The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) is a federal nutrition program through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) that plays a key role in improving access to nutritious meals, promoting food security, and elevating the quality of child care. For decades, the CACFP has supported families and caregivers by ensuring that children receive balanced, nutrient-rich meals in safe and nurturing environments. Investing in the food program means investing in healthier, happier futures for children and families.
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Check out these virtual events coming up this month at NCA!
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On January 27, President Trump’s office issued a memorandum based on his executive orders which calls for temporarily pausing federal funding. This has caused concern to many programs and people, including those in our community.
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National CACFP Week will be here before you know it! This year March 16-22 marks this national education campaign designed to raise awareness of the CACFP and its contribution to combating hunger. Ask Your Governor to Proclaim March 16-22, 2025 as National CACFP Week!
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The end of 2024 brought many changes and updates for the CACFP. USDA announced funding for child care to purchase local, released two requests for information, released seven pieces of guidance, published two studies.
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Is there a sugar limit when serving flavored milk to ages 6 and older?
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Check out these virtual events coming up this month at NCA!
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Here are seven ways for you to celebrate with the CACFP community.
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Check out these virtual events coming up this month at NCA!
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In April, over 50 Industry and nonprofit organizations will feature their resources at the 2025 National Child Nutrition Conference in Dallas. Their commitment and contributions are central to the conference’s mission of fostering innovation, education and networking among over 2,000 attending professionals and stakeholders in the USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) and SUN MEALS (Summer Food Service Program).
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Check out these virtual events coming up this month at NCA!
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The National CACFP Association (NCA) is pleased to announce the continuation of its annual scholarship program for the 2025 National Child Nutrition Conference (NCNC) in Dallas, Texas.
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On January 27, President Trump’s office issued a memorandum based on his executive orders which calls for temporarily pausing federal funding. This has caused concern to many programs and people, including those in our community.
Read More
National CACFP Week will be here before you know it! This year March 16-22 marks this national education campaign designed to raise awareness of the CACFP and its contribution to combating hunger. Ask Your Governor to Proclaim March 16-22, 2025 as National CACFP Week!
Read More
The end of 2024 brought many changes and updates for the CACFP. USDA announced funding for child care to purchase local, released two requests for information, released seven pieces of guidance, published two studies.
Read More
A new congress means there is an opportunity to push new priorities forward. Let your Representatives and Senators know that child nutrition is a priority for their constituents.
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The USDA has released the SFSP reimbursement rates for 2025.
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This memo is the third set of questions and answers on the rural non-congregate summer meals option. The following operational topics are addressed in this guidance: Meal Service and Meal Quality; Civil Rights Requirements; Monitoring and Program Integrity; and General/Miscellaneous.
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The Child and Adult Care Food Program has new creditable foods listed on the USDA Food Buying Guide! If you are new to the FBG, this interactive tool allows for easy display, search, and navigation of food yield information. In addition, users can compare yield information, create a favorite foods list, and access tools, such as the Recipe Analysis Workbook (RAW) and the Product Formulation Statement Workbook.
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The Child and Adult Care Food Program community asked for more Spanish resources to be available on the National CACFP Sponsors Association website and we heard you! Available now in Spanish are more resources to help sponsors and providers with meal pattern requirements, best practices, and so much more!
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Serving meals to young people year-round benefits children, families, and care providers. To do this, many providers transition from operating the USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) At-Risk Afterschool (ARAS) during the school year to the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) while school is out. For an overview of the main differences between SFSP and CACFP ARAS, see the comparison chart below.
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NCA understands that the end of flexibilities will cause challenges for many CACFP sponsors and providers and we commend your continued commitment to providing nutritious meals and snacks to the children or adults in your care. In preparation for the end of the additional reimbursement, we have collected the following resources to help you successfully provide meals even if your available budget decreases.
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The Exhibit A Grains Tool has a new feature that allows users to select their Program and Meal to filter the search results to only creditable grain items for their specific Program.
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CDC created three new fact sheets for Early Care and Education (ECE) providers about Early Child Nutrition and Feeding. The fact sheets offer tips and best practices for supporting breastfeeding families, information about safe storage and handling of breastmilk, and strategies for introducing solid foods.
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Is there a sugar limit when serving flavored milk to ages 6 and older?
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Can second servings be reimbursed for at-risk afterschool programs?
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How many CACFP meal types can be reimbursed when serving at-risk afterschool programs?
