Feeding Infants in the CACFP
December 6, 2023 on Zoom
Step into the world of infant nutrition, where the act of feeding becomes one of the most complex tasks a young life embarks upon in the first year of life. You will not only gain invaluable insights but also receive a wealth of informative guides and educational resources, serving as your trusted companions in daily practice. Whether you're navigating the transition to solid foods through traditional methods or exploring the realm of baby-led weaning, our tailored sessions will be your guide. Join us and seize this exclusive opportunity to elevate your expertise and master the art of delivering nourishing meals to the most precious members of your care community, all while ensuring excellence within the CACFP.Â
Earn up to 6 Hours of CEUs
*Registration includes on-demand viewing through December 13, 2023.
$99Â Standard Registration for Members
$149 Standard Registration for Non-Members.
Late Registration after November 29 is $149 for Members and $199 for Non-Members
ScheduleÂ
*All times are listed in Eastern*
10:30 am – 11:00 am | Feeding Infants in the CACFP: Resources, Training and Regulations
11:10 am – 11:40 am | Infant Meal Pattern: What Foods Are Creditable and When?
11:50 am – 12:20 pm | Defining Developmentally Ready, Engaging Parents and Understanding Cue
12:30 pm – 1:00 pm | Get Cooking with CACFP Creditable Infant Recipes
1:10 pm – 1:40 pm | Medical Statements: Do You Really Need Them?
1:50 pm – 2:20 pm | Formulas & Breastfeeding Both Welcome
2:30 pm - 3:00 pm | Handling Food Allergens in the CACFP Infant Meal Pattern
3:10 pm – 3:40 pm | Transitioning to Solid Foods: Safe Approaches for Infant Feeding Styles
3:50 pm – 4:20 pm | CACFP Infant to Toddler Meal Patterns Quizapalooza
4:30 pm – 5:00 pm | Ask Us Anything: Infants in the CACFP
Meet Our Speakers
Jessica Bridgman, MPH, LDN, RDN, Breastfeeding Child Care Specialist, Carolina Global Breastfeeding Institute
Jessica has 5 years of experience with a CACFP State Agency, where she also coordinated a Breastfeeding-Friendly Child Care Designation. Jessica served as an external reviewer for USDA CACFP resources including Feeding Infants in the CACFP and Breastfed Babies Welcome Here! Currently she works at CGBI, with ENRICH Carolinas to improve maternity care and breastfeeding rates. She received her MPH from the University of Michigan.
Diane H. Craft, PhD, Early Childhood Physical Activity Consultant, Active Play Books
Diane has co-authored four books on developmentally appropriate, inclusive physical activity for young children including Active Play! Fun Physical Activities for Young Children. In addition, Diane has given over 240 highly-acclaimed presentations, workshops and keynotes on early childhood physical activities to audiences across the nation. She consults with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as the subject matter expert on Early Childhood Physical Activity.
Monica Griffin, MS, RD, LD, Nutrition Early Care and Education Manager, Quality Care for Children
A child nutrition expert, Monica serves as a resource on menu planning, responsive feeding practices, and Farm to ECE initiatives. Monica earned her BS in Dietetics from Michigan State University, and MS in Public Health Nutrition from Case Western Reserve University.
Veronica Howard, MPH, CACFP Specialist, Texas Education Service Center Region 4
Veronica has been a nutrition educator for the past four years and previously worked for a CACFP Head Start Sponsoring Organization, developing and implementing nutritional services for low income families.
Daina Huntley, MPH, CHES, Director of Community Activities, Carolina Global Breastfeeding Institute
Daina's work focuses on improving practices supportive of breastfeeding in environments beyond the hospital. She conducts trainings on implementation of infant feeding best practices, serves on the NC Breastfeeding-Friendly Child Care Designation application review committee, and manages online learning modules created for healthcare and child care professionals.
Lisa Mack, President & CEO, National CACFP Sponsors Association
Lisa works with the Board of Directors to develop and implement the long-term operating plan to ensure the growth and success of the National CACFP Sponsors Association. Central to that plan is managing member relationships, resource and product development, training and conference programming, and partnership development. She has a BBA from Pace University.
Isabel Ramos-Lebron, MS, RDN, LD; Nutrition Education Specialist, National CACFP Sponsors Association
Isabel develops nutrition education materials and provides informational webinars on nutrition to support stronger program operations. She has a strong background and passion in working with low-income communities of various cultures, while working on graduate research projects and working in the nonprofit, food banking environment for eight years. Isabel has an MS in Nutritional Sciences from Rutgers University.
Frequently Asked Questions
Watch for email confirmations and event access instructions in December. Add nca@cacfp.org to your safe email sender list so our communications don't get lost in your spam or junk filters.
