Menu Planning Basics: A Guide for CACFP Operators in Child Care

This resource provides general information for planning nutritious menus that align with the CACFP.

It features key information for:

learning more about the meal pattern requirements,
discovering good practices for planning meals and snacks

It also features the following menu planning tools:

Sample menu
Shopping list
Recipes
Menu planning template
Tip sheets

Menu Planning Basics: A Guide for CACFP Operators in Child Care

Title	Date added	Download
Menu Planning Basics: A Guide for CACFP Operators in Child Care	January 13, 2025	Download
Menu Planning Basics: A Guide for CACFP Operators in Child Care - Spanish Version	December 13, 2022	Download

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*HealthierUS School Challenge: Smarter Lunchrooms
*Nutrition 101: A Taste of Food and Fitness - 4th Edition
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**Ready, Set, Go! Creating and Maintaining a Wellness Environment in Child Care Centers Participating in the CACFP
**Practices and Perceptions of School Nutrition Professionals Toward Obtaining the HealthierUS School Challenge Award
**Overcoming Barriers to Participation in the Summer Food Service Program - An Identification of Best Practice Solutions
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**Determining the Job Functions of Child Care Providers in CACFP Operations
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*Inventory Management and Tracking
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**Data Driven Decision Making
**Developing and Sustaining Green Practices
**Increasing Middle/Jr High Student participation
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**Sustaining and Strengthening Local Wellness Initiaives
**School Nutrition Experiences for Dietetic
**Environmental Scan and Formative Research of Student Engagement Practices in Support of School Meal Programs - Phase I
**Exploratory Investigation of the Roles, Responsibilities, and Impact of Chefs Working in School Nutrition Programs
**Evaluation of ICN Training Program: Nutrition 101 (Online Mode)
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***other resources
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**12/04/2023 - Monday
***1.Opening General Session and USDA and ICN Updates
***8.Community Eligibility Provisions Work Session MidYear Implementation & Preparing for SY 2024-25
***2.Supporting FNS Programs Through Clear and Effective Messaging
***6.Physical Safety in Summer Meal Programs,
***7.FNS’s Approach to Grant Funding
***9.Summer EBT Panel with State Agencies
***4.Innovative Menu Planning for Summer Meals
***3.USDA Food 101
***5.Child Nutrition Schools are the Nutrition and Local Food Hub of the Community
**12/05/2023 - Tuesday
***5.Procurement
***10.Integrity Rule Overview
***1.State Agency Funding
***9.Healthy Meals Incentives Initiative Spread the News
***6.Healthy School Meals for All Best Practices & Strategies
***2.Who’s Responsible Managing Sponsors with Unaffiliated Childcare
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***7.Conducting Reviews in the CACFP 101
***8.Best Practices for Non-Congregate Summer Meals
***3.Data Visualization
**12/06/2023 - Wednesday
***3.Making the Grade Best Practices for Co-Mingled Meal Service in School
***1.Serious Deficiency Guidance Best Practices
***2.How to Determine if an Entity is in Good Standing
***5.Streamlining Between Different Programs and Closing General Session
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*ICN CACFP National Advisory Council
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*Designing an Emergency Preparedness Plan Templates for Child Care
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**Identifying Low-Sodium Food Products and Menu Planning Strategies to Meet Meal Pattern Requirements
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**Staff Training and Engagement for Sodium Reduction Success
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