Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)– Family Day Care Home (FDCH) Infant Feeding Webinar Questions and Answers - Developmental Readiness

Oct 10, 2026

Uploaded by Blitz

A Q&A addressing Illinois CACFP Family Day Care Home (FDCH) requirements for infant solid-food introduction and meal documentation. It explains developmental readiness guidance (including the common 6-month start and variability), acceptable infant grain options, and how sponsors and providers should support and record readiness using ISBE forms when menus do not meet age-based meal patterns. It also clarifies reimbursement rules for missing components, recording practices before parental form-signing, serving-size handling, and the treatment of meals around review/visit dates.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages7

Reading Time18 min

AccessFree to download

Developmental Readiness

Infant Grains

Infant Solid Food Readiness Form

Recording Meals and Citing Missing Components

Illinois State Board of Education Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)– Family Day Care Home (FDCH) Infant Feeding Webinar Questions and Answers Developmental Readiness 1. Infants try foods gradually. How do we know when they are just beginning & when they are ready for all? According to both the American Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization, infants can begin eating solid foods at about 6 months old. By the time he or she is 7 or 8 months old, infants can eat a variety of foods from different food groups. ISBE would like to note that not every infant is developmentally ready to consume solid foods at 6 months, which is why we suggest using the proposed form to increase awareness on developmental readiness indicators. Infant Grains 2. IFIC is the only acceptable "grain" at meals. We suggest not using the word grain as that confuses the conversation. Grains acceptable for infants include iron-fortified infant cereal at breakfasts and lunches plus bread, crackers, and RTE cereal at snacks. 3. I thought the whole grain requirement is not required for infants. Whole grains are not required for infants, but may be served. Infant Solid Food Readiness Form 4. Can you please provide the Federal regulatory requirement used by ISBE to cite a sponsoring organization and participants for failing to maintain developmentally ready documentation before and after this webinar? The bottom line is that if a menu does not meet meal pattern requirements for the age of the child, then the meal is not reimbursable. If any Illinois CACFP Sponsor is resistant to demonstrating that the provider is working with the parent to determine solid food readiness, then ISBE as a State agency has the authority to determine acceptable recordkeeping documents (7 CFR 226 . 15(e)) and may require this form as mandatory. 5. I just wanted to clarify is the documentation required starting at 6 months or 8 months? Conversations between parents and providers regarding an infant’s solid food readiness can begin at 5 months or earlier as an effort to ensure adequate communication occurs on introducing solid foods to baby. 6. Should the provider supply a copy of the Infant Solid Food Readiness Form each month with her meal claim? If you choose to use the form, submission of the Infant Solid Food Readiness Form to the sponsoring organization or state agency with monthly meal claims is not a requirement. It is requested the form be kept on file with the provider. The Sponsoring Organization may request providers submit the Infant Solid Food Readiness Form monthly. Recording Meals and Citing Missing Components 7. So until the infant can consume all three components a provider should not include any developmentally ready components except IFIF on the menu? Correct. 8. So if a 9 month old is being served all components & ISBE conducts a visit, all meals the day after the visit must be disallowed that aren't complete now-or as of 10/01? ISBE will start disallowing meals at 10/1/2019 and expects Illinois FDCH sponsoring organizations to also disallow meals beginning 10/1/2019 . 9. Why are the serving sizes 0-2 T if '0' T are not allowed? Zero serving sizes are for infants who are not developmentally ready for solid food. Once the infant is developmentally ready, they should be offered all components. 10. If a child is eating some solids, I understand from the webinar that a provider should not record ANY solids until he/she is ready for all. Is that really in the provider and the child’s best interest? I would suggest the provider should be recording all foods – even if it isnot a complete meal so there is a record of what the child has eaten. We stand by our procedure explained during the webinar – solid foods must not be recorded until the parent signs the Infant Solid Food Readiness Form. To keep a record on a daily basis of the infant’s eating habits while the baby is in the provider’s care, the Infant

FAQs

When can infants begin eating solid foods under the guidance discussed in the webinar?

The discussion states that infants can begin solid foods at about 6 months old, but not every infant is developmentally ready at 6 months. Communication with parents and readiness indicators are emphasized as infants progress into a wider variety of foods around 7 to 8 months.

What is considered an acceptable “grain” for infant meals, and why is the term “grain” avoided?

The Q&A indicates IFIC is the only acceptable “grain” at meals for infants and suggests avoiding the word “grain” because it confuses the conversation. Acceptable options include iron-fortified infant cereal for breakfasts and lunches and other specified items for snacks.

Are providers required to submit the Infant Solid Food Readiness Form monthly with meal claims?

The document states that submission of the form with monthly meal claims is not required if the form is used. Instead, the form is requested to be kept on file with the provider, though sponsoring organizations may request monthly submissions.

Oct 10, 2026

Uploaded by Blitz