9.4.1.18: Records of Nutrition Service

The facility should maintain records covering the nutrition services budget, expenditures for food, menus, numbers and types of meals served daily with separate recordings for children and adults, inspection reports made by health authorities, nutrition education and recipes. Copies should be maintained in the facility files for six months or according to state/local regulations.

RATIONALE

Food service records permit efficient and effective management of the facility’s nutrition component and provide data from which a nutritionist/registered dietitian can develop recommendations for program improvement. If a facility is large enough to employ a supervisor for food service who holds certification equivalent to the Food Service Manager’s Protection (Sanitation) Certificate, records of this certification should be maintained (1).

COMMENTS

For information on the USDA’s Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) and resources for child care, including feeding infants, see the Child Care Providers page on USDA’s Food and Nutrition Website http://www.fns
.usda.gov/tn/childcare.html and MyPlate for Preschoolers Website http://www.choosemyplate.gov/specificaudiences.html.

TYPE OF FACILITY

Center, Early Head Start, Head Start, Large Family Child Care Home, Small Family Child Care Home

RELATED STANDARDS

Appendix Q: MyPlate: Make It Yours
Appendix C: Nutrition Specialist, Registered Dietitian, Licensed Nutritionist, Consultant, and Food Service Staff Qualifications
Appendix R: Choose MyPlate: 10 Tips to a Great Plate
Appendix S: Physical Activity: How Much Is Needed?

REFERENCES

1. U.S. Department of Agriculture. 2000. Child and Adult Care Food Program; Improving management and program integrity; Proposed rule. 7 CFR 226. http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/Care/Regs-Policy/policymemo/2000-2003/2000-09-12.pdf.