Missouri Eat Smart Guidelines for Child Care

• Facts about the Eat Smart Guidelines
• New Revised Eat Smart Guidelines
• Why adopt the Eat Smart Guidelines?
• Eat Smart Child Care application forms
• Resources

• Training
• Child and Adult Care Food Program
• Missouri Team Nutrition 
• USDA Team Nutrition
• Recognized Missouri Eat Smart Child
  Care Centers

Facts about the Eat Smart Guidelines

The Guidelines challenge child care facilities to improve their meal service by following recommended standards that are above the minimum requirements.

• The Minimum level of the Eat Smart Guidelines is the same as the current US Department of Agriculture (USDA) meal pattern requirements and Missouri State Licensing requirements.  All licensed child care facilities must at least meet the minimum level. 
• The Intermediate level Guidelines are more healthful than the Minimum.
• The Advanced level Guidelines are more healthful than Intermediate.

The Guidelines recommend menu improvements including:

• More whole grains
• More fruits and vegetables
• Less processed foods
• Lower fat milk
• Fewer sweets
• More variety of foods

The Guidelines also include environmental factors that relate to nutrition habits and meal service.

When a child care facility meets all the Guidelines at either the Intermediate or Advanced level, it can apply to be recognized as an "Eat Smart Child Care."

NEW! REVISED Missouri Eat Smart Guidelines for Child Care
The Missouri Eat Smart Guidelines for Child Care have been revised to bring them in line with the November 2010 Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommendations for the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). These recommendations call for changes to the CACFP meal pattern to bring meals in line with MyPyramid and the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010 requires the U.S. Department of Agriculture to publish proposed changes to the CACFP meal pattern by June 2012. At that time, it is likely that the IOM recommendations will become mandatory federal requirements for participation in the CACFP. The revised Eat Smart Guidelines have been streamlined and simplified. They are intended to be easier to understand and follow than the old Guidelines, and should help child care facilities get ready for changes that may become mandatory program requirements.

The new revised Eat Smart Guidelines for Child Care are effective immediately (March 2011).

Click here to review a summary of the changes to the Guidelines.

Click here for Eat Smart Child Care application forms.

Overview of the Missouri Eat Smart Guidelines for Child Care

Why should your child care adopt the Eat Smart Guidelines?

• To help prevent childhood obesity
• To show you care about the health of the children in your care 
• To attract parents who care about the food their kids eat while away from home
• To be recognized with:
  • A certificate and banner announcing your achievement as an Eat Smart Child Care
  • Menu templates that include the Eat Smart logo
  • A sample press release for the local paper announcing your achievement
  • A parent letter to let parents know what you are doing for their child’s health
  • The right to use the Eat Smart logo on your website and publications