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What food and nutrition should my childcare facility provide?

In general, the regulations governing childcare facilities require that children receive a variety of nutritious food that is sufficient for their needs. However, there are also some very specific regulations that govern when and how these meals are provided:

If your child is in full day care (more than five hours per day) then the childcare facility is required to provide him or her with two meals, and two snacks. These can be arranged according to the times that your child arrives at and leaves school. Your childcare facility may also need to provide your child with an evening meal, and if they do not, they should make you, as a parent aware of this.

Children who attend day care for five hours a day should receive two meals and one snack. Remember that these meals don’t necessarily have to be hot, but they do have to be balanced nutritionally. If your child is in day care for three and a half hours or less, he or she should receive one meal and one snack.

All children should have access to as much clean, fresh drinking water as they like.

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