Programming
10:30 am – 11:00 am | Feeding Infants in the CACFP: Resources, Training and Regulations
If you are caring for infants at your site, you know there are additional requirements when feeding infants which change as they move from 0-5 months of age to 6-12 months. There are also many resources! Learn how to use and reference the USDA’s Feeding Infant Guide to support your care, protocols, and participation in the food program. ~ 0.5 CEU Specialty 2
Lisa Mack, National CACFP Sponsors AssociationÂ
Veronica Howard, MPH, Texas Education Service Center Region 4
11:10 am – 11:40 am | Infant Meal Pattern: What Foods Are Creditable and When?
Do you have a mix of infants and toddlers in your care? Following two different meal patterns can be challenging since there are foods that are creditable in one and not the other. Learn how to identify creditable foods that can be served to infants while adhering to the CACFP meal pattern requirements.   ~ 0.5 CEU Specialty 1
Isabel Ramos-Lebron, MS, RDN, LD, National CACFP Sponsors AssociationÂ
11:50 am – 12:20 pm | Defining Developmentally Ready, Engaging Parents, and Understanding Cues
Coordination and muscle control are key skills infants need to be ready to eat solid foods, but what are the signs and resources you need to help you know? Having parents part of the conversation on what their baby is eating at child care can help bridge the gap between healthy eating practices at home and at child care. ~ 0.5 CEU Specialty 1
Monica Griffin, MS, RD, LD, Quality Care for Children
12:30 pm – 1:00 pm | Get Cooking with CACFP Creditable Infant Recipes
From purees to bite-sized foods, new recipes to add to your menu are always in demand. Explore infant-friendly recipes that will not only bring something exciting to the plate, but more flavors and vegetables to be explored by those in your care! ~ 0.5 CEU Specialty 2
Isabel Ramos-Lebron, MS, RDN, LD, National CACFP Sponsors AssociationÂ
1:10 pm – 1:40 pm | Medical Statements: Do You Really Need Them?
Received a special food request and not quite sure what to do? Learn about medical statements and what you need to know before serving foods that may or may not be creditable in the CACFP. ~ 0.5 CEU Specialty 2
Isabel Ramos-Lebron, MS, RDN, LD, National CACFP Sponsors AssociationÂ
1:50 pm – 2:20 pm | Formulas & Breastfeeding Both Welcome
Breastmilk and formula are both creditable in the CACFP infant meal pattern. Learn what formulas are reimbursable, how to store formula and breastmilk, and how to develop a breastfeeding friendly environment at your center or family child care home. ~ 0.5 CEU Specialty 1
Lisa Mack, National CACFP Sponsors AssociationÂ
Daina Huntley, MPH, CHES, Carolina Global Breastfeeding Institute
Jessica Bridgman, MPH, LDN, RDN, Carolina Global Breastfeeding Institute
2:30 pm - 3:00 pm | Handling Food Allergens in the CACFP Infant Meal Pattern
Food allergies can arise at any age, even in infancy! Learn the nine major food allergens, how to identify foods containing these allergens and questions you may need to ask to serve meals safely for the infant(s) in your care.  ~ 0.5 CEU Specialty 1
Isabel Ramos-Lebron, MS, RDN, LD, National CACFP Sponsors AssociationÂ
3:10 pm – 3:40 pm | Transitioning to Solid Foods: Safe Approaches for Infant Feeding Styles
The internet is abuzz with various approaches to introducing solid foods to infants, but which methods are the safest? Understand the distinctions between feeding styles, such as conventional or baby led weaning. Gain insights into how to ensure the safety of the foods you offer, implement responsive feeding practices, and prevent choking hazards. ~ 0.5 CEU Specialty 1
Monica Griffin, MS, RD, LD, Quality Care for Children
3:50 pm – 4:20 pm | CACFP Infant to Toddler Meal Patterns QuizapaloozaÂ
Maybe you are new or have been working in the CACFP for quite some time. But are you a CACFP Infant Meal Pattern Superstar? This fun, interactive session will test your knowledge in the CACFP meal patterns specific to infants and fill in the details of what you may not know!  ~ 0.5 CEU Specialty 2
Isabel Ramos-Lebron, MS, RDN, LD, National CACFP Sponsors AssociationÂ
4:30 pm – 5:00 pm | Ask Us Anything: Infants in the CACFP
Join us for an unscripted, dynamic, and real conversation focusing on feeding infants in the CACFP. Bring your CACFP infant feeding questions – you can ask us anything - and we’ll answer as many as we can. You’ve got questions, we've got answers.  ~ 0.5 CEU Specialty 2
Isabel Ramos-Lebron, MS, RDN, LD, National CACFP Sponsors AssociationÂ
Monica Griffin, MS, RD, LD, Quality Care for Children
On Demand | Movement and Fun: Learn Ways to Promote Active Play with Infants and Toddlers
Learn fun, developmentally appropriate physical activities to play with infants and toddlers in CACFP child care homes, centers and Early Head Start classrooms. Consider the many benefits of physical activity and how these activities help meet recommended best practices. View demonstrations and videos of these activities so you can apply these ideas in your own trainings.  ~ 1 CEU Specialty 1
Diane H. Craft, PhD