CACFP Program & Nutrition Services
Promoting health and well-being with child care food programs.
Child Care Council is committed to helping ensure that children have access to healthy food, while in child care and at home. We offer three child care food programs to achieve this goal.
Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)
Ensuring nutritious meals for children
What It Is
The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) is a federal initiative offering reimbursements for nutritious meals and snacks to eligible individuals enrolled in care at participating child care centers, day care homes, and adult day care centers.
Providers should include whole grains in meals daily.
Children 2 and older must be offered 1% or skim milk.
Vegetables must be included in both lunch and dinner.
How it Works
Joining CACFP ensures you provide nutritious meals to the children you care for. You will need to follow CACFP program guidelines when serving meals and snacks, recording menus and attendance daily, and submitting menus monthly. Reimbursements, aiding with food costs, are issued on the 15th of each month, with checks mailed if preferred.
By participating, you will receive an average reimbursement of $80-$100 per child per month, depending on attendance. We offer convenient home sign-up and provide all necessary resources for success in the food program.
Eat Well Play Hard in Child Care Settings
Improving Nutrition and Physical Activity Behaviors
What It Is
The Eat Well Play Hard in Child Care Settings (EWPHCCS) program is a nutrition and physical-activity curriculum designed for preschool children and their parents. EWPHCCS provides consistent and positive messages about eating healthy foods and being physically active to three- and four-year-old children attending child care centers and their caregivers.
This Champion Initiative is provided at no cost as it is funded by USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education and Obesity Prevention Program (SNAP-Ed).
How it Works
Joining CACFP ensures you provide nutritious meals to the children you care for. You will need to follow CACFP program guidelines when serving meals and snacks, recording menus and attendance daily, and submitting menus monthly. Reimbursements, aiding with food costs, are issued on the 15th of each month, with checks mailed if preferred.
By participating, you will receive an average reimbursement of $80-$100 per child per month, depending on attendance. We offer convenient home sign-up and provide all necessary resources for success in the food program.
Farm to Preschool
Connecting Children & Caregivers to Farmers & Fresh Produce
What It Is
Eat Well Play Hard in Child Care Settings (EWPHCCS) Farm to Preschool connects preschool children in child care centers, their parents, and caregivers with local farmers and their produce.
In addition to fresh local produce, EWPHCCS Farm to Preschool also offers food tastings, recipe demonstrations, and educational materials on buying and using local produce. Accepted forms of payment include WIC Fruit and Vegetable checks, Farmers Market Nutrition Program checks, Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards, credit cards, and cash.
This Farm to Preschool Initiative is provided at no cost as it is funded by USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education and Obesity Prevention Program (SNAP-Ed).
How it Works
Farm to Preschool participation begins with preschool classroom gardening lessons, vegetable and fruit tastings, and planting, maintaining, and harvesting a center garden. During the summer there is a weekly farm market along with a recipe demonstration by the Farm to Preschool Coordinator for children, families, staff, and the surrounding community.
Child Care Council offers this program in 17 Western NY counties including Monroe, Wayne, Livingston, Erie, Niagara, Chautauqua, Alleghany, Cattaraugus, Genesee, Orleans, Wyoming, Ontario, Yates, Steuben, Schuyler, Seneca, and Chemung.
More information is available on the New York State of Health website.
Our child care food programs not only assist providers in serving nutritious meals but also strive to enhance the overall well-being and future success of the children in our care. With these valuable resources, we are committed to fostering a healthier and brighter future for the children in our community.
Resources
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