A daycare menu will depend on various factors such as the number of children being served, the age of children being served, budgets, staff, storage space, cooking space, and government regulation and funding requirements. With that in mind, we have started with some ideas for business consideration with more specific food options below.
Business Considerations
Staffing
One of the first things to consider is whether you have staff in place to prepare, serve, and plan meals for your center on a daily basis. Many schools we work with have a full time chef who places orders, manages the food budget, prepares the food, keeps track of allergen requirements, makes sure meals align with government requirements, etc. Some even have assistant kitchen staff to help prepare and serve meals.
Other facilities will require parents to bring meals and only provide snacks. Snacks can generally be served by any teaching staff. This reduces the operational cost at the center, but many families will go out of their way to find childcare where food is included in the cost.
Finally, some will opt to have catered meals brought in daily to reduce the need for a dedicated staff member. This is very convenient, but many centers will find once they reach a certain size that catered meals become more expensive than in house staff. The flexibility to plan your own menu based on season, budget, allergen requirements, etc becomes more important at larger sizes.
Budget
Closely tied in with staffing is an overall budget for food service. If you have dedicated staff there are many ways to reduce costs or reduce the labor required to prepare food. For example, buying precut canned fruit and vegetables will be less expensive and time-consuming to prepare than buying fresh produce. Fresh produce, however, is generally viewed as higher quality and more expensive. For those who want high quality and lowered prep time, we offer pre-cut fresh fruit, but it comes at a significant premium to both canned and unprepared fresh produce.
Another variable when thinking about budget and staffing is whether or not to have food delivered or have a staff member go to the store to pick it up. Smaller centers often find that having a staff member go to the store is a feasible way to save money to get food. This quickly becomes challenging as centers grow because food & milk becomes extremely heavy and bulky at the volumes needed to service a full childcare facility.
Budget can also be closely tied with government funding such as the CACFP, which will have strict requirements around whole grains, meat/meat alternatives, and added sugar limits. In order to meet the requirements for these government programs, you will likely have to purchase more expensive options such as whole grains, canned fruit in juice instead of syrup, or CN labeled items. Many centers find that paying the premium for these items to meet the government standards results in a lower food cost overall. Others find that the administrative overhead and lack of flexibility is simply not worth the funding.
Childcare Menu Planning Options
Infants Under One Year Old:
Parents generally provide either breastmilk or formula to daycare facilities at this age. This means at this stage menu planning is less of an issue than for older children.
Toddlers One to Two Years Old:
At this stage, toddlers will need soft foods with more varieties of flavor and texture than infants. Teeth are still growing in and developing, so that is a major limiting factor at this stage of menu planning.
- Breakfast:
- Oatmeal with mashed banana or pureed berries provides complex carbohydrates and natural sweetness, supporting energy and fiber needs.
- Whole milk or fortified plant-based milk ensures adequate fat and calcium for brain development and bone health.
- Lunch:
- Mashed sweet potatoes or carrots offer vitamins and minerals crucial for growth and immunity.
- Soft, finely shredded chicken or lentils provide protein necessary for muscle development.
- Avocado chunks supply healthy fats important for brain development.
- Ground turkey or tofu provides protein diversity.
- Pureed peas or steamed broccoli contribute to fiber and essential nutrients.
- Cooked and mashed quinoa adds protein and additional vitamins.
Toddlers Two to Three Years Old:
At this age children can venture deeper into the world of solid foods. Bread, tender meats and meat alternatives, and full veggies can be included here.
- Breakfast:
- Whole grain toast with nut butter offers complex carbohydrates and healthy fats for sustained energy.
- Greek yogurt with berries or diced fruit provides calcium, protein, and antioxidants.
- Lunch:
- Grilled cheese sandwich with whole grain bread supplies carbohydrates and calcium.
- Cherry tomatoes and cucumber slices offer hydration and essential vitamins.
- Sliced grapes provide natural sweetness and antioxidants.
- Baked fish or chicken strips contribute lean protein for muscle development.
- Steamed green beans or asparagus offer fiber and vitamins.
- Quinoa or brown rice provides complex carbohydrates and additional nutrients.
Children Three to Four Years Old:
- Breakfast:
- Scrambled eggs with spinach and whole grain toast offer protein, iron, and fiber for sustained energy and brain function.
- Fresh orange slices provide vitamin C and natural sweetness.
- Lunch:
- Turkey or cheese wrap with whole grain tortilla supplies protein and calcium.
- Carrot and celery sticks with hummus offer fiber and healthy fats.
