PORTLAND, Ore. — More whole grains, vegetables and tofu; fewer fried foods. These are among the changes in a proposed federal rule that would apply to daycares, Head Starts, preschools, before- and after-school programs and homeless shelters serving minors that participate in the federal Child and Adult Care Food Program. The program partly reimburses the costs of meals and snacks that meet federal nutrition standards. The proposed rule is open for public comment until April 15. It comes out of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010.
Fruits and vegetables
At the Helen Gordon Child Development Center at Portland State University, lentil vegetable soup was the lunch entrée on a recent Wednesday. The proposed rule would split the fruits and vegetables requirement into separate fruit and vegetable components.
The lentil soup came with sides of saltine crackers, roasted cauliflower and peaches. Under the proposed rule, the 2-year-olds who were being served would each have to be given at least 1/8th of a cup of vegetables and 1/8th of a cup of fruit.
Grains
Zadie Miller, 2, has lunch at the Helen Gordon Development Center. Under the proposed rule, the crackers she is eating would have to be “whole grain-rich.”
A recent afternoon snack at the YMCA’s Moda Tower Child Development Center consisted of applesauce and Nilla Wafers. The proposed rule would allow the Nilla Wafers as a “grain-based dessert” but wouldn’t count them toward the grains requirement.
Beverages
Allie Lo, 20 months, has a cup of water to go with her afternoon snack at the YMCA Moda Tower. Under the proposed rule, drinking water would have to be made available all day but could not be served instead of milk.