The National CACFP Sponsors Association makes it a priority to help keep our providers up-to-date with the latest policy, guidelines and best practices. We're happy to offer many of our virtual events on demand, so you can follow a training program that works around your schedule. CEUs marked with a $ are paid resources and pricing can be found on the respective item's expanded information.
Looking for the Child Nutrition Virtual Summit? Click here!
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CACFP University
Learn about meal pattern guidelines and practices.
Looking for new ideas for your CACFP lunch menu? Why not try brunch for lunch?! Hear about endless possibilities when combining breakfast food favorites and lunch classics. Learn how to navigate brunch related food components in the CACFP and get recipe ideas to use in your child care centers, day care homes, and adult day care centers.
Watch On DemandSunny days with a refreshing breeze are a perfect time to take dining outdoors. Learn from our about how to create and safely serve CACFP meals picnic style, with or without a classic checkered blanket. Get new ideas on how to use portable foods for picnicking that meet the CACFP meal pattern.
Watch On DemandGet ideas on how to care for children while keeping social distancing in mind including the importance of hand-washing, ways to engage in physical activity while six-feet apart, and craft ideas that are for solo imagineers.
Watch On DemandOver 1,200 survey respondents confirmed what many of us already knew: COVID-19 has impacted CACFP operators and child care businesses with severe financial challenges. CACFP operators are in overwhelming need of direct and significant financial aid outside of current program funding. Child care and the CACFP community are on the brink of collapse and facing imminent threat of shutting down without it. Learn more about the impact COVID has had on the CACFP Community.
Watch On DemandLearn how to identify, purchase, and serve farmers’ market finds so that the children and adults you serve can enjoy fresh flavors of the season.
Watch On DemandPower of the Food Program
Learn how the CACFP contributes to nutrition security and why you should participate. Get practical training on serving healthy meals. Discover ideas and resources you can use in your program immediately.
Centers, family child care homes, and afterschool care play a critical role in serving nutritious foods to those they serve. The CACFP guides you on how to provide healthy meals using five food components which make up the meal service requirements: grains, fruits, vegetables, meats/meat alternates and milk. Learn when these are required and how they fit into the CACFP meal pattern.
Watch On DemandAre you convinced and ready to join the CACFP, but not sure where to get started? Learn how to successfully launch the program at your center, home or afterschool site. Find out how to work with a sponsor who will provide you training, technical assistance, monitoring, and administrative support or how to work with a state agency directly. Start getting financial reimbursement for meals you are already serving.
Watch On DemandServing those in our care safely is our top priority! Learn about the nine major food allergens and how to recognize what food products contain these. Get a better understanding of how to read the food label to identify and avoid food allergens.
Watch On DemandReimbursement rates for CACFP participants are dependent upon a variety of factors, such as whether you operate a family home child care, center, or afterschool program. Learn how to determine what the amount of reimbursement would be based on your enrollment, meal service, and rates of reimbursement. Discover how to qualify and how to receive financial reimbursement once you join the CACFP.
Watch On DemandBeing healthy is not only based on the foods we serve but also how we stay moving throughout the day. Learn why keeping children active should be an important part in everyday activities and how essential physical activity is to child development. Get ideas on how to incorporate new, fun, physical activity games into your program.
Watch On Demand2022 National Child Nutrition Conference
Originally held April 19-21, 2022 - watch the virtual sessions from the 2022 National Child Nutrition Conference in New Orleans.
You’re new-ish to food programs,working in it daily, and you’ve got the big picture. It’s been one or two years since you’ve started working in CACFP or SFSP, so concepts aren’t new or foreign to you, but you’d love to really explore the important areas with your peers. Attend this structured learning institute to review the meal patterns, discuss basic program administration and get a requirements refresher while also sharing in some table talk.
Watch On DemandLearn tips and best practices on the preparation of an acceptable administrative budget. Topics will include the importance of strategic planning, using historical financial information to develop the budget, determining what expenses are allowable/ unallowable, identifying staffing requirements, how excess administrative funds affect the budget and updating the budget throughout the year.
Watch On DemandJoin the USDA for this interactive session on the new Crediting Handbook for CACFP. We will review the ins and outs of each of the five required meal components, discuss both creditable and non-creditable food items, and engage the audience in hands-on crediting exercises. You won’t want to miss it!
Watch On DemandLearn the differences between various types of mechanical diets and how to prepare these foods to meet CACFP guidelines.
Watch On DemandCome learn ideas and tools providers can use to implement positive mealtimes. Topics include Smarter Mealtimes, examining picky eater’s behaviors while identifying tips for creating adventurous eaters and engaging child participation in the kitchen. Leave with strategies, recipes and activities that engage children of any age!
