Boost Your Program with Social Media
Institute of Child Nutrition (ICN)
March 10, 2025
Social media is a simple and low-cost way to share the great things happening in your program. You can post about healthy meals, celebrate staff and children, or show your involvement in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). This Mealtime Memo from our partners at ICN provides creative ideas to engage with families while promoting the high-quality work your program does every day.
Promote Your Program
Social media helps tell your story in a fun and engaging way.
- Share what makes your program special—like a garden activity, a new recipe, or a fun mealtime experience.
- Post about daily activities, menus, special events, and tips on food, health, and nutrition.
- Celebrate holidays, awareness months, and seasonal themes to keep your posts engaging and up to date.
The USDA Breastfed Babies Welcome Here! resource contains communication tools you can use to let families know that breastfed babies and breastfeeding are welcome at your child care site. It includes a mother’s guide, a poster, and a message graphic.
Highlight CACFP Participation
Being part of the CACFP shows families that your program cares about serving healthy, high-quality meals. Studies show that children in CACFP child care programs eat healthier on days they attend care.
Here are some ideas to show your commitment to healthy eating:
- Health Tips: Share nutrition tips, simple recipes, or ideas for healthy habits families can use at home.
- Success Stories: Show children trying new foods, helping in the garden, or learning about healthy eating.
- Staff Spotlights: Feature staff members and their favorite meals or fun activities with children.
- Fact of the Week: Share quick facts like “Our staff are trained in food safety” or “We buy local produce.”
- Menus: Post your weekly menu and photos of meals, table setups, or children enjoying mealtime. *
Create Engaging Content
Pictures and videos receive a lot of attention on social media. Try sharing fun moments that show your program’s environment, such as children enjoying meals. Here are more ideas for posts:
- Short clips of kitchen staff making meals
- Smiling staff serving food in classrooms
- Children eating from colorful plates with quotes about their favorite food*
Photo and Privacy Tips:
Before posting any image that includes a child, make sure:
- You have a completed and current parent or legal guardian image release form on file.
- Your posts follow your organization’s photo and privacy policies as well as any program sponsor or State agency guidelines.
- You limit sharing to private or closed groups and remind group members not to download, screenshot, or share photos outside the group.
- You consider safer alternatives, such as photos showing tiny hands helping at mealtime, children’s art or meal creations, or activity setups without visible faces.
Even a simple screenshot can allow a child’s image to circulate beyond your control—so it’s best to keep posts focused on your program’s great food, teamwork, and learning experiences, while protecting children’s privacy.
Best Tips for Social Media Success
- Be Consistent: Post on a regular schedule, like every day or week, to keep your audience interested.
- Choose Current Trends: Use trending hashtags and topics to help your posts reach more people.
- Watch Activity: Track likes, comments, and shares to learn what works best and when to post.
- Check Your Facts: Make sure everything you post or comment on is correct.
- Reply Quickly: Answer questions from followers to keep them engaged.
- Assign Roles: Give team members clear social media tasks and review posts to maintain a positive image.
For more tips and resources, read ICN’s March Mealtime Memo.