Child-care facilities that participate in the federally assisted Child and Adult Care Food Program are required to follow meal patterns that meet the nutrient needs for child growth and development. The purpose of this research is to use the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Nutrient Analysis Protocols to evaluate child-care menus in order to demonstrate their ease of use for menu planners in child-care centres. An interviewer was trained in using the USDA Nutrient Analysis Protocols to assess the menus at five child-care centres recruited for the pilot study. This paper concluded that the USDA Nutrient Analysis Protocols were fairly adaptable for use in child-care facilities. This article can be useful in demonstrating to menu planners that the USDA Nutrient Analysis Protocols are easy to use and provide a site-by-site comparison to ensure programme compliance with Dietary Reference Intakes for young children.