Child-care centers, health officials butt heads over school food


KVOA.com - Tucson,AZ,USA

TUCSON, Ariz. Child-care centers that don't have licensed, commercial-grade kitchens are being cited by state regulators for not sticking to prepackaged foods.

State health inspectors say the rules are aimed at reducing the risk of food contamination. But some child-care centers say they're just trying to feed children healthy food.One Tucson center was cited recently for slicing fresh peaches as a snack for preschool students.A center in Vail was cited for serving children mini-bagels with cheese, and little pizzas made with English muffins.


Comment: A state licensed kitchen is not a hard thing to do. It's time consuming but anyone who knows how to cook can do it. Depriving a child of "sliced peaches" is a crime. Prepackaged food for the most part is junk and has little if any nutritional value. Cooking for children should be an absolute given in early childhood and it should be a pleasure.