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For those of you who are members of a food program, are you allowed to serve cut up pieces of melon (cantaloupe, watermelon, honeydew), cut up pieces of berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries) or cut up pieces of cherry or grape tomatoes to kids under 4 years of age?
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are you allowed to serve cut up pieces of melon (cantaloupe, watermelon, honeydew), cut up pieces of berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries) or cut up pieces of cherry or grape tomatoes to kids under 4 years of age?
I work in a daycare on the food program. We have mixed melon at least once a week in the twos room. We get mixed berries a lot too. -
I haven’t seen or heard of any restrictions on these foods. As I understand, once a child is 12 months, they should be eating the same as the older children. I do cut foods differently, depending on the children’s ages. For example, today I served apples. The 4-5 yr olds each had his/her own whole apple. The toddlers had theirs peeled and diced.Comment
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Hmmm...up until the new rules were put in place, it hadn't been an issue here. Now i'm told those foods will be disallowed for kids under 4. Apples and pears are ok but not berries and melons - even if they're cut into small pieces. :confused: Cherry and grape tomatoes I understand, although I can't figure out how they're any different from larger tomatoes when they're cut up.
Just wondering if anyone else has been told the same.
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I have not heard that e.j., who told you that? I bet they're wrong because nowhere has it been mentioned.Comment
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My food lady should be visiting this week. I will ask her when she comes.Comment
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I had served those foods during the month of October and last week, received a form letter from my food program saying, "choking foods for children under 4 years should not be served (including berries, melon balls, cherry tomatoes)" and that in the future, claims for those foods would be disallowed. I had served all 3 types of foods (cut up, of course) so I asked for clarification. My food rep doubled checked for me and replied that none of those foods are allowed to be served to kids under 4 even if they're cut up.
It makes no sense to me. I understand why whole melon balls, whole berries and whole grape/cherry tomatoes shouldn't be served to kids under 4 - that's common sense to me - but to not allow cut up versions of those foods...? It doesn't make sense to me at all that I can't serve something like cut up watermelon but I can still serve apples and pears.Comment
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I have not heard anything about this! I serve those things all the time. I cut them up, and with grapes (I believe maybe this was a suggestion from Nannyde, but I am pretty sure I read it here), I put them in the blender and serve them at an applesauce consistency. I haven't had anything disallowed for this.Comment
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EVERYTHING is a choking food. Diced small enough, it's fine to eat. I would argue this point. Who is your food program sponsor? Go to the CACFP national level and ask!
What do they say you CAN serve?
I've never even had them question it eg. I just write "grapes" or "cherry tomatoes" and they have not once asked if I even cut them (I do!)
My sponsor does not limit what fruits and vegetables can be served after like 6 months I think (I don't take infants so I'm not 100% sure on that age)Comment
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We got a memo from licensing about cutting foods up appropriately. The FP has never checked nor required that here. But licensing is getting very technical here. Like you said, children can choke on anything. But I think Licensing has this idea they can "prevent" everything bad that could happen. That is my only logic to these new rules if there is any logic to them
:confused:
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I also received a memo from licensing. It said to cut up beans. It did not specify what kind of beans. Black beans? Pinto beans? Or just green beans? It encouraged a lot of puréed foods… How are kids supposed to learn to chew?Comment
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I've always served berries, melons and tomatoes, too, and it's never been an issue until now. Apparently, from what my food program says, they are no longer allowed under the new rules. My food program is Yours For Children. I've been with them for over 20 years and I've never had a problem with them. The rep who visits is wonderful; I can't say enough positive about her. From what she told me, she's equally as frustrated by this new rule.
As far as I know, we can still serve things like banana, kiwi, mango, peaches, plums, apples, pears, nectarines, oranges, pineapple, apricots, etc. Just not berries, melons and small, round tomatoes - and grapes, which we were told not to serve years ago. It's just the arbitrary nature of this that makes no sense to me, I guess. Why would diced apples or pears be any safer than cut up or even pureed strawberries? Based on what I was told, though, we can't serve berries or melons in any form from now on. It makes about as much sense as being able to serve sausage but not hot dogs. Sometimes the rules set by government entities just don't make much sense!
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So I did go to the CACFP website to see who I could contact. While on the site, I read information that appeared to say providers can still serve these foods; they just can't be served whole.
I went back to my food program rep and asked for further clarification. Apparently, they just recently received clarification themselves. It turns out, it's a state mandate so it applies to those of us who live in MA. We will no longer be allowed to serve berries, melons or cherry/grape tomatoes to children under 4 in any form. Apparently, providers (who go through YFC, at least) should be getting notification soon. Gotta love this state.
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