PAPERWORK BASICS

Paperwork Basics

Provider Meal Attendance Instructions:

To view a copy of the attendance sheet that matches with these instructions, click here.

Fill in the blanks requesting your provider ID number given to you by the food program, the month and year of the claim, and the number of attendance sheets you are using for this claim (e.g. 1 of 3, 2 of 3, 3 of 3 on the respective pages).
Fill in the blanks requesting your name (print), the provider's signature (the licensed provider or relative care provider must sign his/her full name), address, city, state, zip, phone number, license or relative care billing number, date, and email address if applicable.
Fill in the beginning and ending times at which you serve your meals and snacks. It is suggested that there be at least an hour and a half between the end of one meal and the beginning of the next snack. If serving meals in shifts, two meal times need to be listed. If at any time you would like to change your mealtimes, you must call our office and let us know.
The Meal Attendance Sheet provides enough spaces to record meals and snacks for six (6) different children. Use additional Attendance Sheets if claiming more than six children. Write in the FULL LEGAL NAME and AGE of each child served in the blanks provided. (Child Registration Letters must be on file with us, or if the child is new for the month you are claiming, the registration letter must be enclosed with your claim. The children's names on the Meal Attendance Sheet must correctly correspond with the Child Registration Letter.)
Directly beneath the child's name and age, boxes are provided in which to mark what meals and/or snacks he/she has received on any given date of the month (the columns 1 - 31 corresponds with the date). Clearly mark the appropriate boxes with an "X" indicating that the corresponding meal was served to that child. You may elect to claim 2 meals and 1 snack OR 2 snacks and 1 meal per day per child.
At the end of the month add all individual meals and snacks served for each child. Subtotal on the right side of the Meal Attendance Sheet.
Add each meal and snack total together to get a monthly total. Record these totals at the bottom of the page. From these figures you will be able to calculate your reimbursement.
The message box is provided for any information we may need to know about your claim. (Example: snow days, sick days, vacation days)
Please read carefully the information printed. If you have any questions regarding this information, please feel free to call the Child Care Food Program office at 1-800-742-3663 or locally at 989-695-2683.

Recording Meals and Menu Attendance:

To keep accurate records, meal attendance on the Meal Attendance Sheet can be marked in during the meal (Point of Service) or by the end of a single workday. Meal attendance can NEVER be marked in prior to the meal being served or after a single workday.
Menus can be written in before or during the meal, or at anytime throughout the workday.
If a consultant comes to visit, meal attendance and menus will need to be filled in at the time of that visit for that day only. If at the time of a visit, meal attendance and menus are not marked in for days prior to the day of the visit, no reimbursement will be allowed for the days not marked in.
However: End of the day attendance is only allowed for providers who have twelve (12) or fewer children in care on a single day. If the provider has more than 12 children, meal attendance will need to be marked in at the exact time the meal is served, never before or after. (Example: If a provider has six children present for Breakfast, six different children present for Lunch, and three different children present for PM Snack than end of the day attendance is not allowed.)
If a provider is found to be seriously deficient, meal attendance must be marked at the exact time the meal is being served, never before or after.

Shift Form:

What is a shift with the Food Program?

A shift is when you claim more than your capacity at a meal because children are coming and going.
You must always stay within your capacity during the shift.
Example: (For a provider with a capacity of six.) You serve six (6) children breakfast at 7:15 a.m. Two get on the bus for school at 7:45 a.m., and two (2) arrive at 8:00 a.m. and are served breakfast at that time. You would be able to claim eight (8) children because at no time were you over your capacity of six (6).

Filling Out A Shift Form:

Everyone who eats the meal must be listed on the shift form.
The left-hand column would be for all children in the home when the first child(ren) leaves.
The right-hand column would be for those children coming in after the child(ren) leave.
Usually, a provider can do one shift form for each meal per month. If the children's times are different each day, you will need to do one per week.
Times on the Child Registration Letter MUST match the times on the shift form. If a shift form states that two children leave at 7:45 a.m. and two children arrive at 8:00 a.m., their respective Child Registration Letters would have to state the same times.
If a child's arrival and departure times change often because of parents working different shifts, the Child Registration Letter should be filled out showing all different shifts the parents may work. A note from the parent attached to the registration letter will usually take care of this.
If a child's departure/arrival times change for just one day (maybe because a parent worked late), a note on the back of the Meal Attendance Sheet would be sufficient in letting us know.
If a time change is permanent, a new Child Registration Letter would need to be completed by the parent and submitted to our office.
Both of the meal times for a shift must be listed on the Meal Attendance Sheet.

To view an example of a completed shift form, click here.

Meal/Snack Time Guidelines:

The following are guidelines established by the Michigan Department of Education. The time span between a provider's specific meal and snack time should be within reason: it is suggested that a span of at least 1 1/2 to 2 hours between a meal and a snack.

Breakfast 6:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.

