Observe National CACFP Week March 17-23

Date: February 14, 2019 Posted by Amy Mail Twitter Facebook

Child care centers across the country will mark National CACFP Week in March, acknowledging the many ways communities -- and children -- across the country benefit from the USDA's Child and Adult Care Food Program. The CACFP Sponsors Association has many tools and resources you can use to help you mark the occasion.

The primary goal of CACFP is to serve nutritious meals to children attending child care homes and centers. Secondary goals are:

1. The establishment of positive eating habits at the earliest stages of development.
2. Reduction of future health care and education costs due to lack of proper early development.
3. Training and support of local child care personnel.

Research also indicates that the CACFP is one important factor in providing quality child care.

Children who are cared for by providers participating in the CACFP benefit by being fed nutritious USDA regulated meals that ensure their proper development. These children gain from early nutrition education that helps them establish positive eating habits that will enrich the quality of their diet throughout their life. Parents of children in child care are assured that their child(ren) receives high quality meals. With proper nutrition, the child is less likely to experience illness and fatigue and will develop at a normal physical and intellectual pace. Good nutrition is the recipe for an all-around happier child.

Providers receive nutrition education and support services from their CACFP sponsor that help them serve nutritious meals and create a positive eating environment for children. The quality of child care provided in  communities is improved due to educational and financial resources available to caregivers through the CACFP. This program provides approximately 2 billion meals and snacks to over 4.4 million children daily in child care centers, family care homes, and after-school programs; over 115,000 elderly persons in Adult Day Care; over 62,000 child care centers; 115,000 family child care providers working with 800 sponsors use CACFP to provide children with high quality nutrition and learning experiences.

NutriStudents K-12 is proud to support foodservice programs serving children through the CACFP program with our 10-week menu rotation that adheres to the federal nutritional guidelines / meal patterns for preK ages.

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