<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".01" citation="COMAR 13A.16.12.01" title_num="13A" subtitle_num="16" chapter_num="12" heading="Food Service.">
  <paragraph num="A.">
    <text>Food and Beverages.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>Food and beverages that are furnished by an operator for meals or snacks, or both, shall comply with the guidelines of the Child and Adult Care Food Program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, as indicated on a chart supplied by the office.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>For children in care, unless provided by the child’s parent, the operator shall furnish:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>All beverages, including beverages for meals and snacks; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Milk with all meals.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>A beverage furnished by the operator may not contain an added sweetener or caffeine, except for:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Infant formula: or</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>A beverage prescribed for a child by a health care provider.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(4)">
      <text>If a child is:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Younger than 2 years old, milk furnished to the child shall be supplied or approved by the child’s parent; or</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>2 years old or older, milk furnished to the child by the operator shall be 1% fat milk or nonfat milk, unless otherwise ordered by a health care provider or requested by the child’s parent.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(5)">
      <text>The operator may arrange with a child’s parent to furnish milk of a type that is different from the milk ordinarily furnished by the operator.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(6)">
      <text>The operator shall keep a supply of nutritious food on hand in order to provide food to a child whose parent has not supplied:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Food for meals or snacks; or</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Sufficient food to meet the standards of the Child and Adult Care Food Program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="B.">
    <text>Hours of Operation. If a center operates:</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>4 or more consecutive hours a day, the operator shall furnish either:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>All meals and snacks; or</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Snacks; or</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>Less than 4 consecutive hours a day, the operator shall either:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Furnish food and beverages for meals or snacks, or both; or</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Make arrangements with the parent of a child to provide food and beverages for meals or snacks, or both.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="C.">
    <text>Except during approved hours of overnight care, an operator shall serve meals and snacks at intervals of not more than 3 hours according to the following schedule:</text>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="D.">
    <text>If an operator chooses not to provide meals, the operator shall make arrangements with the parent of each child to provide food for meals.</text>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="E.">
    <text>Menus. An operator shall:</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>Post in a conspicuous place a weekly planned menu of foods and beverages furnished by the center for meals and snacks; and</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>Keep a dated record of food actually served in the center, and to each child on a modified diet, on file for at least 4 weeks, correcting the planned menu if necessary.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
</regulation>