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Can zucchini bread credit towards the vegetable component?
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Is apple cider juice creditable in the CACFP?
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Are brown rice noodles creditable in the CACFP?
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The Child and Adult Care Food Program has new creditable foods listed on the USDA Food Buying Guide! If you are new to the FBG, this interactive tool allows for easy display, search, and navigation of food yield information. In addition, users can compare yield information, create a favorite foods list, and access tools, such as the Recipe Analysis Workbook (RAW) and the Product Formulation Statement Workbook.
Read More
The Child and Adult Care Food Program community asked for more Spanish resources to be available on the National CACFP Sponsors Association website and we heard you! Available now in Spanish are more resources to help sponsors and providers with meal pattern requirements, best practices, and so much more!
Read More
Serving meals to young people year-round benefits children, families, and care providers. To do this, many providers transition from operating the USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) At-Risk Afterschool (ARAS) during the school year to the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) while school is out. For an overview of the main differences between SFSP and CACFP ARAS, see the comparison chart below.
Read More
NCA understands that the end of flexibilities will cause challenges for many CACFP sponsors and providers and we commend your continued commitment to providing nutritious meals and snacks to the children or adults in your care. In preparation for the end of the additional reimbursement, we have collected the following resources to help you successfully provide meals even if your available budget decreases.
Read More
The Exhibit A Grains Tool has a new feature that allows users to select their Program and Meal to filter the search results to only creditable grain items for their specific Program.
Read More
CDC created three new fact sheets for Early Care and Education (ECE) providers about Early Child Nutrition and Feeding. The fact sheets offer tips and best practices for supporting breastfeeding families, information about safe storage and handling of breastmilk, and strategies for introducing solid foods.
Read More
A report published in the Journal of Public Health Management & Practice examined changes in nutrition and physical activity-related best practices in ECE settings in Illinois from 2019 as compared to 2022.
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The “USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) Family Day Care Home Participation Study” focuses on current and former CACFP participants among FDCH providers. These providers serve a critical need within the child care system, frequently offering longer hours of care (often at a lower cost) than other types of providers to children in their own communities and neighborhoods. This study is the first national study to ask former providers why they left. The study spans 2019–2023, which coincides with the COVID-19 public health emergency, so it provides a unique look at FDCHs during that time.
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The “USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program Participation Among U.S. Childcare Providers” examines the characteristics of childcare centers and day care home providers by whether they participated in CACFP or not.
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Across the nation, racial inequities have impacted access to federal nutrition programs for people of color. The report by D.C. Hunger Solutions aims to address how racial inequities contribute to hunger and poverty among residents of color in the District of Columbia and to lack of access to federal nutrition programs.
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When combined, the CACFP and Farm to Early Care Education (Farm to ECE) activities can have an extraordinary impact on children, child care providers, and local communities. FRAC’s report aims to support child care providers to access CACFP and utilize it for eligible Farm to ECE activities by highlighting the mutually beneficial synergy between these initiatives.
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The CACFP is an indicator for state-level obesity prevention. The inclusion of the CACFP as an indicator for obesity-prevention shows that the CACFP is an important, recognized factor for proper development in the earliest stages of life.
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Most people think food banks only provide food boxes for those in need. However, food banks do so much more and may also sponsor one or more federal nutrition programs, such as the CACFP. While most CACFP sponsoring organizations are only responsible for the administration and oversight of the program at their sponsored sites, food banks often provide the meals for their sponsored sites as well. The Central Texas Food Bank (CTFB) is a great example.
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The Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs (CTWS) is a sponsor of the CACFP for their early childhood education center that operates a day care program for infants to children aged 3, as well as a Head start program for 3 to 5 year old children. Read about how they operate the CACFP!
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Leah Penna is the President and Founder of FP Assistance, a sponsor of unaffiliated centers and afterschool sites across the state of Texas. Hear from Leah!
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The CACFP is operated any many different settings, including child care, adult care, and emergency shelters. The CACFP also has an At-Risk Afterschool (ARAS) component that allows sites to serve children and teenagers 18 and under up to one snack and a supper. Not only are eligible sites able to serve meals after the school day, but they can also provide a meal and snack on weekends and during school closures.
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Congressman Marc Molinaro visited Jessica’s Daycare in his home district (NY-19) to witness child care and the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) firsthand.
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Hear from three outstanding CACFP sponsoring organizations about the work that they do with CACFP providers to ensure the children and adults in their care receive nutritious meals.
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