Lesia Oesterreich
Family Life Extension Specialist
Iowa State University
Copyright/Access Information
When children spend most of the day in child care, it is recommended
that care providers plan to supply two-thirds of the daily food
requirements in the snacks and meals served. For children under
8 years,
a midmorning and a midafternoon snack are recommended between
meals. Young children have smaller stomachs than adults and use
more energy; therefore, they need to eat more often. Snacks between
meals may keep children from becoming cross and tired.
Snacks served to children should be part of the daily requirements
in the USDA Food Guide Pyramid. Children may eat breakfast or
supper in your home as well as snacks and lunch. You can adjust
your tuition fees to allow for extra meals served. You may also
choose to be a part of the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP).
Parents may bring special diets or extra meal supplements.
A SAMPLE MENUA sample one-day menu that provides children two-thirds of
the daily requirements in amounts stated on the above chart might
include:
| BREAKFAST: | MORNING SNACK: | LUNCH: | AFTERNOON SNACK: |
| Oatmeal Milk Toast Orange juice |
Applesauce Graham cracker |
Sloppy Joe on a bun Peas Milk Banana slices |
Peanut butter on whole wheat bread Apricot |
| Bagel Banana bread Breadstick Bread, whole grain or enriched Biscuit Bulgur (cooked) Cereal pieces, low sugar Cinnamon roll Cinnamon toast Cookies |
Crackers, animal Crackers, graham Crackers, oyster Crackers, whole grain English muffin Flatbread, whole grain Granola Muffins Pasta Pita bread with fillings |
Pumpkin bread Pretzel, soft Raisin toast Rice Tortillas Vanilla wafers Waffle square Zucchini bread |
| *Carrot sticks Cauliflowerettes, slightly cooked, chilled *Celery sticks *Celery stuffed with peanut butter or cheese *Cucumber slices Green beans, cooked and chilled Green peas in the pod |
*Green or red pepper pieces Mixed vegetable juice Salads Tomato juice Tomato Vegetable soup Zucchini pieces |
| Apple juice *Apple wedges Apple wedges, peeled *Apple rings Apple rings, peeled Applesauce Apricots, fresh or dried *Baked apple, unpeeled Banana chunks *Cherries |
Fruit slushes Fruitsicles, frozen *Grapes, seedless Melon pieces Nectarine, fresh Orange juice Orange sections Peach pieces, fresh or canned in light syrup |
Pear pieces, fresh or canned in light syrup Pineapple juice Pineapple chunks, canned in own juice Plums, fresh or canned Prunes, dried Raisins Strawberries Tangerine segments |