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53 Meals and vending services in licensed child care facilities shall meet the standards from the Offices of Healthy Schools and Child Nutrition for the Mississippi State Department of Education as well as USDA Food and Nutrition Service guidelines.

1. Menus shall be nutritionally adequate and consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

2. Foods shall be provided in quantities and meal patterns that balance energy and nutrients with children’s ages, appetites, activity levels, special needs, and cultural and ethnic differences in food habits.

3. Parents shall be involved in the nutrition component of their child-care facility.

4. A variety of fruits, vegetables, and whole-grain products shall be offered to children for meals and snacks. Mealtime should be used as an opportunity to teach nutrition and/or food concepts.

5. The addition of fat, sugar, and sources of sodium shall be minimal in food preparation and service.

6. Food preparation and service shall be consistent with best practices for food safety and sanitation.

7. Furniture and eating utensils shall be age-appropriate and developmentally suitable to encourage children to accept and enjoy mealtimes.

8. Child-care personnel shall encourage positive experiences with food and eating.

9. Caregivers shall receive appropriate training in nutrition, food preparation, and food service

Physical Activity

Children should be provided with opportunities for physical activity throughout the day. Examples of “light physical activity” may be found in the Child Care Licensure section of the MSDH website at www.HealthyMS.com. Examples of “moderate physical activity” are aerobic dancing, light calisthenics, getting up and down from the floor, dancing, playing on school ground equipment, singing while actively moving about, etc. Examples of “vigorous physical activity” are running, jumping rope, performing jumping jacks, playing soccer, skipping, etc. Regardless of the activity, it should be age appropriate and within the physical ability limits of the child.

Caring for Children with Special Needs

The environment utilized for caring for children with special needs shall be adapted as necessary to accommodate special devices that may be required for the child to function independently, as appropriate.

Caregivers serving children with special needs shall receive staff development related to the specific needs of the children served.