Child Care Menu
In this assignment, you are going to create an ideal childcare menu for a 3–5-year-old classroom using the USDA Child Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) Meal Planning and Serving Sizes Guidelines. Additionally, use the readings below to support you in completing this assignment accurately.
The menu must have the following components.
-2 meals and 2 snacks per day (Breakfast, Snack, Lunch, Snack)
-5 days of planning (Monday-Friday)
-Food Requirements/Serving Sizes as described in the USDA CACFP Guidelines
-Variety of multicultural food choices
*The Menu should not contain food options (Wheat Toast or an egg) or a specific diet such as: vegetarian or vegan.
Early Education programs serve a regular diet that is composed of the five food groups. If substitutions are required due to a medical condition or allergy, a doctor's note is required, and a consultation takes place with the program’s nutritionist to ensure appropriate substitutions are provided to meet nutrient and component requirements.
In addition, the food should be balanced each day and throughout the week. I.e. if you offer eggs at breakfast, omelets at lunch is not a good idea, nor should you offer eggs 3 days in a row. Think broadly about food choices and be creative. See Menu Guidance.
The menu should be error-free and well-organized. Complete the Menu on the provided Template (The assignment will not be accepted if it is not on the provided template and submitted in WORD.) and follow the component requirements for each meal, and include serving size for children 3 to 5.
You are welcome to make the Menu child-friendly (imagine it hanging in children’s homes-images of healthy food choices for pre-readers is a good idea) and reader-friendly (so parents/caregivers are likely to refer to it.) However, it must be completed on the provided template and submitted as a WORD document.