Am Snack 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

Lunch 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Pm Snack 1:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Supper 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

Evening Snack 6:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Variations to these guidelines must be justified in writing and maintained on file by Mid Michigan Child Care Food Program.

Gneral Menu Instructions:

To view an example of a menu to go along with these instructions, click here.

Start the month's menu in the first column. List the days consecutively. DO NOT start a new menu until all the columns are filled out. Each month's menus must be kept separate. Always start a new menu and Meal Attendance Sheet on the first day of the month.
When filling in each menu (breakfast, lunch, supper) on the menu, each food should correspond with the component title in the same row on the left side of the page. Example: "Apples" is the "Fruit, Vegetable or 100% Juice" and is written in the same row.
When filling in each snack on the menu, you need to choose two components listed under the snack heading and write them in the corresponding row. Both components cannot be from the same food group (i.e. - two fruits, two vegetables, or one fruit and one vegetable is not reimbursable for snack).
Every homemade meal on your menu must be marked "H.M." Dishes that combine 2 or 3 components of the meal must be homemade (put together by you) and marked "H.M." Also, any homemade combination dish you prepare that could also be purchased in boxed or packaged form or from a deli must be marked "H.M." Example: Cheese/Pepperoni H.M., Tomato Sauce, Fruit Cocktail, Crust and Milk, is the correct way to write homemade pizza on your menu.
"S.D." for side dish should be used to clarify foods that could be part of the dish served. In a combination dish, only one fruit/vegetable is creditable. Use "S.D." for a fruit/vegetable that could be part of a combination dish, but is not. This assures that only one fruit/vegetable was used in the dish. You do not have to write "S.D." by foods that are obviously not part of a combination dish. Example: Ground Beef, Lettuce/Tomato, Pickles S.D., Bun, Milk is the correct way to write Hamburgers with pickles served on the side.
List the specific food. Example: Write "Saltine Crackers" instead of "Crackers," "Grape Juice" instead of "Juice" and "Cheerios" instead of "Cereal."
Record all food/beverage substitutions on the menu served to children with allergies, or other medical conditions. A Food Substitution Form signed by a physician must be on file with the Child Care Food Program.

Record any substitutions on the menu that may occur on the actual serving day. Remember, the menu is a record of the food actually served, not planned.
At the end of the month, make sure your license number, month/year, and your signature are on each menu you are submitting. Send the white copies to our office, and keep the yellow copies for your records.
Record the menu before, during the meal, or throughout a single workday, unless more than 12 children are being claimed or the provider has been found seriously deficient.
Please review the menus to be sure meals/snacks meet requirements. If requirements are not met, the meal/snack is not reimbursable.
We suggest that you keep your menus and meal attendance sheets in an easily accessible place, such as posted in the kitchen.
At the end of the month, send the white copies of your menus and attendance sheets along with any other required forms, before the 5th of the next month, to our office. Keep the yellow copies for your records.
If you are claiming children 1-12 years of age, the Regular Menu is to be used. For children under the age of one an Infant Menu is to be used.

To view a copy of the Meal Pattern Requirements, click here.

Infant Menus:

If you are claiming infants 0 through 11 months of age, the Infant Menu is to be used. At the top left of the Infant Menu, list the complete names and birth dates of each infant you will be claiming along with what they are being served (breast milk or the type of formula).

1. Infants that are ages Birth to 8 months are only required to have formula or breast milk.

Birth through 4 months: 4 - 6 oz. of iron-fortified infant formula or breast milk at all meals and snacks.

4 - 7 months: Breakfast, Lunch, and Supper: 4 - 8 oz. of iron-fortified infant formula or breast milk. Snacks: 4 - 6 oz. of iron-fortified infant formula or breast milk.

2. If an infant is receiving additional food items earlier than 8 months (usually between 4 and 7 months), these items need to be listed on the menu as well.

Breakfast: 4 - 8 oz. iron-fortified infant formula or breast milk and 0 - 3 Tbsp. of iron-fortified dry infant cereal (optional).

Snacks: 4 - 8 oz. iron-fortified infant formula or breast milk.

Lunch/Supper: 4 - 8 oz. iron-fortified infant formula or breast milk, 0 - 3 Tbsp. iron-fortified dry infant cereal (optional), and 0 - 3 Tbsp. Fruit/Vegetable of appropriate consistency (optional).

3. At 8 months of age infants are required to have all components. The exact day the child turns 8 months is when all components need to be served and listed on the menu.

Breakfast: 6 - 8 oz. of iron-fortified infant formula or breast milk, 2 - 4 Tbsp. iron-fortified dry infant cereal, and 1 - 4 Tbsp. of Fruit/Vegetable of appropriate consistency.

Snacks: 2 - 4 fluid oz. of iron-fortified infant formula, breast milk, or full strength fruit juice. (100% juice is creditable for snack time only, at 8 months of age.)

