Can evaporated milk be served as the fluid milk component?
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October 23, 2026 Registration is officially open for the 2027 National Child Nutrition Conference (NCNC27), the nation’s premier conference for Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) and Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) professionals. Thousands of child nutrition professionals will gather in Chicago from March 29-April 2, 2027, to learn, connect and share ideas. Attendees…
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October 21, 2026 As a sponsor, you provide training, technical assistance and ongoing support that help providers succeed. The guidance your team provides, along with the help managing paperwork and claims, allows them to focus on the children and adults in their care. When you reach out to prospective providers, does that value come through? …
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Nebraska advocates have shown what is possible when providers, state leaders, and advocates come together around a shared goal. In a major win for the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), the Nebraska Legislature unanimously passed LR296, a resolution urging Congress to eliminate CACFP tiering and provide additional reimbursement for all family child care providers.
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USDA issued guidance encouraging State agencies to strengthen their review of organizations seeking to participate in the CACFP. The memorandum emphasizes thorough screening, documentation, and oversight during the application process to prevent fraud, waste, and program abuse while ensuring that only qualified organizations are approved to operate the Program.
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October 19, 2026 The National CACFP Association (NCA) is proud to continue its annual scholarship program for the 2027 National Child Nutrition Conference (NCNC), taking place March 29-April 2, 2027, in Chicago, Illinois. Each year, NCA awards scholarships to Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) professionals who are dedicated to improving access to nutritious…
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October 19, 2026 The National CACFP Association (NCA) is proud to continue its annual scholarship program for the 2027 National Child Nutrition Conference (NCNC), taking place March 29-April 2, 2027, in Chicago, Illinois. Each year, NCA awards scholarships to Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) professionals who are dedicated to improving access to nutritious…
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October 15, 2026 Registration is officially open for the 2027 National Child Nutrition Conference (NCNC27), happening March 29-April 2, 2027, in Chicago. Attendees can now take advantage of the lowest registration rate through December 1, 2026. This year’s theme, Fresh Ideas, Shared Purpose, celebrates what brings the child nutrition community together: a shared commitment to…
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The National CACFP Association (NCA) will celebrate Farm to CACFP Week from October 18–24, 2026, an annual education campaign encouraging child and adult care providers to connect the foods they serve with local agriculture, producers and their communities.
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Each year, the National CACFP Association celebrates Farm to CACFP Week, a national campaign that highlights the many ways child and adult care programs can connect local food, gardening, and agriculture education with the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). Through these efforts, providers can strengthen community food systems while helping participants build lifelong healthy habits.
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The National CACFP Association (NCA) believes that education and training should be within reach for everyone who serves children and adults in their care. That commitment is why NCA is awarding 92 scholarships to the 2026 CACFP Virtual Summit, providing recipients with free participation in four days of expert-led sessions and connection with peers from across the field.
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https://www.einpresswire.com/article/918726319/national-cacfp-association-opens-call-for-presentations-at-2027-national-child-nutrition-conference-in-chicago
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Nebraska advocates have shown what is possible when providers, state leaders, and advocates come together around a shared goal. In a major win for the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), the Nebraska Legislature unanimously passed LR296, a resolution urging Congress to eliminate CACFP tiering and provide additional reimbursement for all family child care providers.
Read More
USDA issued guidance encouraging State agencies to strengthen their review of organizations seeking to participate in the CACFP. The memorandum emphasizes thorough screening, documentation, and oversight during the application process to prevent fraud, waste, and program abuse while ensuring that only qualified organizations are approved to operate the Program.
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Over the past few months, USDA has released new policies, HHS as proposed changes to Head Start, and Congress has introduced new legislation. Keep reading to see what you’ve missed and stay up to date with CACFP policy!
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USDA announced that the CACFP and SFSP Area Eligibility Mapper has been updated for fiscal year 2027. Area eligibility is used to determine the tier of family child care homes in the CACFP, as well as the eligibility of CACFP At-Risk Afterschool sites and SFSP summer site.
