Childcare Menu Planning

Victoria Hall BSc.,RD

Children enrolled in full-time childcare receive more than half of their day’s nutrition from their childcare provider. For that reason, providing nutritious options in childcare settings are vital to children’s growth and development.

Despite the update to 2019 Canada’s Food Guide (CFG), 92% of childcare centres reported being aware of the changes in the updated food guide but had difficulties in interpreting and applying the changes in the 2019 CFG to their menu.

In order to help support childcare settings in applying the guidance of the 2019 CFG, Ontario Dietitians in Public Health have developed a tool to help support centres. This Practical Guide is based on the guidance of Canada’s food guide (2019) (CFG) and Nutrition for Healthy Term Infants (2014) (NHTI). The guide also aligns with requirements set out by the Child Care and Early Years Act, 2014 (Section 42 of Ontario Regulation 137/15) and is referenced in the Ministry of Education’s Child Care Centre and Home Child Care Licensing Manuals.

The updated Practical Guide includes recommendations such as:

• 4-6 week menu cycle
• Offering a variety of feeds, colour, textures, and shapes
• One green vegetable offered per day
• One plant-based meal offered per week
• One egg or fish-based meal offered per week

The Practical Guide also features the following additional online resources to support menu planning:

• Modifying Recipes to Meet the Practical Guide
• Increasing the Use of Plant-Based Proteins in Child Care Settings
• Common Food Allergen Substitutions
• Sample Menus
• Reducing Food Costs and Environmental Impacts

For support in reviewing your menu, using these tools, or for more information, contact our public health dietitians.