The reason the IRS does not require food receipts is because in 2003 I lobbied the IRS to adopt the standard meal allowance rule and they wrote a Revenue Procedure to allow this. I argued that saving food receipts was burdensome and not very accurate. The IRS estimated that it saves providers a vast number hours of paperwork each year.

If you use the standard meal allowance rule you can't claim the actual cost of some meals. It's all one way or the other. If you serve a treat, count this as a snack ($.66 in 2010).

Glad you like my new blog!

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