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Five Valentine’s Day Ideas for CACFP Providers

February 13, 2023

Valentines Day Blog Post Interior

It’s customary to hand out Valentine’s Day cards to those we care about. Here’s our Valentine note for you!  

While Valentine’s Day may be synonymous with candy for many, it’s also a day to simply celebrate friendships and family. In fact, we’ve seen the best expressions of love in the artwork CACFP providers have shared with us or posted online. 

Wondering how to shift the focus in your home or center? Choose one of these fun ideas or do them all! Have fun in showing those your care how much they matter to you through these activities and the healthy foods you serve. 

1. Love Your Heart (Nutrition Education)

One of the most important hearts is the one we have in our bodies! Let's show our hearts some love by feeding healthy foods like whole grains, fruits, vegetables, milk and lean meat/meat alternates. Get some more fun tips to eat healthy and keep children moving to build a strong body with this fun handout! 

2. Crafting with Love 

There are hundreds of different crafts you can find online for little fingers for Valentine's Day! Here’s one of our favorites that is simple and requires paint, cardstock, and a blank canvas for each child.  

Have children tape a cardstock heart to a blank canvas. If they are old enough, they can even trace and cut the heart from cardstock too once you have drawn the outline. 

Then, have the children use stick sponges to stamp pinks, reds, and whites around the outside of the paper heart. Once dry, remove the paper heart for a heart-warming work of art!

Crafting with Love

3. Activity Pages

There are so many ways to show someone you care for them. Here are a few more activities that you can incorporate in your child care center or family child care home.  

 

4. CACFP Recipes

Serve berries, like strawberries and raspberries, or beets to celebrate Valentine’s day.  Not only are they healthy fruits and vegetables to eat but can easily be incorporated into many dishes. Try one or more of these fun and delicious CACFP Creditable recipes for all to enjoy!    

 

Pink Party Salad

5. MyPlate Valentine's Day Pink Party Salad

This heart-healthy recipe is a great way to say, "I love you!" For nutrition information, please visit MyPlate.gov.

Pretty in pink! Enjoy this colorful and flavorful salad at a picnic or cookout with family and friends. 

Ingredients 

  • 4 potatoes (washed and cut in half) 
  • 3 cups beets, cooked (peeled and diced) 
  • 1 cup peas, green, fresh or frozen 
  • 3 eggs, hard boiled 
  • 1 apple
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice 
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil 
  • 3 tablespoons vinegar 
  • 1 tablespoon sugar 

Directions 

  1. Wash hands with soap and water.
  2. Boil the potatoes in 2 cups of water in a deep kettle. Cover and cook over moderate heat for about 20 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.
  3. When thoroughly cool, dice potatoes and place in a big bowl.
  4. Add diced beets and mix with the potatoes.
  5. Set aside 1/4 cup of peas for garnishing and add the rest to the bowl.
  6. Save 1 egg to use as a garnish. Chop the rest and add to the bowl.
  7. Peel the skin off the apple and remove the core. Cut the apple into small pieces, place in a small bowl and sprinkle with lemon juice. Add apple to the salad.
  8. Add the vinegar, olive oil and sugar.
  9. Mix thoroughly. Chill and serve. 

Ingredients 

  • 4 papas – lavadas y cortadas por mitad 
  • 3 cups betabel, cocido – pelado y cortado en trozos 
  • 1 cup chícharos verdes – frescos o congelados 
  • 3 huevos duros 
  • 1 manzana 
  • 1 teaspoon jugo de limón 
  • 2 teaspoons aceite de oliva 
  • 3 teaspoons vinagre 
  • 1 teaspoon azúcar 

Instrucciones 

  1. Hierva las papas en 2 tazas de agua en una olla grande. Cubra y cocine a fuego moderado durante 20 minutos, hasta que las papas se suavicen. 
  2. Deje enfriar y luego córtelas en trozos y coloque en un tazón grande. 
  3. Agregue el betabel picado y mezcle con las papas. 
  4. Deje a un lado 1/4 taza de los chícharos para adornar el platillo y agregue los demás al tazón. 
  5. Guarde 1 huevo duro como adorno. Pique los demás y agregue al tazón. 
  6. Pele la manzana y saque el centro. Corte la manzana en pedazos pequeños, coloque en un plato pequeño y sobre ellas coloque el jugo de limón. Agregue la manzana a la ensalada. 
  7. Agregue el vinagre, aceite de oliva y el azúcar. 
  8. Mezcle bien. Enfríe y sirva.