1% or Skim Milk, only, after 24 months?

[Cat Herder]

How do you get your clients to go along with this? :confused:

My clients think it is ludicrous. ALL. OF. THEM. have asked for whole milk.

I am told (USDA Monitoring Guide, FCC Homes) that meals including it (whole milk) after age 2 are disallowed for reimbursement. If so, then the same meals would not be allowed to be counted for tax reasons (annual meal counts). Really?

I know I could have them all write a bogus medical form, or give whole milk to the kids outside of meal times, but at what point has the line been crossed? :confused: And in which direction....

[NightOwl]

Have you tried explaining the scientific reasons behind it? Kids no longer need whole milk after 2. They only need it before 2 because they require the extra fat content needed for brain development. After 2, it's just extra fat in their diets.

[MotherNature]

WIC does the same thing. Though, my son is diagnosed w/ failure to thrive b/c of his size, so he has the medical exemption for whole milk, pediasure, extra calories... I'd just print out some info & give it to all the parents. If they want whole milk, they can provide it. I had a family bring in their own raw organic milk. I'll use it if they pay for it.

[Angelsj]

I do not think that is true about tax reimbursement. We don't have to follow food program guidelines to get the tax write off for meals. Tom should probably pop in and verify, but if that is true, it is a very new rule. I have been serving whole milk my entire career and the IRS has never asked.

This is only one of many reasons I do not use the food program. I will not serve 1% milk. I only serve whole milk and I am not debating with a food rep about it constantly. As a matter of fact, this was the single issue that broke the camel's back.

[Cat Herder]

Thanks MN.

I really don't mind providing it since I use it for cooking anyway. Recipes using skim milk are lackluster at best... :::: I also provide formula so moving from that to whole milk is a huge expense reduction for me.

Basically, I don't want to loose the meal count tax write offs and I want to accommodate my clients request for their own children.

I have no over weight kids here. If I did it would make sense for that child's needs. Granted, I would add more PE instead of limiting food choice, but you get my point.

[Play Care]

I have never had a parent request I serve their over 2's whole milk.
I do keep 1% just for day care. I will only drink whole milk - I found that when I was doing 1% with dinner I would be starving within an hour of eating. Drinking a cup of whole milk helps me stay full. I still have an evening snack after my kids go to bed - But it's ONE snack, not the three or four I was having

I would caution against serving whole if you are on the FP and claiming you are serving 1% or skim. If you get caught, it's fraud. I serve milk with two meals, and only the smallest serving size. If their parents want them to have whole, they could always give them a cup before day care, one with dinner and one before bed in order to get their daily serving size in.

[melilley]

In order to get reimbursed, technically. you only have to offer a component. You could always buy the smallest container of 1% and offer the minimum amount and give whole along with it. I agree with MN though, I would have parents supply the whole milk since you are already buying the other milk.
Just an idea.

[Cat Herder]

Thanks Ladies.. lovethis I have been serving whole and 2% based on the clients request for years. I have also been filing my taxes without issue..

I am in an ECCE class and this topic came up. I am not on the food program, so I did not think that the % of milk I serve could affect my taxes (annual meal count). The instructor disagreed and had me read the entire Guide.

It is clear as mud.

[craftymissbeth]

In order to get reimbursed, technically. you only have to offer a component. You could always buy the smallest container of 1% and offer the minimum amount and give whole along with it. I agree with MN though, I would have parents supply the whole milk since you are already buying the other milk.
Just an idea.

I've only had one family ask for whole milk and I had her provide it. As far as the FP, I can't remember, but her son must have been under 2 because they said it was fine to serve whole.

I serve 1% to all of the dck's to lower food costs, but I only serve the minimum anyway. Really, a half cup of milk or so twice a day is an extremely small amount. Here I serve them the minimum and then they have unlimited water. I have kids that will fill up on milk and not eat, though.

[Cat Herder]

I have never had a parent request I serve their over 2's whole milk.

It is because of the research correlating inadequate fat intake in toddlers being directly linked to poor brain development. They want to wait until 5 for low fat milk.

