Ask Questions About Food When Choosing Day Care

Food is an important part of choosing a day-care center. Here are some questions parents might ask:

Are meal menus posted in advance? Is there a chance to review what children will be eating?

Are meals nutritionally balanced? Have menus been reviewed by a registered dietitian? Does the center use standardized recipes and meet federal minimum requirements for nutrition?

Is milk or juice served? It’s important for growing preschoolers.

Is food prepared on-site? Can parents inspect the food-preparation facilities?

Does the center have an established procedure for dealing with food allergies? If there is a substitute day-care provider, will he or she remember, say, that Johnny can’t eat nuts?

Is mealtime non-threatening? Food shouldn’t be used as discipline. If children are forced to eat their food, it can create lasting problems.