4.5 Meals & Nap/Rest Time

4.5.1 Meals

The Center participates in the Child Care Food Program, sponsored by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. The goals of this program are to provide nutritious and appetizing meals and snacks for children, introduce different types of foods and help teach good eating habits. We will avoid serving overly sweet items and encourage children to appreciate the natural flavors of a variety of wholesome foods. Our weekly menus will be posted for your convenience.

First Environments is a peanut-free center. If your child has a food allergy, please make sure that the staff, kitchen, and Center Director are aware of it. All food allergies must be documented, posted, and a copy of the documentation must be kept in your child’s file as well as in their classroom.

Children may bring breakfast, lunch and/or snacks from home as long as it meets state nutrition standards. First Environments complies with USDA and the Child and Adult Care Food Program nutritional requirements. All outside food must be peanut-free.

USDA Nondiscrimination Statement

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the State or local Agency that administers the program or contact USDA through the Telecommunications Relay Service at 711 (voice and TTY). Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at How to File a Program Discrimination Complaintand at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Mail Stop 9410, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: program.intake@usda.gov.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

Please bring your infant’s breast milk or water in a plastic or glass bottle. FEELC can accept glass bottles if they have a silicone sleeve. Please do not place glass breast milk bottles in the freezer. Please label all food items and bottles with your child’s first and last name and date. FEELC does not serve beef, pork, fish, hot dogs, grapes, nuts, popcorn, raw peas, hard pretzels, peanut butter, and chunks of raw carrots or meat larger than can be swallowed whole. Mini raw carrots are served to children older than 2 when teachers and parents are comfortable with the children’s chewing abilities. Staff cut/break foods into pieces no larger than ¼ inch square for infants and ½ inch squares for toddlers/twos, according to each child’s chewing and swallowing capability. The Staff will discard foods that have expired dates. All sippy cups provided from home shall be labeled with the child’s first/last name and date each day. All home sippy cups will be sent home with the child at the end of each day. All sippy cups provided by FEELC, will be labeled with each child’s name prior to every meal and/or snack served throughout the day.

Your child will receive meals and snacks depending upon the length of his/her stay at the Center. Typically, breakfast is served from 8:45-9:30 a.m., lunch from 11:45 - 12:30 p.m., and afternoon snack from 3:45-4:30 p.m. 

4.5.2 Nap/Rest Time

In the infant classrooms children nap and rest as needed. Infants are not on a schedule for nap/rest. Each infant has their own individual crib that is labeled. Infant crib mattress sheets are changed and washed at least once a day but sometimes multiple times per day depending on the infant’s needs. For ages Toddler-Pre-K, all classrooms have a scheduled nap/rest time after lunch. The times vary based on the age group. Your child’s class schedule will list the nap/rest time. Each child has their own individual labeled nap time mat. The sheets are changed and washed weekly as licensing requires. 

Last updated: 9/23/2026