Self Assessment Questionnaire (Saq): A Part Of Choice Creating Healthy Opportunities In Child care Environments
Settings
The Self Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) is meant to be used by child care center directors, staff, and family child care providers as a first step to help develop and implement nutrition and physical activity policy. It is designed to be brief, easy to use, understand and interpret. It is meant to be a "snap shot" of your child care environment at the moment you are answering the questions. 1. The SAQ has 35 Best Practice statements, arranged in four categories: * Nutrition: Feeding Practices * Nutrition: Food Served * Physical Ac
- 1.Parents receive written nutrition policies upon enrollment.
- A.
Already doing
- B.
Making progress in doing
- C.
Planning to do
- D.
Not planning to do
- 2.Parents are informed about what their children are eating.
- A.
Already doing
- B.
Making progress in doing
- C.
Planning to do
- D.
Not planning to do
- 3.If food is brought from home, parents are provided with guidelines.
- A.
Already doing
- B.
Making progress in doing
- C.
Planning to do
- D.
Not planning to do
- 4.Menus are posted for parents to see.
- A.
Already doing
- B.
Making progress in doing
- C.
Planning to do
- D.
Not planning to do
- 5.Meals and snacks are scheduled at regular times.
- A.
Already doing
- B.
Making progress in doing
- C.
Planning to do
- D.
Not planning to do
- 6.Portion sizes are age appropriate.
- A.
Already doing
- B.
Making progress in doing
- C.
Planning to do
- D.
Not planning to do
- 7.Mealtimes are relaxed, calm and with shared conversation.
- A.
Already doing
- B.
Making progress in doing
- C.
Planning to do
- D.
Not planning to do
- 8.Children decide which foods they will eat from the foods offered.
- A.
Already doing
- B.
Making progress in doing
- C.
Planning to do
- D.
Not planning to do
- 9.Children are not required to eat all the food on their plates.
- A.
Already doing
- B.
Making progress in doing
- C.
Planning to do
- D.
Not planning to do
- 10.Children serve themselves from serving dishes at mealtime.
- A.
Already doing
- B.
Making progress in doing
- C.
Planning to do
- D.
Not planning to do
- 11.Children with special needs have their nutrition needs taken into account.
- A.
Already doing
- B.
Making progress in doing
- C.
Planning to do
- D.
Not planning to do
- 12.Food is served in a form that young children can eat with minimum assistance and without choking.
- A.
Already doing
- B.
Making progress in doing
- C.
Planning to do
- D.
Not planning to do
- 13.Adults sit with children at mealtime.
- A.
Already doing
- B.
Making progress in doing
- C.
Planning to do
- D.
Not planning to do
- 14.Adults eat the same foods as children at mealtime.
- A.
Already doing
- B.
Making progress in doing
- C.
Planning to do
- D.
Not planning to do
- 15.Foods are served that reflect the ethnicity and cultures of all children in the center/home.
- A.
Already doing
- B.
Making progress in doing
- C.
Planning to do
- D.
Not planning to do
- 16.Special occasions and holidays are celebrated with mostly healthy foods or with non-food treats.
- A.
Already doing
- B.
Making progress in doing
- C.
Planning to do
- D.
Not planning to do
- 17.Parents are provided a supportive breastfeeding environment.
- A.
Already doing
- B.
Making progress in doing
- C.
Planning to do
- D.
Not planning to do
- 18.Water is freely available both indoors and outdoors.
- A.
Already doing
- B.
Making progress in doing
- C.
Planning to do
- D.
Not planning to do
- 19.100% fruit juice is offered:
- A.
1 time per day
- B.
2 times per day
- C.
3-4 times per day
- D.
Never
- 20.Chicken nuggets, fish sticks, hot dogs, corn dogs, bologna or other lunch meat, sausage or bacon
- A.
1 time per week
- B.
2 times per week
- C.
3-4 times per week
- D.
Never
- 21.Whole grain bread, oatmeal, whole grain cereal, brown rice, whole wheat tortillas, corn tortillas or other whole grains.
- A.
1 time per day
- B.
2 times per day
- C.
3-4 times per day
- D.
Never
- 22.Vegetables including fresh, frozen or canned
- A.
1 time per day
- B.
2 times per day
- C.
3-4 times per day
- D.
Never
- 23.Fruit, including fresh, canned in water or own juice, frozen or dried
- A.
1 time per day
- B.
2 times per day
- C.
3-4 times per day
- D.
Never
- 24.Milk served to children ages 2 years and older
- A.
Whole or regular
- B.
2% reduced fat
- C.
1% reduced fat
- D.
Skim or non-fat
- 25.Parents receive written physical activity policy upon enrollment.
- A.
Already Doing
- B.
Making Progress in Doing
- C.
Planning To Do
- D.
Not Planning To Do
Back to top