Skip to content

Blog

November Virtual Events

October 30, 2023

Check out these virtual events coming up at NCA!

Read More

Meal Pattern Minute: Granola Bars

October 28, 2023

Are granola bars creditable in the CACFP?

Read More

Early Childhood Nutrition Improvement Act of 2023 

October 26, 2023

On October 26, 2023 the Early Childhood Nutrition Improvement Act was re-introduced in the House of Representatives by Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) and Congressman Marc Molinaro (R-NY). This legislation would allow providers who are open for more than 8 hours to be reimbursed for an additional meal.

Read More

Meal Pattern Minute: Sugar Limits in Breakfast Cereal

October 20, 2023

What are the sugar limits for breakfast cereals in the CACFP?

Read More

Webinar: Phrases that Help and Hinder

October 19, 2023

On November 1st, join NCA’s Nutrition Education Specialist, Isabel Ramos-Lebron as she joins experts from the National Pork Board to present this webinar that will help create healthy habits.

Read More

Preventing Peanut Allergies 

October 18, 2023

Did you know that peanuts are one of the nine major food allergens listed by the US Food and Drug Administration. The good news is most babies are not at risk of developing a peanut allergy. Those that are at high-risk of developing an allergy can reduce the risk by up to 86 percent by being introduced to peanut containing-foods early.

Read More

Additional Scholarship Recipients Announced for #NCNC24

March 22, 2024

The National CACFP Sponsors Association is excited to introduce the newest group of scholarship winners for the 2024 National Child Nutrition Conference!

Read More

Celebrate Child Care Providers Serving Nutritious Meals in Your Community

March 7, 2024

Next week is National Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) Week! Over 138,000 child and adult care providers serve nutritious meals to over 4.5 million children and adults every day with the help of 24,000 supporting institutions. Join us in celebrating throughout the week.

Read More

Upcoming Virtual Events

February 29, 2024

Check out these virtual events coming up at NCA!

Read More

100 More Scholarships!

February 7, 2024

100 More Scholarships! February 7, 2024 While we have already awarded 15 scholarships to attend the National Child Nutrition Conference, April 22-26, we are thrilled to announce that we’re opening up applications for even more scholarships! We’ll be giving away up to 100 scholarships, which is over $50,000 dedicated to enhancing educational opportunities for the…

Read More

Upcoming Virtual Events

February 1, 2024

Check out these virtual events coming up at NCA!

Read More

Scholarship Recipients Announced for #NCNC24

January 30, 2024

Seven in-person and eight virtual scholarships have been awarded from the National CACFP Sponsors Association (NCA) for the 2024 National Child Nutrition Conference.

Read More

WIC Food Package Final Rule

April 9, 2024

USDA released a final rule that revises regulations to align the WIC food packages with the current Dietary Guidelines for Americans and to reflect recommendations from the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine while promoting nutrition security and equity and considering program administration.

Read More

April Policy Update

April 4, 2024

Since our last policy updated, there has been new legislation introduced, a proposed rule for serious deficiency released, as well as federal and state recognition of the CACFP. There have also been multiple pieces of USDA guidance and FRAC research published regarding the CACFP.

Read More

Ending Hunger One Afterschool Meal at a Time with the CACFP

April 3, 2024

Over 20 million children leave school each day unsure if they will have supper at home. There’s help for that. Afterschool programs can take advantage of the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), offered by the USDA,

Read More

Senate Partner Bill: Early Childhood Nutrition Improvement Act 

March 20, 2024

On March 20, 2023, the Early Childhood Nutrition Improvement Act was introduced in the Senate by Senator Bob Casey (PA) This legislation would allow providers who are open for more than 8 hours to be reimbursed for an additional meal.

Read More

CACFP Week Proclaimed in Seventeen States and Recognized in Congress

March 18, 2024

This year, National CACFP Week was formally recognized at federal and state levels. 17 Governors proclaimed CACFP week in their state and a resolution was introduced in the congressional House of Representatives and the Senate.

Read More

State Agency Review Requirements 

February 26, 2024

USDA released a memo that provides additional information regarding the provisions related to the frequency and number of reviews for State Agencies monitoring the CACFP.

Read More

More Native Foods Added to the Food Buying Guide

September 6, 2023

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

We’re Expanding Our Spanish-Language Resources!

August 2, 2023

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

Program Comparison Chart: CACFP At-Risk Afterschool and SFSP

June 21, 2023

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 Support as Covid-19 Flexibilities Come to an End

June 16, 2023

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

New Feature Available on the Exhibit A Grains Tool

March 22, 2023

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

New Factsheet for ECE Providers from the CDC

March 16, 2023

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

Meal Pattern Minute: Family Style Dining

April 12, 2024

What is family style dining in the CACFP?

