Licensees when providing meals and snacks for children and youth:

(1) Must:

(a) Verify personnel are aware of each child's and youth's dietary restrictions in a manner that maintains the child's and youth's privacy; and

(b) Complete the following, except facilities caring for medically fragile children must follow WAC 110-145-3470:

(i) Serve a variety of foods to children and youth in care that balance their nutritional, cultural, and development needs with foods they enjoy;

(ii) Provide children and youth at least three meals and two snacks in each 24-hour period during the child's and youth's waking hours;

(iii) Establish and post a schedule of mealtimes;

(iv) Routinely provide an opportunity during mealtimes for socialization for children and youth;

(v) Prepare and date daily menus, including snacks, at least one week in advance; and

(vi) Keep menus for at least six months; and

(2) May:

(a) Vary from the requirements in subsection (1)(b)(ii) of this section only with:

(i) Written approval from the child's or youth's licensed health care provider; and

(ii) Notification to the child's or youth's representatives; and

(b) Serve home canned foods, if they have department-approved policies and procedures, prior to serving them and include the following:

(i) Children and youth in care participate in growing and canning the food being served; and

(ii) They follow the guidelines on proper food canning processes and preparation from the United States Department of Agriculture.