Meal Patterns for CACFP Child Care Programs--How To

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Meal Patterns for CACFP Child Care Programs

How To

Crediting Foods | Meal Service | Menu Planning

Crediting Foods in CACFP Child Care Programs

Crediting Commercial Processed Products (CSDE's Crediting Foods in CACFP Child Care Programs webpage)
Crediting Foods Made from Scratch (CSDE's Crediting Foods in CACFP Child Care Programs webpage)
Crediting Foods in CACFP Child Care Programs (CSDE webpage)
Crediting Handbook for the Child and Adult Care Food Program (USDA)
CSDE Operational Memo No. 7A, 9C-16 and 9H-16: Requirements for Documenting CACFP Meal Pattern Contribution of Processed Foods

Meal Service in CACFP Child Care Programs

Eating Environment | Family Style | OVS | Water Availability

Eating Environment

Best Practices for Child Care Professionals Creating and Maintaining a Wellness Environment in Child Care Centers Participating in the CACFP (Institute of Child Nutrition)
Creating and Maintaining a Wellness Environment in Child Care Centers Participating in the CACFP (Institute of Child Nutrition)
Introduction to Happy Mealtimes in Child Care Settings (Institute of Child Nutrition)
Mealtimes with Toddlers in the CACFP (USDA webpage)
Positive Eating Environment Tool (U.S. Department of Human Services Head Start)
Ready, Set, Go! Creating and Maintaining a Wellness Environment in Child Care Centers Participating in the CACFP (Institute of Child Nutrition)
More resources: "Child Care Eating Environment" in CSDE's Resource List for Wellness Policies in Schools and Child Care

Family Style Meal Service

CACFP and Family Style Meal Service (Institute of Child Nutrition)
Family-Style Dining in Child Care Settings (Virtual Lab School)
Family Style Meal Service (Oregon Department of Education)
Family Style Meal Service with Children in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (USDA webpage)
Grab and Go Lesson: Benefits for Serving Meals Family Style in Child Care (Institute of Child Nutrition)
Grab and Go Lesson: CACFP and Family Style Meal Service (Institute of Child Nutrition)
Mealtime Memo: The Basic Guide to Family Style Dining – Part 1 (Institute of Child Nutrition)
Offer Versus Serve and Family Style Meals (National CACFP Association)
Parent Handout: Serving Meals "Family Style" (USDA)
Tips for Serving Meals Family-Style (Institute of Child Nutrition)
USDA Guide: Family Style Meal Service with Children in the Child and Adult Care Food Program
USDA Memo CACFP 05-2017: Offer Versus Serve and Family Style Meals in the Child and Adult Care Food Program
Why You Should Serve Family Style (National CACFP Association)

Offer versus Serve (OVS) Applies only to at-risk afterschool centers

Offer versus Serve in At-risk Afterschool Centers (CSDE)
USDA Memo CACFP 05-17: Offer Versus Serve and Family Style Meals in the Child and Adult Care Food Program

Water Availability

Grab and Go Lesson: Offering and Making Water Available in Child Care (Institute of Child Nutrition)
Offering Water in the USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program (USDA)
USDA Memo CACFP 18-2016: Water Availability in the Child and Adult Care Food Program
USDA Memo CACFP 20-2016: Resources for Making Potable Water Available in Schools and Child Care Facilities
"Water Availability" in CSDE's Resource List for Child Nutrition Programs

Menu Planning for CACFP Child Care Programs

Cycle Menus | Menu Planning Guidance | Menu Planning Training

Cycle Menus

CACFP Fact Sheet: Cycle Menus (Institute of Child Nutrition)
CARE Connection Online Training: Planning Cycle Menus in Child Care (Institute of Child Nutrition)
Cycle Menus for Child Care: Preschoolers (Institute of Child Nutrition)
Recipes for Child Nutrition Programs (CSDE's Meal Patterns for CACFP Child Care Programs webpage)
Snack Inspiration: Menus with 240 Snack Ideas (Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction)

Menu Planning Guidance

Best Practices: USDA Memo CACFP 15-2016 : Optional Best Practices to Further Improve Nutrition in the Child and Adult Care Food Program Meal Pattern
Breakfast: It's Breakfast Time! Child and Adult Care Food Program Breakfast Menu Planner for Children 3 Through 18 Years of Age (USDA)
Menu Planning Basics: A Guide for CACFP Operators in Child Care (Institute of Child Nutrition)
Menu Planning for Child Nutrition Programs (CSDE webpage)
Nutrition Facts Label
- Reading Food Labels for Allergens ("Documents/Forms" section of CSDE's Special Diets in CACFP Adult Day Care Centers webpage)
- Using the Nutrition Facts Label in the CACFP (USDA webpage)
Sample CACFP Menus ("Documents/Forms" section of CSDE's Meal Patterns for CACFP Child Care Programs webpage)
Snack: Serving Snacks in the CACFP (USDA)
Resource Lists
Special Diets
- Resource List for Special Diets in Child Nutrition Programs (CSDE)
- Special Diets in CACFP Child Care Programs (CSDE webpage)
Sugar Limit for Breakfast Cereals and Yogurt
- Choose Yogurts That Are Lower in Added Sugars (USDA)

Menu Planning Training

CACFP Cooking Videos (USDA webpage)
CACFP Halftime: Thirty on Thursdays Training Webinar Series: Topics related to the CACFP meal pattern requirements (USDA)
CACFP Meal Pattern Training Slides (USDA webpage)
CACFP Training Tools (USDA webpage)
CARE Connection Online Training: Step-by-Step Menu Planning (Institute of Child Nutrition)
More training: Training for Child Nutrition Programs (CSDE webpage)