Leftover Food in After-School Program

Hello, I work as a kindergarten teacher in an after-school program. As part of the program, a cooked lunch is provided to the children. In addition to the cooked food, vegetables, fruits, and loaves of bread are also brought. Large quantities of food arrive, and the duration of the program is short, and in my opinion, it doesn't make sense for a person, especially a small child, to be able to eat so much in such a short time. Beyond the food, there is a requirement to conduct additional activities in the program, so it's not always possible to cut fruits and vegetables for the children, and in such cases, in some kindergartens, it is customary to give the children the fruits to take home, while in other kindergartens the staff takes what is left. I heard from another employee who inquired with the after-school program management and was told that leftover food can be taken by the staff, but it was not specified whether this refers to food left specifically after it was offered to the children. My question is: 1. Is it mandatory to offer all the provided food to the children? Or is it mainly important to offer the main cooked meal, and regarding the rest of the food, it is up to the staff's discretion whether there is a need to offer it to the children or not. 2. In the case that we didn't manage to distribute fruits/vegetables/bread, what is the status of the leftover food? Is it required by law to send it home with the children? (No such instruction was received from the after-school program management) I will note that keeping it for the next day and distributing it then is not relevant, as a new supply arrives every day. Thank you very much!

Hello 

In the case described in the question, there is no need to present the excess food to the children. There is also no need to send it home with them. 

The teacher is allowed to take the leftover food.