Over the past three months, USDA has released new guidance, income eligibility guidelines, an updated crediting handbook, and announced Farm to School Grantees. Read on to see what you’ve missed.
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Katie Quinlivan is the Program Director at Yours For Children, Inc. (YFCI), a CACFP sponsor of family child care homes that was founded 1985. Katie, herself, has been with YFCI for almost 30 years and follows in the footsteps of her mother and grandmother.
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Are black bean brownies creditable as a grain in the CACFP?
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Attendees enjoyed a fourth day of programming at the National Child Nutrition Conference on Thursday, April 16.
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It was another full day of programming at the Westgate in Las Vegas as workshops got into full swing at the National Child Nutrition Conference on Wednesday, April 15.
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The National CACFP Association proudly announces U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) as the recipient of the 2026 Friend of CACFP Award. This honor recognizes decision-makers who have demonstrated a strong commitment to strengthening and advancing the USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) through leadership, advocacy and meaningful legislative action.
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The National CACFP Association proudly announces U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) as the recipient of the 2026 Friend of CACFP Award. This honor recognizes decision-makers who have demonstrated a strong commitment to strengthening and advancing the USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) through leadership, advocacy and meaningful legislative action.
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NCA leaders brought the CACFP story to Las Vegas radio ahead of the 40th annual National Child Nutrition Conference.
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This March, National CACFP Week earned recognition at every level of government, from Congress to state capitals and local districts. The annual education and information campaign, sponsored by the National CACFP Association (NCA), is observed each year during the third week of March and highlights the vital role the USDA’s Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) plays in combating hunger and promoting nutrition.
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This year’s conference just got even more valuable for registered dietitians and dietetic technicians, registered. The 40th Annual National Child Nutrition Conference has been approved for 24[MN3.1][IR3.2].5 CPEUs in accordance with the Commission on Dietetic Registration’s CPEU Prior Approval Program.
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The National CACFP Association will host Provider Day, a free virtual event for child care providers, on Saturday, May 16, 2026. The event takes place during Provider Appreciation Month and during the association’s 40th anniversary year.
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Late registration is now open for the 2026 National Child Nutrition Conference (NCNC26), the largest annual gathering of professionals dedicated to supporting the Child and Adult Care Food Program and the Summer Food Service Program. Late registration will be available through March 24, 2026. The conference will take place April 13–17, 2026, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
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Over the past three months, USDA has released new guidance, income eligibility guidelines, an updated crediting handbook, and announced Farm to School Grantees. Read on to see what you’ve missed.
Read More
The National CACFP Association proudly announces U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) as the recipient of the 2026 Friend of CACFP Award. This honor recognizes decision-makers who have demonstrated a strong commitment to strengthening and advancing the USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) through leadership, advocacy and meaningful legislative action.
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CACFP ensures millions of children and thousands of older adults and adults with disabilities receive the nutritious meals they need to thrive. The program is well known for the high-quality meals it provides and the long-term benefits it has for children’s health. Less well known, but just as important, is how the health benefits of the CACFP extend beyond diet and branch into physical activity and screen time as well.
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March 12, 2026 The USDA’s Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) provides “nutritious foods that contribute to the wellness, healthy growth and development of young children.” Limiting sugar in children’s diets is an accepted recommendation within the scientific community and has appeared in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs) since the first edition in…
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The CACFP is administered as a public-private partnership between the USDA, State agencies and sponsoring organizations to ensure nutritious meals and snacks are served to children and adults in care. Learn more about the role of the sponsoring organization in maintaining federal program integrity.
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USDA released a memo outlining opportunities within current CACFP and SFSP regulations for operators to procure and use local beef in their creditable meals. The release of the memo is in response to the 2025-2030 DGA recommendation to prioritize protein foods. The memo does not make any changes to current requirements of the CACFP and SFSP; it simply outlines resources to help operators source and serve local beef.
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Behind every CACFP meal is a system of oversight designed to maintain public trust and protect the people the program serves. Sponsoring organizations ensure compliance, accountability and continued access to nutritious meals while providing ongoing technical assistance. Here are resources that explain how program integrity is upheld in the CACFP.
