Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 22, § 84276 - Food Service

(a) Food served to the child shall be healthy and meet any special dietary needs or practices, as documented in the needs and services plan for a child as reported by the child, or as recommended by the physician of a child.

(1) The facility staff shall prepare menus in consultation with a licensed nutritionist, dietitian, home economist, or physician.

(A) For children under the age of six years, a nutritionist, dietitian, home economist, or physician, as appropriate, shall reevaluate the meals/formulas every three months.

1. The licensee or designee shall kept a record of the frequency and nature of the initial consultation and the reevaluation.

(2) Meals shall be age-appropriate for food groups, special needs, and portion control.

(3) Meals shall vary weekly for children no longer on an infant bottle as a primary source of nutrition.

(4) Children who are not bottle-fed, as a primary source of nutrition, shall be given at least three nutritious snacks daily.

(5) Staff shall not serve a child food to which the child has an allergy or as indicated in the child's record.

(6) The facility shall not serve honey or corn syrup to any infant.

(b) Houseparents and child care workers supervising children under the age of six years shall wash their hands with antibacterial soap and water before each meal as follows:

(1) Using only soap in a dispenser, either liquid or powder.

(2) Using only disposal paper towels or an air drying machine for hand drying.

(c) The facility shall serve meals in a family-like setting with houseparents eating with the children.

(1) Mealtimes shall be flexible and children shall be allowed to eat frequently and on demand, as indicated in the child's individual feeding plan.

(2) Commercially prepared baby food in jars shall be transferred to a dish before being fed to an infant.

(A) The staff shall discard any food left over in the dish at the end of the meal.

(d) The staff shall use appropriate seating equipment while feeding children under the age of six years.

(1) Children under the age of six years who are unable to sit unassisted shall be held by the houseparent, child care worker or minor parent.

(2) If staff or minor parents use high chairs or feeding tables, the high chairs or feeding tables shall have the following:

(A) A wide base.

(B) A safety strap that the houseparent, child care worker or minor parent shall properly secure around the child or a tray that the houseparent, child care worker or minor parent shall properly latch on both sides.

(3) Houseparents, child care workers and minor parents shall not allow an infant to pull on, climb on, climb into, or stand up in a high chair.

(e) There shall be an individual feeding plan for each infant that includes the following:

(1) Instructions from the child's physician that address:

(A) The feeding schedule.

(B) The kind of milk or formula.

(C) The schedule for introduction of solid and new foods.

(D) Food consistency.

(E) Food likes and dislikes.

(F) Food allergies.

(G) Schedule for introduction of cups and utensils.

(f) Staff or the minor parent shall feed an infant according to the individual plan.

(1) The houseparent, child care worker or minor parent shall hold the infant while bottle-feeding, unless it is necessary to protect the infant from overstimulation during mealtimes.

(2) If an infant holds the bottle, it shall be unbreakable and the child shall not be allowed to carry a bottle while ambulating.

(3) At no time shall a bottle be propped for an infant.

(g) The facility shall not use the food preparation area for the following:

(1) Children's play activities, unless such activities are part of a supervised food education program.

(2) Napping.

(3) Children's passageway, while food is being prepared or served.

(4) Bathing infants or rinsing diapers or clothing.

(h) Bottles and nipples shall be sterilized using any of the following methods after each use:

(1) Boiled for a minimum of five minutes and air dried.

(2) Soaked for a minimum of one minute in a sterilizing solution of 1/2 cup bleach and five gallons of water and air dried.

(3) Washed and sterilized using a commercial bottle sterilizer according to the manufacturer's directions or a dishwasher.

Notes

Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 22, § 84276

Note: Authority cited: Section 1530, Health and Safety Code. Reference: Sections 1501, 1530.8 and 1531, Health and Safety Code; and Section 11467.1, Welfare and Institutions Code.

Note: Authority cited: Section 1530, Health and Safety Code. Reference: Sections 1501, 1530.8 and 1531, Health and Safety Code; and Section 11467.1, Welfare and Institutions Code.

1. New section filed 9-24-98; operative 9-24-98 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4(d) (Register 98, No. 39).
2. Amendment filed 11-18-2003; operative 12-18-2003 (Register 2003, No. 47).
3. New subsection (a) and redesignation of former subsections (a)-(a)(1)(A) as (a)(1)-(a)(1)(A)1. filed 3-1-2024; operative 7/1/2024 (Register 2024, No. 9).