Describe food safety guidelines for young children. Plan a developmentally appropriate menu for children in the early childhood care setting. It is essential that children and their families understand healthy choices concerning the food they eat. Early childhood professionals should understand and implement safe food-handling procedures. It is critical that various nutritional needs of the children are considered when planning meals and snacks in the early childhood care setting. Part 1 is an overview of food safety guidelines for young children. Part 2 is a 3-day menu plan for the age group of your choice.

Part 1: Overview of Food Safety for Young Children Explain the following four food safety guidelines that apply to the early childhood classroom or program setting. Your overview should include proper food handling procedures and precautions for the following: breast milk and formula solid foods common food choking hazards alternative food choices addressing common dietary restrictions and food allergies including nuts, wheat, eggs, and dairy

Part 2: Create a 3-day menu plan for the age group of your choice that would be appropriate for the early childhood setting. Your menu must include: Identification of specific age group 2-3 year-olds 4-5 year-olds 6-8 year olds Food choices for breakfast 1 serving of fruit 1 serving of whole grain 1 serving of diary Food choices for lunch 1 service from all 4 food groups (protein, fruits/vegetables, whole grains, dairy) Food choices for two snacks 1 serving from at least 2 different food groups (protein, fruits/vegetables, whole grains, dairy) Alternative food choices for children with allergies, food preferences (vegetarians, etc.), or other dietary restrictions Tips: When identifying snacks, it is ideal to alternate the two food groups. i.e. if morning snack is protein and fruits/vegetables, then afternoon snack should be whole grains and dairy Do not repeat any food choices over the 3-day period. Follow the guidelines established by the USDA for menu planning. Alternative food choices must be as close to the original options as possible (e.g., Sun Butter for peanut butter; vegan patty for hamburger patty, etc.). Do not create two separate menus for each day; not everything you include in the ‘original’ menu should require an alternative. Be careful to avoid known choking hazards for young children. To guide your work and support your selections, please use the resources below: USDA Food Program Information: Childcare Network. Retrieved from https://www.childcarenetwork.com/Get-Started/USDA-Meals Resources for Child Care Facilities: Food Allergy Research and Education. Retrieved from https://www.foodallergy.org/education-awareness/community-resources/resources-for-child-care-facilities Menu Magic for Children: United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved from https://archive.org/details/CAT11121311 Menu Planning Tools: United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved from https://healthymeals.fns.usda.gov/menu-planning/menu-planning-tools Caregiver’s Guide: Caring for Children with Food Allergies. Food Allergy Research and Education. Retrieved from https://www.foodallergy.org/sites/default/files/migrated-files/file/presentation-caregiver.pdf