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Exciting news! Head Start programs have an opportunity to access one-time supplemental funds to support nutrition services and healthy eating for enrolled children and families. You can use this funding for staff training on resources and educational opportunities to help your program improve outcomes for children and families and align with USDA requirements – like 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.
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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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Are black bean brownies creditable as a grain in the CACFP?
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How are meats and meat alternates measured and credited in the CACFP?
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How are grains measured and credited in the CACFP?
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How are vegetables measured and credited in the CACFP?
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How are fruits measured and credited in the CACFP?
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How is fluid milk measured and credited in the CACFP?
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Behind every CACFP meal is a system of oversight designed to maintain public trust and protect the people the program serves. Sponsoring organizations ensure compliance, accountability and continued access to nutritious meals while providing ongoing technical assistance. Here are resources that explain how program integrity is upheld in the CACFP.
Read More
Exciting news! Head Start programs have an opportunity to access one-time supplemental funds to support nutrition services and healthy eating for enrolled children and families. You can use this funding for staff training on resources and educational opportunities to help your program improve outcomes for children and families and align with USDA requirements – like the CACFP!
Read More
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
A study published in March of 2023, examines the impact of child care on the dietary quality of young children, as well as portrays the need for a more inclusive definition of ‘child care.’ Access to high-quality care supports the academic and social development of your children and is important for all families to reduce socioeconomic disparities.
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Participate by July 14 in a nationwide survey of CACFP Sponsors and Providers being conducted by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
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In May 2023, the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) published a report focused on Child Nutrition Program (CNP) operations during the first few months of the COVID-19 pandemic, March through September 2020, including information on the nationwide waivers that FNS approved for use during that period.
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In April 2023, the Indiana University CACFP Project Team published a study on the barriers, facilitators, and potential strategies to address center-based participation in the CACFP. One of the key barriers to participation shared by study participants included the cumbersome CACFP paperwork. Facilitators to participation included supports provided by stakeholders and sponsors.
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In February 2023, the CDC released state-level data on fruit, vegetable, and sugar sweetened beverage (SSB) intake among young children. The data was collected through a 2021 national survey in which respondents were asked three questions about children aged 1–5 years regarding the frequency of consuming fruits, vegetables, and sugar-sweetened beverages during the preceding week. The report found that many young children between ages 1 and 5 years old are not eating fruits and vegetables each day and are regularly drinking SSBs.
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In December 2022, the Indiana University CACFP Project Team released a report describing the child nutrition and care provision experiences among early care and education (ECE) stakeholders, sponsors, and center directors during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study was conducted in four states and a variety of ECE stakeholders participated. The study identifies six common experiences among ECE stakeholders during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Katie Quinlivan is the Program Director at Yours For Children, Inc. (YFCI), a CACFP sponsor of family child care homes that was founded 1985. Katie, herself, has been with YFCI for almost 30 years and follows in the footsteps of her mother and grandmother.
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Rebecca Phillips is the CACFP Coordinator for Northeast Iowa Community Action Corporation (NEICAC). As a community action nonprofit, NEICAC provides services to support people through all stages of life, including CACFP. As a CACFP sponsor, NEICAC supports 35 family child care homes and 10 Head Start classrooms that serve over 700 children.
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Senta Hester is Executive Director of Our Daily Bread CACFP, a CACFP sponsoring organization in Tennessee and Kentucky. Our Daily Breads sponsored sites serve nutritious meals to 23,500 children and adults across the two states. Learn more about their work!
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Sponsor of At-Risk Afterschool, Child Care Centers and Family Child Care Homes March 23, 2026 Sloane Pittman is CEO of Child Nutrition Program (CNP), a CACFP sponsoring organization in North Carolina. Sloane is the third generation of her family to lead CNP. Sloane’s grandmother was an active advocate for women throughout the ’50s and the…
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Sponsor of Family Child Care Homes and Child Care Centers March 16, 2026 Lisa Lyons is the CACFP Director for The Planning Council, a human services organization that provides various services for children and families. Some of their programs include assistance at homeless shelters, respite for families with a special needs child and sponsorship of…
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Lutheran Services Florida sponsors 24 affiliated Head Start and Early Head Start sites, 396 family day care homes and four emergency shelters. Collectively, these programs serve nutritious meals and snacks to over 6,000 children in their care. Read more about the work of this NCA member.
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