal. The center shall ensure that any
			 alternate diet, except those required for religious, cultural, or medical
			 reasons as specified in paragraph (A)(7) of this rule,
			 include items from each of the following food
			 groups: meat or meat alternative, grain, fruit/ vegetable,
			 and fluid
			 milk.
(9) Provide for the
			 safe storage of all food, including milk (formula and
			 breast milk for infants). If safe storage of milk is not available on
			 routine trips or field trips, milk may be served at snack instead of at the
			 meal.
(10)
									Have provisions for safe storage of parent provided
			 food.
(11) Have drinking
			 water freely available to children. If drinking fountains are used, there shall
			 be sufficient water pressure so that the child's mouth does not come in contact
			 with the water dispensing mechanism.
(12) Ensure that
			 individual servings or individual packages of food or drink that have been
			 served to a child are discarded or sent home with the child if not consumed
			 during meal or snack time. Food or drink that is individually packaged and the
			 package has not been opened may be stored at the center to be served again or
			 sent home.
(13) Not have screens
			 (television, computer, etc.) on during meals and snacks.