Thursday, November 19

11:00 am – 11:15 am | Ready, Set, Learn: Meal Pattern in Practice Welcome

Kick off the Meal Pattern in Practice Boot Camp with a quick welcome and tour of everything available to support your learning! Get a brief introduction to the CACFP meal pattern, explore free tools and resources, discover additional training in the NCA Learning Center and learn how to navigate the NCA website to find the guidance you need. We’ll help you get oriented, show you where to dive deeper and prepare you to make the most of every Boot Camp session. 

Presented by: Brittany Uribe, MBA, National CACFP Association 

11:30 am – 12:00 pm | Same Program, Different Plates: Understanding CACFP Meal Patterns Across All Ages

CACFP meal patterns support healthy meals at every stage of life, but requirements vary for infants, toddlers, children and adults. Compare key differences in meal components, portion sizes and age-specific requirements, and explore practical menu adjustments that help ensure compliance while meeting participants' nutritional needs. 

1. Compare CACFP meal pattern requirements for infants, toddlers, children and adults, identifying key differences in meal components and age-specific requirements. 
2. Apply CACFP meal pattern requirements to adjust menus for different age groups while maintaining compliance with CACFP regulations. 

Presented by: Isabel Ramos-Lebron, MS, RDN, LD, National CACFP Association

CEU: 0.5 | Specialty: 2

12:15 pm – 12:45 pm | Mix It Up: Flexible Crediting in Practice

Fruits and vegetables can be served in many forms and still be creditable in CACFP. Explore how juice, smoothies, and other fruit and vegetable options fit into the meal pattern, including how beans, peas and lentils may credit as either a vegetable or a meat alternate. Practice evaluating menu examples to uncover important crediting considerations and discover ways to add variety and flexibility while meeting CACFP requirements. 

1. Identify how different forms of fruits and vegetables credit in CACFP meals and snacks. 
2. Analyze a menu for crediting scenarios involving fruits and vegetables to determine whether meal pattern requirements are met. 

Presented by: Melinda Nguyen, MS, RDN, LD, National CACFP Association 

CEU: 0.5 | Specialty: 2

1:00 pm – 2:00 pm | What’s on the Label: A Practical Guide for CACFP Operators 

Food labels help CACFP operators identify creditable foods, support participant safety and make informed purchasing decisions. Learn how to use the Nutrition Facts label and ingredient list to evaluate packaged foods, identify added sugars and allergens, and meet CACFP requirements. Explore the evolution of food labels and where to find the information that matters most.  

1. Identify key information on the Nutrition Facts label and ingredient list that supports CACFP requirements. 
2. Interpret label information to recognize added sugars, allergen declarations and other details relevant to CACFP. 
3. Compare food products using label information to support informed purchasing decisions and healthier menu choices. 

Presented by: Isabel Ramos-Lebron, MS, RDN, LD, National CACFP Association

CEU: 1.0 | Specialty: 2

2:30 pm – 3:30 pm | Making Grains Count: From Crediting to the Menu

Knowing the grains requirements is one thing. Putting them into practice is another. Take a closer look at how to evaluate grains, identify whole grain-rich and evaluate CACFP menus for grains compliance. Explore practical ways to add variety, make informed purchasing and menu-planning decisions and confidently put grain requirements into action. Using child and infant menus as examples, practice applying CACFP grains requirements. 

1. Identify creditable grains, whole grain-rich foods and infant grain options that meet CACFP requirements. 
2. Evaluate grain products and menus for compliance with CACFP meal pattern requirements, whole grain-rich standards and cereal sugar limits. 
3. Apply CACFP grain requirements to plan compliant, nutritious menus that include appropriate grains servings and documentation. 

Presented by: Melinda Nguyen, MS, RDN, LD, National CACFP Association 

CEU: 1.0 | Specialty: 2

3:45 pm – 4:15 pm | Using Documentation to Credit Foods in CACFP

Determining whether a food credits toward the CACFP meal pattern often requires reviewing different types of documentation. Learn when to use CN Labels, Product Formulation Statements (PFS), Nutrition Facts labels, ingredient lists and the Food Buying Guide to make informed crediting decisions and support compliance. Through practical examples, you will strengthen your ability to identify the documentation needed to accurately credit foods and avoid common errors. 

1. Identify how packaging, documentation and online tools can be used to determine how foods credit toward the CACFP meal pattern. 
2. Evaluate food documentation to determine whether products meet CACFP meal pattern requirements and support accurate meal crediting. 

Presented by: Isabel Ramos-Lebron, MS, RDN, LD, National CACFP Association

CEU: 0.5 | Specialty: 1

4:30 pm – 5:00 pm | Ask Us Anything: CACFP Meal Pattern

Have questions about CACFP meal patterns? Let’s wrap up the Boot Camp by getting them answered! Bring your questions for a live Q&A covering the topics explored throughout the event. Learn from the questions of others and engage with our experts in a dynamic, interactive conversation designed to provide clarity and help you confidently put what you’ve learned into practice. 

1. Clarify CACFP meal pattern requirements and best practices. 
2. Apply expert guidance to common meal pattern questions and real-world scenarios. 

Presented by:

Melinda Nguyen, MS, RDN, LD, National CACFP Association 

Isabel Ramos-Lebron, MS, RDN, LD, National CACFP Association

Moderated by: Brittany Uribe, MBA, National CACFP Association 

CEU: 0.5 | Specialty: 2