Nutritional Services

FRAMEWORK QUESTION 1 – Staff Qualifications

Does the grantee ensure effective oversight, coordination, and management of the program’s nutrition services by hiring qualified staff and/or consultants and ensuring they have adopted the functions of the area?

Documentation
Status / Questions / Documentation/Evidence
1.1Does the program hire staff or consultants as content area experts to oversee and support nutrition services who are registered dieticians or nutritionists? 1304.52(d)(3)
1.2Does the program ensure that the program management function for nutrition services are formally aligned to and adopted by staff within the program? (Note: There is a distinction between the content area expert and the service manager. One person can fill both of the roles. However, the content area expert must meet all of the qualification requirements as outlined as outlines in the performance standards. The Manager or Coordinator does not need to meet these qualifications but must receive expert knowledge and oversight from a Content Area Expert.)1304.52(a)(2)(ii), 1304.52(b)(1)
Is there anything in 1304.52(a)(2)(ii), 1304.52(b)(1) and 1304.52(d)(3) - that is not covered by the above documentation?Yes No
What:

FRAMEWORK QUESTION 2 – Assessing and Planning

Does the program design and implement nutrition services that promote the healthy development of enrolled children through a process of working with families to assess, plan for and individualize nutrition services to meet their child’s nutritional needs, feeding requirements, and cultural and ethnic preferences?

Documentation
Status / Questions / Documentation/Evidence
2.1 Do program staff and families work together to identify each child’s nutritional needs, utilizing relevant information from nutrition assessment data, family eating patterns and cultural preferences, special dietary requirements for children with disabilities, nutrition-related health problems, and infants and toddlers? 1304.23(a)(1), 1304.23(a)(2)
2.2 Is the program’s nutrition program designed and implemented to meet the nutritional needs and feeding requirements of each child, (including children with special medical or disabilities needs) and offer a variety of foods that consider cultural preferences and broaden children’s food experiences? 1304.23(b)(1), 1304.23(c)(6)
2.3 Does program staff ensure that nutritional information of infants and toddlers, including feeding schedules, amounts and types of food, meal patterns, new foods, preferences and intolerances and any changes in these are communicated regularly to parents? 1304.23(a)(3)
2.4 Are meal and snack periods appropriately scheduled and adjusted to meet the individual needs of children, including serving a nutritious breakfast to children who have not received breakfast prior to the arrival at the program, and feeding infants and toddlers “on demand”? 1304.23(b)(1)(iii), 1304.23(b)(1)(vii)
2.5 Are parents and community members involved in planning and evaluating Head Start and Early Head Start nutrition services?
Is there anything in 1304.23(a)(1), 1304.23(a)(2), 1304.23(a)(3), 1304.23(b)(1), 1304.23(b)(1)(iii)(B),1304.23(b)(1)(vii), 1304.23(b)(4) and 1304.23(c)(6) - that is not covered by the above documentation?Yes No
What:

FRAMEWORK QUESTION 3 – Managing Nutrition Services

Does the program promote children’s healthy growth and development by ensuring that all meals and snacks conform to age appropriate recommended dietary allowances and requirements established by the USDA and CACFP and by ensuring the safe storage, handling and preparation of food?

Documentation
Status / Questions / Documentation/Evidence
3.1Do preschool-age children receive the quantities and kinds of foods that meet the nutritional needs of children and that conform to the serving sizes and minimum standards for meal patterns recommended by the CACFP, including special attention to ensuring that foods served are high in nutrients and low in fat, sugar and salt? 1304.23(b)(1)(v), 1304.23(b)(1)(vi), 1304.23(b)(1)(ii)
3.2Do infants and toddlers receive food appropriate to their nutritional needs, developmental readiness, and feeding skills, as recommended in the USDA meal pattern or nutrient standard menu planning requirements? 1304.23(b)(1)(iv)
3.3Do home-based programs provide appropriate snacks and meals to each child during group socialization activities? 1304.23(b)(2)
3.4Are USDA Food and Consumer Child Nutrition Programs funds utilized as the primary source of payment for meal services? 1304.23(b)(1)(i)
3.5Does the program comply with all applicable food preparation safety and sanitation laws, including contracting with only licensed food service vendors? Are proper breast milk storage and handling facilities available at facilities serving infants and toddlers? 1304.23(e)(1), 1304.23(e)(2)
Is there anything in 1304.23(b)(1)(i), 1304.23(b)(ii), 1304.23(b)(1)(iv), 1304.23(b)(1)(v), 1304.23(b)(1)(vi), 1304.23(b)(2), 1304.23(e)(1), 1304.23(e)(2)- that is not covered by the above documentation?Yes No
What:

FRAMEWORK QUESTION 4 – Integrating Nutrition into Early Childhood Development

Through the provision of nutritional services, does the program provide opportunities for child development, socialization and healthy behaviors by contributing to children’s oral health and by promoting positive attitudes toward child and family nutrition?

Documentation
Status / Questions / Documentation/Evidence
4.1 Is effective oral hygiene promoted among children in conjunction with meals? 1304.23(b)(3)
4.2 Are children’s development and socialization supported through nutrition services by providing sufficient time for each child to eat, ensuring that food is not used as punishment or reward by encouraging each child, without force, to eat or taste food? 1304.23(c)(2), 1304.23(c)(3)
4.3 Do nutrition services contribute to children’s development and socialization by ensuring that all toddlers, preschool children and assigned classroom staff, including volunteers, eat together family style, and share the same menu to the extent possible?1304.23(c)(4)
4.4 Do Nutrition services contribute to children’s development and socialization by ensuring that infants are held while being fed rather than being laid down to sleep with a bottle? 1304.23(c)(5)
4.5 Do nutrition services contribute to child and family positive behaviors by engaging children in food-related experiences and providing parent education opportunities to enhance nutrition related skills? 1304.23(c)(7), 1304.23(d)
Is there anything in 1304.23(b)(1)(i), 1304.23(b)(ii), 1304.23(b)(1)(iv), 1304.23(b)(1)(v), 1304.23(b)(1)(vi), 1304.23(b)(2), 1304.23(e)(1), 1304.23(e)(2)that is not covered by the above documentation?Yes No
What:

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