Lunch/Supper: 6 - 8 oz. of iron-fortified infant formula or breast milk, 2 - 4 Tbsp. of iron-fortified dry infant cereal or meat/meat alternate, and 1 - 4 Tbsp. of fruit/vegetable of appropriate consistency.

No abbreviations are allowed on the infant menu. Formula and breast milk must be written out completely.
Even though infants have their own menu they still need to be listed and attendance for meals marked on the Meal Attendance Sheet.
Multiple infants can all be listed on the same infant menu. Be sure to include all information at the top of the infant menu (child's name, birth date, breast milk and/or type of formula).
The day the child turns 1 year old (his/her exact birthday) is the day they should be removed from the infant menu and placed on the regular menu.
Cereal MUST be infant, iron-fortified, dry cereal in order to be creditable. Adult cereal is not creditable for infants.
Infants must be served within the time parameters for each meal to be claimed for that meal type. Example: if a bottle were served between 6:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. the provider would claim a breakfast. A bottle between 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. would be claimed as an A.M. Snack, etc. The infant does not have to be fed at the approved meal times but within the time parameters.

To view an example of a completed infant menu, click here.

Waivers:

What is a Waiver? If you care for infants, you are required to offer all infants a complete and developmentally appropriate meal including at least one type of iron-fortified infant formula. A parent or guardian may not want their infant to receive the formula that you are providing and, instead, supply another type of infant formula. If a parent or guardian declines the formula you offer and chooses to supply another type of infant formula, they must sign a Waiver.

Who keeps the Waiver? The completed Waiver should be kept in YOUR Child and Adult Care Food Program file. DO NOT SEND IT TO MID MICHIGAN CHILD CARE FOOD PROGRAM. The waiver does not affect your claim or your reimbursement.

Why must I have Waivers? Funds received from the Child Care Food Program are federal dollars. A person who receives federal funds must provide meals to all children in their day care, without discrimination because of race, color, sex, age, disability or national origin. The Waiver proves that an infant has not been discriminated against from participation in the Child and Adult Care Food Program because of their age.

What if the parent provides breast milk? The Waiver does not need to be completed if breast milk is being supplied.

For a copy of a Waiver, click here.

How to Fill Out the Child Registration Letter:

To help parents complete the Child Registration Letter, break it down into individual components. To view an example of the Child Registration Letter that corresponds with these instructions, click here. For those providers who choose to use on-line claiming, please review the printed Enrollment Form with the parents before they sign it.

You may assist parents by writing your name and license number on the form. Parents must complete the rest of the form. Instructions for parents are printed on the back of the Child Care Food Program parent handout.
Make sure parents write their full name, phone number, address, city, state, zip and email address.
Parents write the child's first and last name.
Parents write the child's age and birth date.
The date of the first day the child is in your care.
Parents indicate if the child is a foster child.
Parents circle all the possible days the child will be in your care.
The exact time the child would arrive. A time must be written in; we cannot accept "varies."
The exact time the child would depart. Once again, write in the specific time.
Parents circle the meals the child will normally be served in your care.
If applicable, child's school information: the name of the school, the days the child attends school, the times the child leaves and returns from school and the school district name.
The parent should indicate if the child is considered "special needs."
If a family has two children enrolled, complete information for each child.
If the child lives in your home, the parent must circle "YES." If the child does not live in your home, the parent must circle "NO."
If the child is a relative, parent circles "YES." If not, parent circles "NO."
On occasion, Mid Michigan may want to use photographs of children registered with our program in a brochure, display or other marketing tools. We would need parent permission to do so. Also, if you would like to submit a picture of the child for publication in our monthly newsletter, you would need the parent's permission.
Encourage parents to complete the child's race and ethnicity portion. It ensures everyone receives benefits on a fair basis.
Parents must sign and date.

A Child Registration Letter is a form that enrolls each day care child in the Child Care Food Program. Each child must be enrolled with this form (or the online version) in order for you to receive reimbursement for the meals and snacks you serve to that child.
A Child Registration Letter must be sent for each new child with the claim they first appear on. If a child is claimed and we do not have their registration letter, that child's meals cannot be reimbursed.
It is very important that the parents fill out this form completely and accurately. The information on this form must correspond with your monthly claim. For instance, the meals you are claiming for a child must match with the times listed on their registration letter. Please be sure to review the form for accuracy and thoroughness before sending it to our office.
If any information on the child's registration letter changes, a new form will need to be submitted with the claim the change first appears on.
We must also have a Child Registration Letter on file for your own children if you qualify to claim them.

To view an example of a completed Child Registration Letter, click here.

To receive a certificate of training hours you must complete a quiz based on the material above. You are required to get all questions correct. If you do not get 100% on the quiz the first time, you may take it over again. The results of the quiz will be emailed to Mid Michigan Child Care Food Program. When we receive the results of your quiz, a certificate of training completed will pop up that you can print. A copy of the certificate will also be emailed to you.

Paperwork Basics Quiz