8VAC20-790-810: Nutrition and food services

A. Drinking water shall be accessible to all children.

B. When vendors provide meals or snacks, the following shall apply:

1. Vendors offering both meals and snacks shall serve a variety of nutritious foods and sufficient portions.

2. Children three years of age or younger shall not be offered foods that are considered to be potential choking hazards.

C. When food is brought from home, the following shall apply:

1. The food container shall be clearly labeled in a way that identifies the owner;

2. The vendor shall have extra food or shall have provisions to obtain food to serve to children so that they can have an appropriate snack or meal if they forget to bring food from home, bring an inadequate meal or snack, or bring perishable food; and

3. Unused portions of opened food shall be discarded by the end of the day or returned to the parent.

D. Food shall be prepared, stored, transported, and served in a clean and sanitary manner.

E. When food is prepared to which a child in care is allergic, staff shall take steps to avoid cross contamination in order to prevent an allergic reaction.

F. A child with a diagnosed food allergy shall not be served any food identified in the written care plan required in 8VAC20-790-540 B 11.

G. Tables and high chair trays shall be sanitized before and after each use for feeding and cleaned at least daily.