Q1: What are the recordkeeping requirements to claim infant meals?
A: When claiming infant meals under NSLP, the Sponsor must continue to maintain daily individual infant menus, meal count records and daily attendance records. There are no additional recordkeeping requirements.
Q2: When can the SFA claim infant meals?
A: To claim meals under NSLP, the meal must meet the infant meal pattern. The SFA must provide all meal components or the parent can provide no more than one of the required meal components.
Q3: What meal pattern do I follow if the pre-K children eat breakfast and lunch in the classroom?
A: When the pre-K children are not co-mingled in the service area, the SFA must follow the CACFP meal pattern.
Q4: Our pre-K children go through the serving line as one group after the Kindergarten children. There is a separation in the groups. What meal pattern does the SFA follow?
A: The SFA must determine the point when no separation can be made in the service area. If food service personnel can adequately determine the age separation then the CACFP meal pattern must be followed. For example, often pre-K children are staggered in the lunch period and go through the food service line as one group with the teacher or teacher's aide. In this case, the CACFP meal pattern must be followed.
If pre-K children are not separated from the school age children (i.e. K-5) within the line and service area, then the NSLP must be followed.
In most cases, the pre-K children are not comingled in the meal service area. Please note, the meal service area is the area where the food is served to a child, not the actual cafeteria where children sit.
Q5: Does the DESE memo, "Choking Prevention Policy: Nutrition for Young Children (Under the age of four)" issued on May 10, 2018 apply to our pre-K children if they are co-mingled in the service area?
A: Yes. The DESE Choking Prevention Policy applies to all children under four years of age regardless of the grades, age groupings, or a comingled meal service area.
Q6: Can we implement Offer Versus Serve with the pre-K age group?
A: No. The pre-K age group can never implement offer versus serve.
Last Updated: July 23, 2018
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education 135 Santilli Highway, Everett, MA 02149
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