An overview of food safety issues and regulations in daycare facilities.
When selecting a daycare facility for your child, do not overlook the importance of its food safety and sanitation practices.
Debra Johnston, Registered Dietitian and Director of Culinary Services at Remuda Ranch in Arizona suggests that parents become aware of who cooks and/or serves the food because they must be licensed to do so, and follow the same rules as those set forth by The United States Public Health Services Food Codes through the Food and Drug Administration.
According to Johnston, “Licensing comes from the initial application, provision of adequate facilities, and then regular inspections.” She adds that states, counties and cities may have codes that are even stricter than the United State’s codes.
Parents should ensure that local and state licenses are current and posted, says Susan Leger-Ferraro, Little Sprouts founder and CEO. Johnston adds that these documents should be posted in a conspicuous place and the facility should have their inspections available for review.
Johnston also provides a list of some aspects to consider with respect to food safety and sanitation:
- Look at the overall cleanliness of the food preparation facilities. If the food is “catered”, look at the caterer’s credentials and, if possible, their facility.
- Look at the area where the children eat. Are the tables sanitized before the meal? Is the area clean?
- Look at the cleanliness of the employees. Do they wash their hands before handling the food? Are they clean and neat?
- Look at the process for serving the food. Are the cold items held in the refrigerator or on ice? Are the hot foods hot?
If you pack snacks and lunches for your children to eat at daycare or preschool, you must still consider food safety issues. According to Leger-Ferraro, packaging foods in air tight containers with a frozen cold pack in a thermal sealed bag is the best way to store daycare food and snacks.
For the ultimate in food storage, Chef Ann Cooper, author of Lunch Lessons: Changing the Way We Feed Our Children, recommends using reusable containers such as those in the “Laptop Lunchbox”. Laptop Lunchboxes are microwave and dishwasher-safe, recyclable, American style bento boxes designed to help families pack nutritious, environment-friendly lunches and snacks.
Most importantly, peruse the kitchen and dining areas to ensure cleanliness and proper storage of foods. Use your head and your gut and your senses to determine if the mealtime environment is up to par.
For more information on nutrition in daycare, see my article Daycare Nutrition Programs.
