Child Nutrition Program – Operator Submitted Resources

TASTING NEW FOODS LEADS TO ACCEPTANCE! Utilizing taste tests is a great way to introduce young eaters to fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as help planning what recipes will be effective on your meal line. We developed a Taste Test Toolkit to complement K-12 Harvest of the Month celebrations …

Local school wellness policy tools including a checklist with the list of required components and best practices for each and an example of a district wellness policy triennial report.

The WellSAT 3.0 is a wellness policy scoring tool to help you compare your written local school wellness policy to a model policy. It provides a quantitative score that identifies areas of excellence and opportunities to strengthen your written policy. The WellSAT-I is an interview tool to help you measure the extent …

These resources are intended to position LEAs to meet and exceed all the requirements of the Local Wellness Policy (LWP), while also supporting LEAs in tracking all updates and implementation efforts on an annual basis. They include a LWP template, a guide on the background and requirements for the LWP, …

This resource assists LEAs with meeting the USDA’s triennial assessment requirements. It includes assessment requirements, steps for completing the triennial assessment process, and resources.

A tool for managers, directors, and menu planners. The Seasonal Cycle Menu Toolkit is composed of four interconnected sections: 1. Printable six-week fall, winter and spring seasonal cycle menus with meal components 2. Menu planning and production records tools pre-populated for each seasonal cycle menu 3. USDA certification worksheets for …

The Association for Public Health Nutritionists (ASPHN) National Fruit & Vegetable Nutrition Council's CACFP Work Group developed a resource to help CACFP providers and others to more easily plan their menus to include fruit and vegetable-filled snacks with a month's worth of recipes. The goal was to bring awareness to …

This food allergy resource for food service professionals explains the most common food allergens in the United States, what cross-contact is, common sources of cross-contact and how to prevent cross-contact.

Fun video outlining the requirement of the CACFP meal pattern for 1-18 year olds. Target audience CACFP operators.

Fun video outlining the CACFP infant meal pattern requirements. Target audience CACFP operators.

Overview video for the CACFP. Target audience new agencies who wish to participate.

This micro learning is to provide information about food regulations for school meals and Smart Snacks within the cafeteria. This information supports collaboration to promote the school meals program and provide education opportunities to advocate for healthier options.

Pennsylvania Harvest of the Month (PA HOM) is a program developed by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and Project PA (Penn State University) to promote a local agricultural product each month through schools, child and adult care centers/day care homes, and summer feeding sites. The program aims to provide participants …

Set of 3 files CACFP operators serving infants can use to plan compliant menus. • Meal Pattern Requirements: lists minimum serving sizes by meal type and age range, key meal pattern reminders, and resource links. • Fillable Menu Planner: includes minimum portion sizes, reminders, and resource links. • Menu Checklist: …

This quick reference guide provides information on identifying creditable grain products, identifying whole grain-rich (WGR) items, WGR recordkeeping requirements, grain-based desserts, and sugar limits for cereal. Includes hyperlinks to relevant resources. Audience: Appropriate for all CACFP

Agencies can use this visual job aid to follow a simplified 3-step process to determine if a food item is whole grain- rich using the ingredient list.

Online interactive course that explains the transition to using ounce equivalents to measure grains in the CACFP for Adult Day Care. Includes key resources and how to use the USDA’s Grains Measuring Chart for the CACFP. Approximately completion time: 1 hour Audience: CACFP agencies serving adults

Online interactive course that explains the transition to using ounce equivalents to measure grains in the CACFP. Includes key resources and how to use the USDA’s Grains Measuring Chart for the CACFP. Approximately completion time: 1 hour Audience: CACFP agencies serving children

Online course that helps users understand the importance of adding whole grains to CACFP menus. Topics include how to identify whole grain-rich products, and the CACFP whole grain requirements. Approximate completion time: 20 minutes Audience: Appropriate for all CACFP, but designed for child care

Online course on the key nutrition strategies of the CACFP. Topics addressed are the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, MyPlate, and the 3 of the nutrition priorities these resources have in common with the CACFP: promoting intake of vegetables and whole grain and lowering added sugars. Approximate completion time: 20 minutes. …

The Heart-Healthy Meals in Early Childhood Guidebook is a step-by-step guide that walks through tips on how to reduce sodium in menus and recipes. The target audience is staff in early childhood education centers or day care settings. The link within the guidebook brings you to Cornell Cooperative Extension of …

This guide walks individuals through the process of local purchasing, defines different types of purchasing for CACFP, and discusses the process for finding and purchasing local foods in Georgia.

The Getting Started: Georgia Farm to Early Care and Education Guide is intended for early care and education providers, directors, administrators, families, and partners. The guide provides beginner information on how to implement all aspects of Farm to ECE including gardening, hands-on food education, family engagement, and action planning. This …

This resource helps CACFP menu planners gain a better understanding of new creditable foods that were added to CACFP in 2019.

Programs that participate in the CACFP are required to make reasonable modifications to accommodate participants with disabilities. This is required only when supported by a written medical statement from a state recognized medical authority.