Their point is valid... **the research says it (limiting fat intake) is ok after 2 but they feel this number has more to do with politics than their child's individual needs.

My clients are school admins, teachers, public safety and medical staff.

[Play Care]

It is because of the research correlating inadequate fat intake in toddlers being directly linked to poor brain development. They want to wait until 5 for low fat milk.

Their point is valid... **the research says it (limiting fat intake) is ok after 2 but they feel this number has more to do with politics than their child's individual needs.

My clients are school admins, teachers, public safety and medical staff.

Don't get me wrong, I cringe at having to serve 1%. But I also think they get so little diary here that I wouldn't be comfortable "fibbing" for two smallish servings (given the consequences...). I honestly don't think most of my parents feel their child is here long enough to make those requests, KWIM. Most of my clients are teachers, social workers, etc. Their days here are bare minimum (usually!)

[Cat Herder]

[QUOTE=Play Care;489541][QUOTE=Cat Herder;489538]

I have never had a parent request I serve their over 2's whole milk.

Don't get me wrong, I cringe at having to serve 1%. But I also think they get so little diary here that I wouldn't be comfortable "fibbing" for two smallish servings (given the consequences...). I honestly don't think most of my parents feel their child is here long enough to make those requests, KWIM. Most of my clients are teachers, social workers, etc. Their days here are bare minimum (usually!)

Oh, no. That was not how I took it. I was referring to your never having been asked. I read more to it being regional than judgement. It was interesting.

My clients average 10-11 hours a day, 4 years with me. A couple have dinner here, as well. It is a huge chunk of the kids awake time.

I really did not know I was fibbing. Is that how it will be taken even if not on the food program? I get no reimbursement, just the standard food cost/meals served write off. That is where my concern lies... I don't want to be forced to lie to meet my clients needs.

[MyAngels]

The type of milk you serve does not affect your tax write off at all. The IRS doesn't care what you serve and it doesn't have to meet CACFP guidelines to be written off at tax time.

[Blackcat31]

How do you get your clients to go along with this? :confused:

My clients think it is ludicrous. ALL. OF. THEM. have asked for whole milk.

I am told (USDA Monitoring Guide, FCC Homes) that meals including it (whole milk) after age 2 are disallowed for reimbursement. If so, then the same meals would not be allowed to be counted for tax reasons (annual meal counts). Really?

I know I could have them all write a bogus medical form, or give whole milk to the kids outside of meal times, but at what point has the line been crossed? :confused: And in which direction....

According to the info I was given by my food rep, the reason for the change at 2 is becuase by 2 most children are making up for that loss of fat (from the milk) in their diet. By 2 yrs of age, children begin having healthier eating routines and aren't as picky so the need for the fat from the whole milk is not necessary.

Also the fat required for brain development is important in the first 2 years of growth, not the first 5 or more years.

She also said like sleep needs, their caloric intake/fat requirements changes greatly after age 2 so switching to a lower fat milk at age 2 is easier and recommended to set the stage for healthy eating later. (i.e. low fat diets etc).



HTH

[Play Care]

Oh, no. That was not how I took it. I was referring to your never having been asked. I read more to it being regional than judgement. It was interesting.

My clients average 10-11 hours a day, 4 years with me. A couple have dinner here, as well. It is a huge chunk of the kids awake time.

I really did not know I was fibbing. Is that how it will be taken even if not on the food program? I get no reimbursement, just the standard food cost/meals served write off. That is where my concern lies... I don't want to be forced to lie to meet my clients needs.

Oh no, I didn't mean YOU were fibbing!! Just that for me, being on the FP and agreeing to abide by their policies and then serving whole milk because of my beliefs would be fibbing. Every month I have to sign off on the FP stating that I am following their rules and that if it's found that I'm not, there are consequences.
Some providers get hundreds of dollars each month from the FP so the FP does try to be on top of making sure the providers is doing things they way they want. I know some FP sponsers will get in touch with families to ask about attendence in dc to make sure it correlates with what the provider is claiming...I know when mine do their pop in visits they sometimes will question the kiddos to make sure I'm feeding them.