This food manual for small Idaho residential child care institutions with 10-15 students and no full-time cook, is designed to help directors serve meals that promote healthy eating behavior in their residents, serve meals that meet the USDA's Healthy School Meals Initiative, and manage the food service to assure the fiscal integrity of the National School Lunch and School Breakfast programs. Chapters address: (1) 1996 changes in meal requirements and menu planning methods and how to meet the nutritional standards; (2) meal planning; (3) food preparation and purchasing; (4) meal service; (5) records and reports; (6) program requirements and regulations; (7) food safety; (8) preparing for a state review; and (9) meal patterns. Appendices include information on the 1995 dietary guidelines for Americans; planning school and child care meals using the food guide pyramid; getting started on menu planning using NuMenus; approved software programs for nutrient analysis; foods of minimal nutritional value; inventory; meal count and edit forms; a frozen food storage guide for commodities; and menus and recipes. (CR)