Watch On DemandReady to reignite your passion? Become motivated around the fact that you matter, and what you do is important. Learn who you are at your best, and what helps you to operate at optimal potency. Leave understanding what your best ability is, and why it is important to stay encouraged even in the tough times.
Watch On Demand2021 Virtual National Child Nutrition Conference
Originally held April 19-22, 2021 - watch the 2021 Virtual National Child Nutrition Conference on demand.
Farm to early care and education can help foster children’s learning and exposure to new foods and is a fun way to make education and exploration come alive. Discover how simple nutrition education activities get children excited about new foods, hear about best practices and stories of how it can empower children, families, and providers, and learn how to create a year-long program that teaches children about nutrition, gardening, cooking and nature.
Watch On DemandVariety is the spice of life! However, adding variety to your menu while managing a budget, food waste, storage space and more can be a real challenge in a food and nutrition program. Ease some of these issues by learning how to menu plan using multipurpose menu products. We’ll share successful menu planning techniques, tips and tricks, and chef-led demos.
Watch On DemandProviding the food is only half the battle! Responsive feeding practices help prevent picking eating, and create a positive mealtime environment. Learn key feeding practices that prevent picky eating and get examples for incorporating responsive feeding into your mealtime observations.
Watch On DemandServing adults in the CACFP is more than just increasing the portion size of the meal pattern requirements. Learn about allowable substitutions, get insight into senior nutrition and healthy, and discover the wealth of resources available for free about food, nutrition, and physical activities for older adults.
Watch On DemandStandardized recipes are a critical tool to scratch cooking in the CACFP. This session focuses on some key concepts that are essential to understanding, developing, and serving standardized recipes to meet desired meal pattern contributions. This results in consistent product yields, reducing food costs, and efficiency in the kitchen. Learn how to create standardized recipes for your centers and how to guide your home providers so they can be sure their recipes are #CACFPCreditable.
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Saturday Summit
Watch sessions from past Child Nutrition Saturday Summits on demand.
Whole grain-rich baking can be a signature part of your program that benefits menus, snacks, and acceptance while also helping your bottom-line. Learn how to choose a few signature favorite foods and align them with baking activities to involve children and parents in the science, literacy, art, food safety and math to boost benefits beyond the plate. Take home whole grain-rich baking resources.
Watch On DemandWhen should you request a CN Label or PFS? Is the crediting documentation for your product acceptable? Get clarity on common issues related to inaccurate or misleading product documentation. USDA will provide guidance on accepting documentation for meal pattern requirements and share sample Product Formulation Statements and CN Labels. Learn how to assess crediting documentation using sample CN Labels and Product Formulation Statements.
Watch On DemandAmericans of diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds are disproportionately affected by many chronic diseases, highlighting the need for more inclusive dietary messaging. Explore cultural models of healthy eating from around the world, with practical tips, insight, and recipes for diverse populations, with a special focus on Gen Z, and a cooking demonstration.
Watch On DemandLearn how to implement a Garden to Early Childhood program model in your curriculum. Hear about suggested best practices, fundamentals of teaching gardening to young children, planning year-round gardening activities, and incorporating a garden-to-table element for a healthy and fresh food program.
Watch On DemandAdd some pizazz to meal or snack time with visually appealing, delicious, and exciting new recipes! Learn how to make power bowls with fresh ingredients and easy charcuterie boards for meals and snack times. Looking for a few meal ideas that don’t require a lot of preparation? Get inspired with muffin tin, slow cooker and sheet pan recipes, where you can include at least 2 CACFP meal components in one dish.
Watch On DemandBoot Camp
Learn how to apply CACFP meal pattern substitutions or modifications with real, practical solutions to accommodate the diverse needs of children and adults participating in the CACFP. Gain the knowledge you need to help navigate through the intricacies of policy regulations and proper documentation. Get recipes and resources to provide not only safe meals, but delicious ones as well!
Obtain a broad overview about dietary needs of individuals with swallowing impairment. Receive information on the various types of texture-modified diets to safely feed individuals.
Watch On DemandDiscover the top nine food allergens and learn to recognize what food products contain these. Get a better understanding of how to read the food label to identify and avoid food allergens.
Watch On DemandLearn how to adjust your menu when a participant has a dairy allergy. Receive training on how to identify foods containing dairy, how to modify recipes, and what dairy products can be replaced to meet the fluid milk component.
Watch On DemandLearn the differences between various types of special diets and how to prepare these foods to meet CACFP guidelines.
Watch On DemandYou’ve learned about how to modify meals based on special dietary requests; now see how it’s done! Join us in this half hour cooking session where you will get recipes using these meal modifications.
Watch On Demand