Menu planning resources

• Nemours.org Guidelines
  Best practices guidelines for healthy children that includes pictures of food portions based upon age
• Sample menus from the University of Mississippi
  Developed by The National Food Service Institute at the University of Mississippi in Oxford. (See more sample menus below)
• First Years in the First State
  Nutrition and physical activity toolkit for childcare providers (Delaware)
• Fruit and Veggie Quantity Recipe Cookbook | About the Cookbook PDF
  30 tasty fruit and vegetable based recipes from the New Hampshire Department of Health & Human Services
• 101 snack ideas
  Snack ideas that also incorporate learning activities. Perfect for use in the classroom
• Vending Machine Regulations
  Regulations and guidelines for Mississippi public schools and adopted with child care centers
• Weights, Measures and Portions Poster
  A one-page poster on food measurements and serving sizes for scoop, dishes, and spoons from the National Food Service Management Institute, for the kitchen area of a facility
• Picky Eaters Handout
  Handout for staff and parents on how to deal with children's changing food preferences.

Nutrition resources

• National Resource Center for Health and Safety
  The NRC's primary mission is to promote health and safety in out-of-home child care settings throughout the nation
• The Food and Nutrition Information Center
  A leader in food and human nutrition information dissemination since 1971. Provides credible, accurate, and practical resources for nutrition and health professionals, educators, government personnel and consumers
• National Food Service Management Institute
  The National Food Service Management Institute provides information and services that promote the continuous improvement of child nutrition programs
• Better Kid Care
  Resources from Pennsylvania State University, including education tools for parents, activities for children, and snack ideas for home
• Feeding Infants: A guide for infants in child care centers
  Guide with handouts that can be printed and given to parents for educational purposes (PDF)
• Creating and Growing an Edible Schoolyard
  The basic steps of creating and maintaining an edible schoolyard (PDF)

Reports

• National Assessment of Obesity Prevention Terminology in Child Care Regulations 2010
  This report from the National Resource Center for Health and Safety In Child Care and Early Education cites language and regulations to use for best practices, citing Mississippi as one of the best states in this respect.

MSDH menu planning documents

Child care facility operators can use the Checklist below to review menus before submitting them in order to speed the approval process.