Read More

Meal Pattern Minute: Shelf-Stable Yogurt

April 5, 2024

Is shelf-stable yogurt reimbursable in the CACFP?

Read More

Meal Pattern Minute: Quiche

March 29, 2024

What is needed to serve quiche as part of a reimbursable meal?

Read More

Meal Pattern Minute: Soy Milk Beverages

March 22, 2024

Are all soy beverages creditable in the CACFP?

Read More

Meal Pattern Minute: Cheese Products

March 8, 2024

What is a cheese product, and is it creditable?

Read More

Meal Pattern Minute: Disability-Accommodated Food from Home

March 1, 2024

If a parent of a child with a disability provides all food components for a meal, can the provider be reimbursed for the meal?

Read More

More Native Foods Added to the Food Buying Guide

September 6, 2023

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

We’re Expanding Our Spanish-Language Resources!

August 2, 2023

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

Program Comparison Chart: CACFP At-Risk Afterschool and SFSP

June 21, 2023

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 Support as Covid-19 Flexibilities Come to an End

June 16, 2023

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

New Feature Available on the Exhibit A Grains Tool

March 22, 2023

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

New Factsheet for ECE Providers from the CDC

March 16, 2023

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

Leveraging CACFP for Farm to ECE

February 5, 2024

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.

Read More

CACFP Indicator for State-Level Obesity Prevention

December 19, 2023

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.

Read More

CACFP Important Factor for Obesity Prevention

December 6, 2023

The University of Colorado College of Nursing published their 2022 Annual Report on Achieving a State of Healthy Weight. The report determines how state regulations support obesity prevention in licensed ECE programs. It also highlights state successes and identifies opportunities for ECE regulations to improve support of obesity prevention in young children.

Read More

State Agency Perspectives on Administering the CACFP

December 4, 2023

A study was published in October 2023 by the UConn Rudd Center for Food Policy and Health to explore federal and state policies and practices that support or discourage CACFP participation among child care centers. The report approaches: program outreach and administration, barriers that make CACFP participation challenging, and recommendations to expand access to CACFP for eligible providers.

Read More

Untapped Potential: License-Exempt Home-Based Child care Providers

November 29, 2023

A study was published in October 2023 by the Urban Institute to identify major gaps in the CACFP’s coverage and ability to reach children. The study specifically focused on CACFP eligibility for small home-based child care providers who are legally exempt from their state’s child care licensing requirements.

Read More

Afterschool Supper Participation Decreased from 2021 to 2022

November 27, 2023

A report by the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) found that while participation in afterschool supper remained steady throughout the pandemic, there has been a 23% decrease in participation between October 2021 and October 2022.

Read More

Sponsor Spotlight: Kate Abernathy of Providers Choice

April 15, 2024

Kate Abernathy is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Providers Choice which is a state-wide sponsoring organization of 3,000 family child care homes and 90 centers in Minnesota. Hear from Kate!

Read More

Sponsor Spotlight: Rache Cross of Caring People Alliance

March 26, 2024

Rache Cross is the Senior Director of CACFP at Caring People Alliance which sponsors family child care homes, child care centers, and At-Risk Afterschool sites in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Read More

Celebrate Child Care Providers Serving Nutritious Meals in Your Community

March 7, 2024

Next week is National Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) Week! Over 138,000 child and adult care providers serve nutritious meals to over 4.5 million children and adults every day with the help of 24,000 supporting institutions. Join us in celebrating throughout the week.

Read More

Sponsor Spotlight: Alix Pasillas of Food For Kids, Inc.

March 5, 2024

Alix Pasillas is the Executive Director of Food For Kids, Inc. which sponsors 137 child care centers, family child care homes, and adult care centers across Nevada. Learn why Alix thinks Food For Kids is a successful sponsor.

Read More

Sponsor Spotlight: Blake Stanford of Southwest Human Development Services

February 26, 2024

Blake Stanford is the President of Southwest Human Development Services which serves over 850 family child care homes across Texas. Learn why Blake thinks Southwest Human Development Services is a successful sponsor.

Read More

Sponsor Spotlight: Laura McCabe of KidCare Nutrition Sponsor

February 19, 2024

Laura McCabe is the Director of KidCare Nutrition Sponsor which sponsors about 115 family child care homes in northeastern Colorado. Learn why she thinks KidCare is a successful sponsor and get tips that might be helpful to you.

Read More