MMK Infant Meals Question

[SilverSabre25]

I have an infant I do not provide food for, but I feed what his parents send (breastmilk and jarred food). I'm not on a food program. In MMK, do I claim his meals...? I'm using it for the federal standard allowance basically.

[Blackcat31]

If I am the one feeding the child the breastmilk I am allowed to claim it so I am thinking you should be able to as well.

NOT positive on that one but that is my two cents

[SilverSabre25]

thank you blackcat. THat's kind of what I was thinking...maybe someone else knows more for sure?

[LoraJenkins]

Yes you can claim the meals even if the parents supply the food. I always have.

[LaLa1923]

Yes, you can claim the meals bc you are still feeding that child.

[itlw8]

sounds like something you should ask Tom

If you were on the food program up to 8 months if mom provides BM you can claim but after that you have to provide all the other food. So I am guessing at 8 months if dcm supplys the food and BM you can not take a deduction WHY because you had not cost basis. BUT before 8 months maybe because you can on the food program.

[Meeko]

Our food program trainer told us specifically that we can claim what the parent brings, as long as it meets USDA requirements because we are the ones serving it.

[Country Kids]

How can we claim it if we are not buying it?

USDA Childcare Food Program Handbook

PG. 21

#10: With the exception of costly medically necessary food substitutions, food provided by a parent cannot be claimed as part of a reimbursed meal.

This one I find interesting also and wonder why we can't claim the child if they are eating:

Pg. 21

#9: Also, if the parent is present , the meal can not be claimed-:confused:

[Blackcat31]

The child nutrition programs reimburse child care centers, family day care homes, emergency shelters, schools, and residential child care institutions for the costs of serving nutritious meals--including the costs of preparation and clean up of meals--to infants. We are revising program policy to recognize the non-food related cost of serving infants by allowing reimbursement for meals containing only infant formula, whether supplied by the caregiver or by the parent.
Please advise your State agencies that reimbursable meals for infants may contain either breastmilk or iron-fortified infant formula, or both, supplied by the caregiver or by the parent. However, to receive reimbursement, the caregiver must always offer the infant a complete, developmentally appropriate meal. Because we are recognizing the labor involved in serving meals to infants, the meal must be served and fed to the infant by the caregiver.

http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/care/Regs-Policy/policymemo/2000-2003/CACFP-2003-04-28.pdf

There is a really great FAQ section in this link http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/care/Reg...2000-04-20.htm that addresses most of the questions about the parent providing part of the meal and the provider providing part of the meal.

[Country Kids]

This is the one I received last year.

We are only allowed to give strictly breast milk till age four months and then have to start offering other components. If the child is strictly BF past 4 months we can not longer claim them.

Page 17:

[Country Kids]

Silver:

Tom answered your question in the tax part. Wasn't sure if you saw that.

Looks like we do have to provide something ourselves for the infant in order to claim it.

Interesting!

So I'm taking him to say, BF babies can't be claimed. We actually have to provide food, formula or something to claim them..

[Blackcat31]

This is the one I received last year.

We are only allowed to give strictly breast milk till age four months and then have to start offering other components. If the child is strictly BF past 4 months we can not longer claim them.

Page 17:

But the meal patterns for infants state that cereal, fruits and/or veggies are OPTIONAL until 8 months at which time they are required to have ALL meal components.

I have a 6 month old right now who only drinks breast milk. I claim ALL the meals/snacks that are fed during the day. I have always been reimbursed for them without question.

I suppose it could be one of those area or regional things and not all agencies see/understand it in the same way but I do know I am currently reimbursed for a 6 month old that is served strictly breast milk at this point with no mention of other foods being required.

At the bottom of the attached pdf file, it specifically says : "Meals consisting of only parent-supplied infant formula are eligible for reimbursement as long as the caregiver serves the meal."

[Country Kids]

It must be a regional thing.

Here's what mine says:

Can the provider claim meals that contain only breast milk?

Yes, until the baby turns 4 months old, and if the parent profides expressed breast milk (write EB on the menu). Starting a 4 months of age, if the baby is developmentally ready for solids, the povider MUST offer the other optional or required compnents per the infant meal pattern on page 12, and supply at least one component.

This is what Tom says in the other thread:

To claim a meal as a business deduction you have to serve at least part of the food that you bought. If the parents provided all the food for the meal, you can't deduct this meal, even though you served it to them.


Mine says 4 months and Tom doesn't give an age so I'm wondering if you can claim it or you have to wait for them to be able to eat/or provide formula in order to claim it?

[Blackcat31]

This is what Tom says in the other thread:

To claim a meal as a business deduction you have to serve at least part of the food that you bought. If the parents provided all the food for the meal, you can't deduct this meal, even though you served it to them.


Mine says 4 months and Tom doesn't give an age so I'm wondering if you can claim it or you have to wait for them to be able to eat/or provide formula in order to claim it?

I posted in the other thread and asked Tom.

Man, talk about confusing.....it is hard enough with some of the weird and varying rules the licensing departments have from state to state. At the very least it would be awesome if the food program was consistent from one state to another so we aren't constantly having to decipher this stuff.

[Country Kids]

I posted in the other thread and asked Tom.

Man, talk about confusing.....it is hard enough with some of the weird and varying rules the licensing departments have from state to state. At the very least it would be awesome if the food program was consistent from one state to another so we aren't constantly having to decipher this stuff.

I saw that where you posted so anxious to here back from him!!!

Now, I guess what it would come down for me would be to listen to Tom as he is the "Childcare Tax" person.

Its scary though if the food program is telling us something that isn't correct or even legal.

Also, the one post you had with the two attachments. I noticed the first one was from 2003 (I think) so I figure things have more then likely changed since then.