Menu planning for childcare centres: Practices and needs

Purpose: Childcare menu planners' relevant knowledge, attitudes, and practices were determined, as were the menu planning guidelines or tools needed and the nutritional adequacy and quality of menus in licensed full-day childcare centres in Nova Scotia. Methods: An ethics committee-approved questionnaire was mailed to a stratified random sample of 101 licensed childcare centres across the province. Respondents were instructed to forward a copy of their current four-week menu for nutrient analysis and menu quality evaluation. Results: Descriptive statistical data analysis from the returned questionnaires (n = 35) indicated that fewer than 50% of the menu planners had relevant training and knowledge. Discrepancies exist between attitudes about good menu planning and practices. A positive finding was that most respondents used reliable resources for menu planning and expressed a desire for updated resources and ongoing training in child intuition/ menu planning. A number of nutrient and menu quality deficiencies were identified from the menus submitted (n=28). A significant statistical correlation was found between menu planning training and higher menu quality scores. Conclusions: The results will be relevant to nutritionists in the development of effective resources and training for childcare centre menu planners.