Celebrated neuroscientist, best-selling author and global advocate for mental health Abhijit Naskar wrote in his book When Call the People: My World My Responsibility, “The darkest night reveals the brightest light.” Without discounting the darkness brought by the COVID-19 global pandemic, we would like to use this blog post to reveal some bright opportunities for […]
On March 16, 2020 the USDA released a new version of the Crediting Handbook for the Child and Adult Care Food Program. This new version is aligned with the new meal pattern that became effective 10/1/2017. The Food Buying Guide and the Crediting Handbook are designed to work together. Think of the Food Buying Guide […]
If you choose to serve entrées that are commercially prepared, such as chicken nuggets, lasagna or fish sticks, you need to know how the product contributes to the meal pattern requirements. You have two options for documentation: The CN Label on the package Product Formulation Statement from the manufacturer Each manufacturer is allowed to make […]
My Food Program supports improvements to the USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program. There are some intriguing ideas in the Access to Healthy Foods for Young Children Act of 2019, introduced by Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA). This bill utilizes the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) to improve access to healthy, nutritious food […]
Do you need to train staff on the CACFP Meal Pattern? With all of the rules and changing regulations, it can be a bit overwhelming. Trying to gather all of the information and put it together in a clear, visual form can take a lot of staff time and effort. Luckily for you, these training […]
The USDA Food Buying Guide is like an instruction manual for building a creditable CACFP meal. It tells you exactly how much you need of exact food items to ensure that you purchase and prepare enough food. It used to be that every CACFP sponsor had a giant binder with the Food Buying Guide in […]
Exciting news! The USDA has issued a new handbook, “Feeding Infants in the Child and Adult Care Food Program”. This handbook was last updated in 2001 so it was ready for a refresh! The new handbook is double the size of the old version, up to 200 pages. It’s packed with information about the updated […]
Ever wonder what “the average” CACFP sponsor looks like? If so, your wait is over. The USDA conducted a study of CACFP sponsor and providers in FY2015 and the results were recently published. Here are some interesting take-aways from the report: There are 21,055 sponsors of child care centers and home and 178,061 […]
The USDA is seeking advice on how to credit foods for the CACFP. Does gathering CN labels drive you nuts? Is there a CACFP rule out there that doesn’t make sense? Here’s your chance to have your voice heard. Among the questions the USDA is asking are: Is it appropriate to continue to credit […]
The USDA is embarking on a new recipe project and would like the assistance of the CACFP community. USDA is looking for breakfast and snack ideas that illustrate the Child and Adult Care Food Program meal pattern that went into effect October 1, 2017. Recipes submitted for consideration should include fruits and vegetables, the use […]