Each day every child receives a variety and adequate amount of food and is allowed to eat at a reasonable,leisurely rate.

Meals are served family style with staff sitting with the children and engaging them in conversation during meal times. No child is denied a meal for any reason other than written medical direction. No child will be forced or otherwise coerced to eat against his/her will.

It is our goal to make mealtime as pleasant and as stress free as possible for the children and staff alike. Teachers will inform the Supervisor if they have any concerns about the eating habits of any children in their care. Food will never be used as a reward or punishment. Children will never be denied a reasonable request for food.

Teachers do not offer children younger than four years these foods: hot dogs, whole or sliced into rounds; whole grapes; nuts; popcorn; raw peas; hard pretzels; or, chunks of raw carrots or meat larger than can be swallowed whole. Teachers cut food into pieces no larger than ¼-inch square for infants and ½-inch square for toddlers/twos, according to each child’s chewing and swallowing capability.

The food provided for meals and snacks is prepared, served, and stored in accordance with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) guidelines. Food is provided by the Guild of St. Agnes. Generally, the only time that families provide foods from home is if there are severe food allergies. In this case, the center works with the families to ensure that foods brought from home meet the USDA’s CACFP food guidelines. The Guild is a peanut free agency.

Our Food Service Director is certified by the ServSafe Food Protection Agency presented by the National Registry of Food Safety Professionals.

NUTRITIONAL POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR INFANTS

It is the policy of The Guild of St. Agnes to provide parents/authorized guardians of infants/toddlers/twos with nutritional guidelines to ensure that food provided to infants/toddler/twos meets their nutritional needs. Solid foods and fruit juices are not offered to infants younger than 6 months of age. Children from the age of 4 weeks to 12 months are not offered whole milk. Whole milk is offered to children from 12 months to 24 months.

Parents who are breastfeeding their children may do so in the classroom and may send in breast milk in bottles that are labeled with their infant’s name and date.

For more information regarding our food policies, please contact our Director of Food Services: Deb Brown, 129 Granite St. Worcester, 508-756-8371, ext. 7