California Code § 101227(a)(6): Menu Posting Requirements

📋Type B Violation🏢Affects: Child Care Centers

ℹ️ Educational reference based on public CCLD inspection records. Not legal or compliance advice. Verify requirements with official sources. Full disclaimer →

What Is California Code § 101227(a)(6): Menu Posting Requirements?

California Code § 101227(a)(6)

Menus shall be in writing and shall be posted at least one week in advance in an area accessible for review by the child's authorized representative. Copies of the menus as served shall be dated and kept on file for at least 30 days. Menus shall be made available for review by the child's authorized representative and the Department upon request.

💬What Providers Tell Us

Based on community experience — not official guidance

Inspectors look for three things with menus: Is next week's menu posted where parents can see it? Are the menus dated? And do you have 30 days of filed copies showing what was actually served? The common trip-up is posting a planned menu but not updating it when you substitute foods. If Tuesday's menu says 'grilled chicken' but you served mac and cheese, your filed copy needs to reflect mac and cheese. Inspectors compare what's posted to what's in the kitchen. Keep a clipboard near your serving area and note substitutions the same day.

facilities cited (last 90 days)

That's 1 in 10000 facilities

counties affected

136

most common citation

📈

Increasing

Last 90 days vs. previous 90 days

3 facilities (was 2)+1 facility

Source: California CCLD inspection records | Data as of Mar 19, 2026. Updated weekly.

3 facilities were cited for this in the last 90 days.

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What Other Providers Do for Menu Posting Requirements

Common practices shared by providers. Confirm requirements with your licensing analyst.

✓ Common Practices

Maintain complete first aid kit with current supplies
Keep first aid kit easily accessible to adults
Store kit safely away from children's reach
Replace expired or used supplies promptly

❌ Common Mistakes

Posting menus in the kitchen or office instead of an area parents actually walk through. Inspectors check from the parent's perspective, and if a parent has to ask to see the menu, it's not 'accessible' enough.
Forgetting to date filed copies of served menus. Providers print weekly menus but don't write the actual dates on them, so when an inspector asks to see what was served three weeks ago, the undated stack is useless.
Not updating posted menus when food substitutions happen. You planned carrots but served green beans. The filed copy must show what children actually ate, not what you originally planned.
Tossing old menus before the 30-day window. Providers clean out files monthly and accidentally discard menus that are still within the retention period. Set a calendar reminder to purge only menus older than 30 days.

What's Being Cited in Each Region Over the Past 90 Days

Based on facility inspection reports filed with California's Community Care Licensing Division, here's how this citation appears across different regions in the past 90 days.

Tuolumne County

1 citations

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Riverside County

1 citations

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Santa Clara County

1 citations

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Data updated weekly from CCLD public records. Last update: 3/19/2026

A single Type A citation can cost $150–$500+ in civil penalties — not counting the follow-up inspection it triggers.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Answers based on public CCLD data and regulation text. May not reflect recent changes.

What is the Menu Posting and Filing Requirement?

California Code Section 101227(a)(6) requires written menus to be posted at least one week in advance in an area accessible to parents, and dated copies of menus as actually served must be kept on file for at least 30 days. The distinction between 'planned' and 'as served' is what catches most providers. If you swapped carrots for green beans, your filed copy needs to reflect green beans.

How common is this citation?

According to California CCLD inspection records as of March 15, 2026, 3 facilities have been cited for this violation in the past 90 days across 3 California counties. That's roughly 1 in 13,333 inspected facilities. Citations appeared in Riverside, Santa Clara, and Tuolumne counties, each with 1 citation. The geographic spread suggests this is a common documentation oversight rather than a targeted enforcement area.

What triggers this citation during an inspection?

Inspectors check three things: Is next week's menu posted where parents walk past it? Are the filed copies dated? And do you have 30 days of menus showing what was actually served? Based on CCLD inspection patterns, inspectors compare the posted menu to what's in the kitchen that day. They also ask to see three or four weeks of filed copies and check whether each one has a date. Undated copies or menus posted in the kitchen instead of the parent area are common triggers.

How can I prevent this citation?

Post menus where parents physically walk, not in the kitchen or office. Date every menu before filing it. Keep a clipboard near your serving area and note food substitutions the same day. Set a calendar reminder to purge menus only after 30 days. Fix this in 15 minutes: print next week's menu, date it, tape it at parent eye level near the sign-in sheet, and start a 'served menus' folder.

What should I do if I receive this citation?

Post next week's menu in the parent sign-in area immediately. Create a filing system for served menus with a date stamp on each one. If you made food substitutions, note them on the filed copy that same day. Start your 30-day file from today and maintain it going forward. Include a photo of your posted menu and your new filing system in your Plan of Correction. For complex situations, consider consulting a licensed childcare compliance specialist.

Related Violations

101227(a)(1)

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12 facilities cited (last 90 days)

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101227(a)(19)

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4 facilities cited (last 90 days)

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101427(c)

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This information is educational and does not constitute legal advice. Consult a licensed childcare compliance consultant for guidance specific to your facility. Citation data is sourced from California Community Care Licensing Division public records and is refreshed regularly.

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