Washington State: Children in daycare missing out on good nutrition

January 28, 2010 - The government provides a federally-funded program wherein family day care homes can receive meal reimbursements for serving nutritious meals and snacks to children, but many kids are missing out because providers complain benefits are low and paperwork is complex, says Linda Stone, Senior Food Policy Coordinator with Children’s Alliance.

As a result, Stone said Washington has seen a huge decline in the number of child care homes participating in the food program.

“ We are losing a great opportunity to improve the nutrition of children in child care by making this program too complex for family child care providers to use,” she said, “ Without the program, child care providers have no guidance on nutrition and miss out on up to $5 per day to help children meet their nutritional needs.”

The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) is available to all licensed in-home day cares. The program promotes healthy eating and improves quality of care, making it more affordable for low-income families.

While reimbursement rates are low, it is possible to feed children healthy, nutritious, good-tasting meals with the money provided by the federal government. The Catholic Family & Child Service Child Care Nutrition Program and ESD 112 Food Program, for example, provide ample training and support to licensed in-home day care providers.

Creating healthy menus for children combined with smart shopping make it possible to feed children the healthy, nutritious foods their bodies need. It is well worth shopping at stores like Walmart that carry quality foods at a more reasonable price.

For example, a dozen eggs can be purchased for about $1.50 and can feed six children two meals. The cost of feeding each child one scrambled egg is 12 cents per child.

A loaf of whole wheat bread can be purchased for about $1.25. One loaf of bread provides about 15 servings and can easily feed six children two meals. The cost per serving of bread would be less than 10 cents.

A gallon of whole milk can be purchased for about $2. Each gallon of milk provides 16 cups. Children must be given two servings of milk each day. The cost per serving of milk would be about 16 cents.

Each serving of fruits and vegetables averages 50 cents.

So for about 90 cents, less than what the federal government reimburses per meal, children can eat very nutritious and well-balanced meals (these averages are based on feeding young children ages 1 to 5, and would increase slightly for older children).

While child care providers complain compensation is low, the bigger problem is the complex paperwork, inconvenient in-home visits, mandatory annual trainings, and time necessary to input children’s meals into a computer program.

However, it is worth the time and trouble to ensure children are eating healthy foods their growing and developing bodies so desperately need.

Many families are struggling to make ends meet. Worrying about purchasing and packing meals and snacks for their children during the workweek is difficult, at best.

Providers who participate in the food program and feed children healthy meals and snacks are providing not only a great service to children, but to their parents as well.

Sources:
Children's Alliance
CACFP Program
Catholic Families Nutrition Program
ESD 112 Food Program