FEEDING YOUR CHILD: A message from NCDC Rev. 09/01/2016
Feeding your child is an important job, one that can be shared between our Center and your family.
We have to meet the MASS Department of Early Education and Care licensing regulations, the USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program regulations and must obtain a Food Service Permit from the Leominster Health Department (just like restaurants) and also have a Serv-Safe Certification and Allergen Awareness Training.
Of course we need to meet the needs or diets of the children and families.
Over the years, 30 plus, we have tried many different approaches, and in 2012 we decided that lunch fromhome was the best way to meet this need. This decision was made for many reasons:
- The increasing number of children with food allergies and special diets;
- Many children did not eat our “prepared” lunches and sometimes only ate the bread & butter as they preferred ”mommy’s” food or were “fussy” eaters, which resulted in children being hungry and also wasting a lot of food;
- Because children were “hungry” they often didn’t nap well and were “tired” in the afternoon – often resulting in “grouchy kids;
- A school lunch program is a very burdensome and expensive project; it takes all morning to prepare the meals; food has to be distributed to the classrooms; teachers have to serve and clean up after the meals; then the dishes, etc. have to be cleaned; bathroom disinfected so that the children with allergies can use them. Shopping for food and purchasing paper goods, etc.
We do provide a breakfast and an afternoon snack, which are posted in your child’s classroom.
Make sure we know if your child has any allergies. Nutritionist always say that breakfast is the most important of the day. We have found that some children do not eat a breakfast at home, or parents but “fast food” breakfasts.
So, the idea is for parents to look at the Breakfast & Snack Menu and plan a lunch accordingly. This can be a nice “family activity” where mom, dad, and the kids can prepare lunches together and talk about good food choices. We feel that since parents know their child’s likes and dislikes they can fill the lunch boxes/bags with nutritious foods that they will eat. You can also pack and extra snack, or a special treat (easy on the sweets) or a “note from home” letting them know you love them. Please feel free to ask our staff for help!
FEEDING YOUR CHILD: A message from NCDC Rev. 09/01/2016