- Apple slices provide a mix of vitamins and natural sweetness.
- Whole wheat pasta with tomato sauce provides complex carbohydrates and antioxidants.
- Lean ground beef or plant-based protein supports muscle development.
- Mixed vegetables like peas, corn, and bell peppers offer a variety of nutrients.
These meal choices are designed to meet the specific nutritional needs of each age group, promoting healthy growth and development. Always consider individual preferences and consult with a pediatrician for personalized guidance.
Menu Templates For Daycare Centers
You can use the templates below to generate menu ideas for your childcare center. These ideas include options which you can use to satisfy a child’s nutritional requirements around whole grains, milk & dairy, fruit & veggies, and meat & meat alternatives. Adjust the amounts in the charts depending on any government requirements, the age of children under your care, and the resources available to you.
Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | |
Breakfast & Beverage | 1/2 cup Whole Grain Cereal 4oz Orange Juice | 4oz Yogurt w/ Berries 4oz Orange Juice | 1/2 cup Whole Grain Cereal 4oz Orange Juice | 4oz Yogurt w/ Berries 4oz Orange Juice | 1/2 cup Whole Grain Cereal 4oz Orange Juice |
Morning Snack | 1/4 cup Whole Grain Goldfish | 1/4 cup Chex Mix | 4oz Diced Fruit Cup | 1/4 cup Whole Grain Goldfish | 1/4 cup Chex Mix |
Lunch & Beverage | 4oz Mac n Cheese w/ Whole Grain Pasta 4oz Milk | 4oz Hamburgers w/ Whole Grain Buns 4oz Milk | 3oz Fish Sticks 4oz Milk | 4oz Mac n Cheese w/ Whole Grain Pasta 4oz Milk | 4oz Hamburgers w/ Whole Grain Buns 4oz Milk |
Afternoon Snack | 4oz Fruit Squeeze Pouches | 1/4 Cup Whole Grain Animal Crackers | 4oz Fruit Squeeze Pouches | 1/4 Cup Whole Grain Animal Crackers | 4oz Fruit Squeeze Pouches |
Breakfast Options | Lunch Options | Snack Options | Beverage Options |
2oz Mini Muffins – Blueberry, Lemon Poppyseed, Cinnamon | 3oz Chicken Nuggets w/ Ketchup | 1/4 cup Chex Mix | 4oz Apple Juice |
1/2 cup Whole Grain Cereal | 3.5″ Hamburgers w/ Whole Grain Buns | 4oz Diced Pear Cup | 4oz Milk |
3.5oz Breakfast Burritos | 3oz Fish Sticks | 1/4 cup Whole Grain Goldfish | 4oz Orange Juice |
3oz Breakfast Wraps w/ Turkey | 3oz Peanut Butter & Jelly on Whole Grain Bread | 4oz Applesauce Cup | |
4oz Yogurt w/ Berries | 4oz Mac n Cheese w/ Whole Grain Pasta | 4oz Yogurt Cup | |
4oz WG French Toast Sticks | 3oz WG Mini Corn Dogs | 4oz Fruit Squeeze Pouches | |
4oz WG Waffles or Pancakes | 4oz Diced Chicken w/ Salad Mix | 1/4 Cup Whole Grain Animal Crackers | |
1.5oz Turkey Sausage on WG English Muffin | 3oz Turkey Dog on WG Bun | Pita Chips w/ Hummus |
Food Procurement for Daycares
Food procurement for daycare centers is often a challenging experience. Many large food delivery companies will require high order minimums each week and provide minimal customer service to smaller customers such as daycares. Daycare operators know that buying enough food to supply the daycare at the grocery store becomes time consuming and physically demanding. Dozens of gallons of milk and #10 cans will weight hundreds of pounds.
At McGregor’s Garden, we supply and deliver everything childcare facilities need to operate including paper products, milk, fresh fruits and veggies, frozen foods, canned foods, and dry food items. If you’re a childcare provider along Colorado’s Front Range, we would be happy to work with you to share ideas, products, and example menus to fit any budget or size facility you may have. We have no order minimums, supply all the products listed above and much more, and have no delivery or other hidden fees.
Fill out the form below and we will be in touch to see how we can help you!
Child Nutrition Labels
McGregor’s Garden offers a variety of products with CN labels. Many of the products listed in our example menu above have CN labels available upon request.
That being said, we recommend daycare providers refer to the official USDA website for specific up-to-date information regarding government regulations for funding, which products do and don’t qualify, and further understanding of the program.