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Over the past year, NCA has worked alongside advocates across the country to elevate the voices of CACFP operators, influence federal policy, engage in regulatory processes, and raise awareness of the program’s impact. From Capitol Hill to federal agencies, these efforts have helped ensure decision-makers understand both the opportunities and challenges facing the CACFP community.
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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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Can evaporated milk be served as the fluid milk component?
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Is breastfeeding by a parent on-site creditable in the CACFP?
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Are water chestnuts creditable as a vegetable?
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Is ravioli creditable in the CACFP?
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Is A2 milk creditable in the CACFP?
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Is 100% full-strength gelled juice creditable 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 recent study by our partners at Child Care Aware® of America reveals that parents across the nation are struggling to find affordable, high-quality child care. The survey shows that parents are piecing together multiple care arrangements and facing challenges balancing work and caregiving.
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The CDC’s 2025 Early Childhood Nutrition Report gives us a big-picture look at how young children in the U.S. are eating and growing. It focuses on kids from birth to age 5 and shares important facts about breastfeeding, starting solid foods, eating healthy and how states support good nutrition.
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The “Characteristics of Emergency Shelters Participating in the CACFP” study by USDA seeks to better understand the characteristics of CACFP emergency shelters, who they serve, how CACFP fits into their operations, and their challenges with CACFP. The study was conducted in 2023 and collected data from 242 emergency shelters that participate in CACFP in Fiscal Year 2023.
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A survey was administered in the spring of 2023 of licensed California family child care homes (FCCH) to assess the perceived impacts of the increased reimbursement during the Covid-19 pandemic on CACFP participation and anticipated challenges with reinstated tiered rates.
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The USDA recently released a study on the “Characteristics of Adult Day Care Centers that Participate in the USDA’s Child and Adult Care Food Program” which seeks to better understand key characteristics of adult day care centers participating in CACFP.
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USDA released a survey report focused on SFSP and SSO sponsors who operated the non-congregate meal service option in qualifying rural areas in summer 2023.
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As Health and Nutrition Specialist for the Navajo Nation Tribal Government Head Start, Anglene Joe helps ensure that children across one of the largest tribal nations in the United States have access to healthy meals, cultural connections and the foundation they need to thrive.
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For more than five decades, 4C for Children has been a cornerstone of support for child care providers and families across southeastern Wisconsin. Among their services is the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), where 4C for Children sponsors 311 family child care homes that collectively serve nearly 4,000 children and provide more than 853,000 meals each year.
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For more than four decades, Darcie Decker has helped shape the nutrition programs at Youth & Family Services (YFS) in Rapid City, South Dakota. As Nutrition Director, Darcie oversees both the organization’s on-site meal programs and its Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) sponsorship of family child care homes across much of western South Dakota.
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For nearly three decades, Pat Siergiey has dedicated her career to supporting child care providers and ensuring children across Vermont have access to nutritious meals through the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). Read about what her organization is doing to uplift the CACFP.
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Sponsor of Family Child Care Homes September 8, 2026 Karen Velasco and Anabel Tejada have built their careers at Child Care Network of New York from the ground up. Today, they help lead one of New York’s largest CACFP sponsoring organizations, supporting more than 1,100 family child care homes and 13,348 participants across New York…
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Tammy Urich is the CACFP Coordinator at Butte 4-C’s, a Montana Resource and Referral agency that sponsors 94 family homes serving over 1,500 children.
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NCA Response – Reducing Federal Burden for Head Start Programs
The National CACFP Association (NCA) recently submitted comments on the Administration for Children and Families’ proposed rule, Reducing Federal Burden for Head Start Programs (ACF-2026-0595). While NCA supports the proposed rule’s continued emphasis on nutrition, healthy eating, physical activity, and family engagement, NCA raised significant concerns about provisions that could unintentionally undermine nutrition services for children enrolled in Head Start and Early Head Start programs.
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