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Ohio Administrative Code (Last Updated: January 12, 2021) |
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5101:2 Division of Social Services |
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Chapter5101:2-12. Licensing of Child Care Centers |
5101:2-12-22. Meal preparation/nutritional requirements for a licensed child care center
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(A) What are the requirements for meals and snacks in a licensed child care center?
The center shall:
(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. This may be used to meet the fruit or vegetable requirement for meals or snacks.
(6) Obtain a physician's written instructions if administering a food supplement 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.
(7) 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 assure that any alternate diet, except those required for religious, cultural, or medical reasons as specified in paragraph (A)(6) of this rule, include items from each of the following categories: meat or meat alternative, grain, fruit/vegetable, dairy.
(8) Provide for the safe storage of all food. 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.
(9) 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.
(10) 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.
(11) Not have screens (television, computer, etc.) on during meals and snacks.
(B) What are the requirements for serving fluid milk in a licensed child care center?
Unless the parent provides written instructions by a physician, physician's assistant or certified nurse practitioner (CNP), the center:
(1) Shall use formula or breast milk for children under twelve months of age.
(2) Shall provide and use whole homogenized vitamin D fortified cow's milk for children twelve months of age through twenty-four months of age.
(3) Shall provide one per cent or skim milk that is vitamin A and D fortified for children older than twenty-four months of age.
(4) May serve breast milk at parent request to a child over twelve months of age without written instructions from a physician, physician's assistant or CNP.
(5) May serve non-cow milk substitutions to a child over twelve months of age, with written parental consent.
(6) Shall not use reconstituted dry powdered milk as a beverage.
(C) What are the requirements for meals and snacks when parents provide the food?
The center shall:
(1) Have provisions for safe storage of parent provided food.
(2) Provide all parents or guardians and staff written nutritional information regarding meeting one-third of the child's recommended daily dietary allowance. A copy of this written nutritional information shall be on file at the center.
(3) Ensure that no child goes more than four hours without at least a snack if his or her parent fails to send food for the day.
(D) What requirements shall a center implement for safe food handling?
The center shall ensure that:
(1) Food is not served on bare tables. Food for infants may be placed directly on an individual highchair tray if the tray is removed, washed and sanitized in accordance with appendix A to rule 5101:2-12-13 of the Administrative Code.
(2) Eating utensils and dishes are suitable for the age and developmental level kof the children.