Early Childhood Center
Catering Professional
Meal Service For Kids

Providing nutritious meals to young children is a
cornerstone of their development and learning
potential. Early childhood center food service
requires careful planning, strict adherence to
dietary guidelines, and meticulous attention to
food safety protocols.
Help Feed Our Kids!

A Big Apple Full of Little Eaters.

New York City is home to a vibrant mix of early childhood programs—and no two look exactly the same. From cozy in-home daycares to buzzing school-based classrooms, every setup has its own vibe, rules, and needs. For food providers, understanding this landscape isn’t optional—it’s essential.

  • Group Child Care Centers: These are licensed spots caring for three or more kiddos under 6, outside of the home.
  • School-Based Programs: Found inside public schools or dedicated DOE buildings, serving 3–5 year olds with a focus on early education.
  • NYC Early Education Centers (NYCEECs): Community-run programs that partner with the DOE to deliver pre-K magic.
  • Family & Group Family Day Care: Home-based programs welcoming up to 8 (or 16!) children in a more intimate setting.
  • Summer Camps: Seasonal programs for kids under 16, packed with activities—and yes, they need lunch too.
Help Feed Our Kids!
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Real Food, Real Relief.

Running a childcare center is no small feat—and adding full-blown kitchen duty on top? That’s a recipe for burnout. Partnering with a professional food service isn’t just convenient—it’s a smart move that benefits everyone, from tiny eaters to the grown-ups guiding them.
Here’s what you get when the pros take the reins:

  • More Time Where It Matters: Educators get to focus on teaching, not chopping. Less time in the kitchen means more time for storytime, circle time, and all the little moments that matter.
  • No Kitchen Drama: Say goodbye to commercial equipment costs, surprise maintenance bills, and trying to figure out how to run a food-safe operation without a chef on staff.
  • Better Budgeting: With bulk buying power and smart menu planning, food costs go down while quality stays high.
  • Less Waste, More Taste: Accurate forecasting means fewer leftovers and more of what kids actually eat.

And with no need to hire and train kitchen staff, you can also skip the salary load, benefits paperwork, and HR headaches. Bottom line? You focus on kids—we’ll handle the meals.

Help Feed Our Kids!
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There’s something
for everyone

Located in the heart of Brooklyn, Healthy Heart offers meals as diverse as NYC’s population. With true NYC pride, Healthy Heart serves community members the multicultural, delicious food they grew up on and love.

  • Meals are designed by folks who actually study child development and know what growing bodies need.

  • Portion sizes and nutrient balance are built around science, not guesswork.

  • Special dietary needs? Covered. From allergies to cultural preferences, they’ve got it down to an art.

  • Providers know CACFP like the back of their hand—hello, funding eligibility!

  • They handle the paperwork, documentation, and reports so you don’t have to.

  • With experts at the helm, you stay audit-ready and subsidy-secure, without breaking a sweat.

See our process
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NYC Nutrition Rules? We Know Them Like the Back of Our Ladle.

Pre-K nutrition standards in New York City? Let’s just say… they’re not for the faint of heart. Luckily, navigating all those rules is kind of our thing.

  • We know what 3–5 year olds actually need on their plates (and how much).
  • Sweetened drinks? Not on our watch.
  • We’ve got it covered when it comes to part-day programs too—making sure little ones get one-third to one-half of their daily nutrition, even in under six hours.
  • Cultural and developmental appropriateness? Check. Allergies and dietary needs? Double check.
1

Breakfast Options

Breakfast serves as the foundation for a productive learning day. All NYC pre-k breakfast menus include three essential components: fruits, grains/meat alternatives, and milk. Every morning meal features 3/4 cup of unflavored low-fat or fat-free milk. Popular breakfast selections include:

  • Whole Milk/1% Milk
  • WGR Scooters
  • Unsweetened Applesauce
  • Nectarine
  • WW Bagel
  • WGR Muffin
  • Trans Fat Free Margarine
  • Jelly
Help Feed Our Kids!
2

Lunch Selections

Lunch menus balance nutrition with child-friendly appeal. Every lunch includes all five required food components: fruits, vegetables, grains, meat/meat alternatives, and milk. Typical options include:

  • Whole Milk/1% Milk
  • Vegetarian Lasagna
  • Sliced Turkey with Gravy
  • Hamburger
  • Chicken Parmesan
  • Fish Stick
  • Broccoli
  • Italian Blend Veggies
Help Feed Our Kids!
3

Snack Choices

Snacks play an increasingly important role in children’s diets, with today’s children consuming nearly three snacks per day compared to just one in the late 1970s. Our snack menu focuses primarily on fruits and vegetables since most children don’t consume enough of these food groups. Popular snack offerings include:

  • WGR Cheez-Its
  • WGR Muffin
  • 100% Orange Juice
  • Plain Yogurt
  • Unsweetened Applesauce
  • Graham Crackers
  • WW Bread
  • Plum
Help Feed Our Kids!
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Sample Daycare/Headstart Menu Sample School Menu

"Healthy Heart has been delivering lunch to 5 of our locations since 2015. Pam helped us create a CACFP-compliant menu that accommodates allergies and dietary preferences. Our lunch arrives on time, fresh, and warm. When something comes up or we need to make changes, Healthy Heart is always (and I mean always!) available to assist us. We highly recommend Healthy Heart!"

-Crista Jang
Administrator, Sunshine Learning Center

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