PA Department of Human Services licensed child care centers can partner with NDS to receive free and reduced priced breakfast, lunch, and snack.  Participating sites are required to serve an average of 25 children each day and must have adequate kitchen equipment to properly store and prepare the meals. Non-profit centers must provide documentation of their 501(c)(3) status. A minimum of 25% of children enrolled at for-profit centers must be subsidized through ELRC or be eligible for free or reduced-price meals.

The breakfasts, lunches and snacks follow meal patterns established by the United States Department of Agriculture. Each breakfast must include a grain, fruit or vegetable and milk. Each lunch must include a meat or meat alternate, grain, milk and two fruit and vegetable servings. Each snack must be comprised of two components that may include a meat or meat alternate, grain, fruit or vegetable or milk. NDS also offers select infant formula and cereals to parents whose infants are in care at centers under NDS sponsorship.

Based on family income, the meals are available at no cost, at reduced price, or at full price. Currently, a reduced price lunch is $0.40 and a full price lunch is $1.35.  A reduced price breakfast is $0.30 and a full price breakfast is $0.60.  A reduced price snack is $0.15 and a full price snack is $0.30.

Current Child Care Menus

““My 25 years experience with The Nutritional Development Service program has been a very positive one. Even when things go wrong NDS works as a team to fix it. The staff is attentive to my concerns and they sincerely have our children’s nutrition and food safety as their top priorities.”
St. Cyprian Children's Center, Philadelphia, PA

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For more information about federal Child Care Meals programs, visit the USDA website.

Click here for the USDA Nondiscrimination Statement


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