April 28, 2003

Reimbursement of Infant Meals in the Child Nutrition Programs

Regional Director
Child Nutrition Programs
All Regions

The child nutrition programs reimburse child care centers, family day care homes, emergency shelters, schools, and residential child care institutions for the costs of serving nutritious meals--including the costs of preparation and clean up of meals--to infants. We are revising program policy to recognize the non-food related cost of serving infants by allowing reimbursement for meals containing only infant formula, whether supplied by the caregiver or by the parent.

Please advise your State agencies that reimbursable meals for infants may contain either breastmilk or iron-fortified infant formula, or both, supplied by the caregiver or by the parent. However, to receive reimbursement, the caregiver must always offer the infant a complete, developmentally appropriate meal. Because we are recognizing the labor involved in serving meals to infants, the meal must be served and fed to the infant by the caregiver.

If you have additional questions about the reimbursement of infant meals, please contact Keith Churchill or Susan Ponemon.

STANLEY C. GARNETT
Director
Child Nutrition Division

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