Minimum standards for food and nutrition

1. When the provider is responsible for providing food to children, the food supplied must meet United States department of agriculture standards and must be properly prepared, sufficient in amount, nutritious, varied according to the diets of the children enrolled, and served at appropriate hours. Food that is prepared, served, or stored in the group child care must be treated in a safe and sanitary manner with safe and sanitary equipment. 2. When parents bring sack lunches for their children, the provider shall supplement lunches, as necessary, to provide nutritious and sufficient amounts of food for children and shall provide adequate and appropriate refrigeration and storage as required. 3. Children in care for more than three hours shall receive either a snack or meal, whichever is appropriate to that time of day. 4. The provider shall serve nutritious meals to children in care during any normal mealtime hour. 5. The provider shall serve snacks to children in care after school. 6. When the provider is responsible for providing food to children, menus must be posted on a daily or weekly basis. 7. The provider shall consider information provided by the children's parents as to their eating habits, food preferences, or special needs in creating the feeding schedules and in tailoring menus. 8. The provider shall serve snacks and meals to children in a manner commensurate with their age, using appropriate foods, portions, dishes, and eating utensils. 9. The provider or staff member may encourage children to eat the food served, but the provider or staff member may not coerce or force-feed children.