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Cooking Up Local Goodness ($)

Discover how to enhance your CACFP menu planning by integrating fresh, locally sourced foods into nutritious and appealing meals. Learn smart strategies for menu development, seasonal planning, and creative ingredient swaps that make the most of local grains, meats, eggs, dairy, fruits, and vegetables.

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Sowing Success: Real Stories & Strategies in Farm to CACFP ($)

We’re bringing together voices from the field to share how Farm to CACFP works in real-world settings. Hear from a provider, sponsoring organization, and State agency as they discuss their journeys, challenges, and best practices for implementing and sustaining local food efforts. Listen to practical insights and inspiring stories to help you grow your own Farm to CACFP operation.

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Find Your Farmer: Enrich Farm to ECE Through Producer Relationships ($)

Farm to ECE enhances community access to healthy and local foods by changing food purchasing practices, elevating food and agricultural education, and strengthening local food economies. Explore the National Farm to School Network’s role in supporting ECE programs, steps for connecting with local producers for procurement and innovative approaches to food purchasing.

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Beyond Spaghetti: Explore the Pasta-bilities ($)

Pasta is more than just a pantry staple—it’s a versatile, budget-friendly ingredient that kids love and CACFP providers can use creatively across meals and snacks. We’ll explore practical strategies for preparing pasta across a variety of recipes, including how and when to cook it depending on the dish. Join us and learn the many ways you can confidently use pasta in your menus while staying aligned with CACFP guidelines.

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Super Snacks: Power Up Afterschool Supper

When the school day ends and the adventure begins, Super Snack swoops in to save the day! We will walk you through the CACFP supper meal pattern requirements and show you how to create “Super Snacks” that are both creditable and kid-approved. Learn how to build balanced, colorful and exciting meals that meet guidelines and keep children energized after school.

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NCA FY25 Advocacy Round-Up

CACFP advocacy is central to the mission of National CACFP Association (NCA) and NCA is continuously working to support and advocate for you! This year, we’ve worked to help raise awareness, expand and improve the CACFP. Your NCA membership supports these efforts. THANK YOU!

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Introducing Solid Foods to Infants

Infants’ nutritional needs evolve during their first year, and introducing solid foods is crucial in their development. Our partners at ICN provide information to help introduce solid foods smoothly. They cover recommendations for when and how to start, suggest suitable foods, highlight foods to avoid, and provide tips to reduce the risk of choking.

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Quarterly Policy Update: October 2025

In the last few months, there have been many actions by USDA, HHS, and Congress impacting Child Nutrition Programs. Keep reading to see what you’ve missed and stay up to date with CACFP policy!

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