Participate in CACFP Week March 15-21

Date: February 10, 2020 Posted by Amy Mail Twitter Facebook

National CACFP Week helps raise awareness of how the USDA's Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) works to combat hunger by bringing healthy foods to children in child care centers, homes, and after-school programs as well as adults in day care.

According to the Food Research and Action Council, in FY2018, CACFP provided 2 billion meals and snacks to:

• 4.5 million children daily in child care centers, family care homes, and after-school programs
• 66,000 child care centers
• 131,000 persons in adult day care

The National CACFP Association shares helpful tools and tips for making the most of National CACFP Week. Some are available publicly on the association's website, others are available to members only.

Some of the ideas centers can incorporate into the week-long celebration include:

• Watching the Sesame Street in Communities videos, "Trying New Foods" and this one, "Share a Meal".
• Using the downloadable activity sheets for a fun way to teach kids about healthy eating, counting and colors.
• Sharing the parents' newsletter (members only).
• Trying a new recipe, perhaps one from a NutriStudents K-12 menu week you may not use or one from our 7-day menus.
• Encouraging parents to try new recipes at home and letting kids choose the recipe and help prepare it.
• Do a fun, food-centered activity with the kids and share the photo on social media and with local media, politicians and parents.

Follow the National CACFP Association on Facebook for shareable content throughout the week.

As part of your celebration, be sure to highlight the diversity of NutriStudents K-12 CACFP menus you offer as well as how much your consumers love the meals!