Learning Center
SUN Meals: Congregate Meal Service ($)
Learn best practices and common pitfalls from community members experienced in providing summer meals. Listen to insights, challenges, and strategies to help you succeed in launching or improving your program participation. Bring questions and walk away with practical advice and the information you need to make the most of your summer meal program.
Read MoreFridge Finds & Fun Fixes ($)
Explore creative and practical ways to use leftovers during the holiday season while reducing food waste. Come get six recipes highlighting how to transform common holiday foods into new dishes. Learn about dishes inspired by cultural celebrations, like tamale stuffing and latkes! Get tips about safe food storage, freezing, and reheating methods to keep meals delicious and safe to eat.
Read MoreDiabetes: Food for Thought ($)
With diabetes continuing to impact millions of children and adults across the country, understanding how nutrition plays a role in prevention and management is more important than ever. Get a foundational overview of the different types of diabetes and explore practical, evidence-based nutrition recommendations to support those living with the condition. Learn actionable insights to support healthy eating for all ages.
Read MoreSweet Changes Ahead: CACFP’s Sugar Rules ($)
Effective October 1, 2025, CACFP regulations are moving to ADDED sugar limits for breakfast cereals and yogurts. Be in the know on how to prepare for the transition and calculate the new added sugar limits. Learn what this means for product selection, menu planning, and staying in compliance, so you can confidently serve nutritious meals to children in your care.
Read MoreBuilding Your CACFP Cycle Menu ($)
Menu planning is more than just demonstrating CACFP meal pattern compliance, it’s a tool for staying organized, meeting requirements, and supporting child nutrition. Learn how to create a practical and compliant cycle menu using USDA’s new resources, Let’s Make a Snack and It’s Breakfast Time. Find out what tools and strategies to use to build cycle menus with confidence. Whether you’re new to menu planning or looking to refresh your approach, you’ll walk away with helpful tools and resources to make the process easier and more effective.
Read MoreSprouting Success: Celebrate Farm to CACFP
Farm to CACFP Week is October 12-18, 2025! NCA is excited to help you celebrate with resources to get you started. Wondering how to participate? It can be as simple as sharing a newsletter with parents, planning an educational activity with your kids, or creating an interactive experience like starting a garden. Chances are, you’re already doing something that ties into Farm to CACFP!
Read MoreLittle Sprouts, Big Lessons: Farm to Early Education ($)
Nutrition and agriculture education represent one of the three core elements of Farm to ECE. Explore fun and engaging activity ideas along with best practices for bringing food-based learning into your early childhood program. Discover free resources to help you implement these hands-on learning experiences with ease.
Read MoreCooking Up Local Goodness ($)
Discover how to enhance your CACFP menu planning by integrating fresh, locally sourced foods into nutritious and appealing meals. Learn smart strategies for menu development, seasonal planning, and creative ingredient swaps that make the most of local grains, meats, eggs, dairy, fruits, and vegetables.
Read MoreSowing Success: Real Stories & Strategies in Farm to CACFP ($)
We’re bringing together voices from the field to share how Farm to CACFP works in real-world settings. Hear from a provider, sponsoring organization, and State agency as they discuss their journeys, challenges, and best practices for implementing and sustaining local food efforts. Listen to practical insights and inspiring stories to help you grow your own Farm to CACFP operation.
Read MoreFind Your Farmer: Enrich Farm to ECE Through Producer Relationships ($)
Farm to ECE enhances community access to healthy and local foods by changing food purchasing practices, elevating food and agricultural education, and strengthening local food economies. Explore the National Farm to School Network’s role in supporting ECE programs, steps for connecting with local producers for procurement and innovative approaches to food purchasing.
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