Josie’s ECEAP is enrolled in the USDAs Child and Adult Food Care Program (CACFP.) Participation in this program ensures that all meals and snacks served to children in our center are healthy and meat both state and federal nutrition guidelines.
Our director and family support specialist also work closely with nutritionists from Snohomish County. Together, they help educate families on the importance of nutrition both at school and at home. For more information on meal requirements from the USDA food program, click here.
One meal and one snack are served each class period.
Children in the AM class are served breakfast at the start of every class and are given a snack shortly before going home in the afternoon.
The PM class is served lunch at the start of their day and are served a snack prior to leaving for the day.
Each meal is served family style in which staff teach students to serve themselves and how to identify proper portion sizes. Students work together to pass serving items amongst one another and learn important habits like saying “please and thank you” and to take and wait their turns.
During meals, staff sit with students at the tables and eat the same meals. The conversations that staff help to facilitate amongst the students are an important part of each meal. During mealtime conversations, children often bring up topics that are important to them, which allow staff an opportunity to help encourage the child’s curiosity in learning. Staff can also use mealtimes to strengthen concepts learned previously, to learn about children’s home lives, and to incorporate concepts from math, science, reading, art and more – all while having simple conversations that follow the children’s lead.
To view the USDA Nondiscrimination statement, click here.
