MCDOWELL COUNTY HEAD START & EARLY HEAD START
NUTRITION
Proper nutrition plays a crucial role in the health and development of children. Nutritious food should be offered throughout the day to ensure children receive nourishment and energy they need to learn, grow and be healthy. USDA school program guidelines are followed.
Teachers will provide a monthly focused nutrition activity and WIC staff or other nutrition consultants may provide special nutritional activities throughout the year.
All children are provided a nutritious breakfast, lunch and snack on campus during program hours for food safety reasons. No meals/snacks are to be taken home. A monthly menu is provided parents for review and posted in the center/classroom.
Homemade prepared food (cupcakes, cakes, cookies, sandwiches, etc.) will not be served in our licensed Child Day Care Facility.
Homemade packed meals/snacks are only allowed with a receipt of a Medical Diet Plan signed and dated by child’s doctor and filed in child’s health file. Individual case-by-case decisions will be honored to the greatest extent possible.
NO CANDY ALLOWED at any time.
A Medical Diet Documentation Form is required to be filled out by your family doctor if there is a food allergy, a diet restriction or special diet for your child. The completed form is provided Child Nutrition so that your child’s medical diet may be modified.
An Ethnic or Religious diet shall be honored to the greatest extent possible, but we will need documentation from the parent in order to change any food from your child’s menu.
For Infants and Toddlers: If the Parent wants to take their child off of formula before age one (12 months) or change the formula, a Diet Documentation Form must be signed/dated by the child’s doctor.
Head Start Performance Standard 1304.23(b) (1) (vi).
Menu Restrictions (Safety concerns & Non Nutritious Items are restricted). Ensure foods are high in nutrients, and low in fat, sugar & salt.
EHS under 12 months of age: NO corn, citrus fruits, eggs, honey, chocolate, peanut butter.
EHS over 12 months of age: NO honey, peanut butter by spoonful, hotdogs, shellfish.
HS/EHS children: No donuts, pastries, sausage pancakes on a stick, limit syrup and serve fruit topping when pancakes are served, potato chips, hotdogs, corn dogs, fruit mix (because of grapes). NO CANDY at any time. Avoid foods posing health risks (choking). Children younger than age 5 are vulnerable to choking because they have fewer & smaller molars, weaker chewing ability, and narrower airways than older children.
