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  • Policy
  • Advocacy
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CACFP Food   &    Nutrition

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Menu for Today

CACFP Cooks

CACFP Cooks 
Already made for you and providers; What's Cooking USDA Mixing Bowl Cookbooks, Recommended Cookbooks and more right HERE!

Cooking Videos

Team Nutrition Cooks Video Ages 8- 12
Grains-Quinoa
Applesauce
​Scrambled Eggs with Spinach
Corn and Zucchini Pancakes
Team Nutrition Activity Guide
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CACFP Kids in the Kitchen

Kids in the Kitchen
Stay up to date with the #CACFPKids in the Kitchen and share the information with your providers.  #CACFPKids in the Kitchen
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Toddlers an Preschoolers in the Kitchen... EatRight.org
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CACFP Kids in the Kitchen can build their own snacks for the whole week!
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Kids Eat Healthy

CACFP Creditable

What does CACFP Creditable Mean?
CREDITABLE VS. NON-CREDITABLE FOODS
​Creditable foods count toward meeting the requirements for a reimbursable meal. The decision to consider a food as creditable depends on the following criteria:
• Nutrient content of the food.
• Function of the food in a meal.
• Regulations on the quantity of the food.
• FDA Standards of Identity.
• USDA Standards for meat and meat products.
​• Administrative policy decisions on the crediting of particular foods.

​Non-creditable foods are not creditable toward the meal pattern. Non-creditable foods do not meet the requirements for any component in the meal pattern. 
Is It A Creditable cereal 
Is it creditable? Are you trying to figure out whether a cereal is creditable?
Follow these steps. It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3!
❶ Check out the list of cereals in this handout. Many cereals are creditable!
❷ Look for cereals approved for the WIC program. Any WIC- approved cereal in any state meets the CACFP sugar requirements. Many grocery stores post WIC shelf labels.
❸ Look at the Nutrition Facts label. Do a quick calculation by dividing the number of grams of sugar per serving by the number grams of cereal per serving. If the result is 0.212 or less, the cereal is creditable.  
Grams of sugar per serving ______
Divided by Grams of cereal per serving ______ 
                                                                                        =       ____     
Or use this calculator                                                                                 Or... Use this to find your state WIC approved food list.      
Creditable Handbooks
Most states are currenly updating handbooks
​1. Iowa Creditable Guide book
2.  USDA Handbook (needs updating)

 CACFP and MyPlate

WHAT IS MYPLATE
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) created MyPlate, an easy-to-follow food guide, to help parents to figure out how to feed their kids nutritious, balanced meals. The colorful divided plate includes sections for vegetables, fruits, grains, and foods high in protein. 
  • choose variety — the best meals have a balance of items from different food groups
  • fill half your child's plate with vegetables and fruits
  • make at least half the grains you serve whole grains, like oatmeal, whole-wheat bread, and brown rice
  • serve fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk and water rather than sugary drinks
  • don't serve oversized portions​
CACFP uses myplate
1. ORDER YOUR MYPLATE PLACEMATS FREE (BLUE OR GREEN).   OR MAKE SOME PLACEMATS BY DOWNLOADING THIS BLUE/MAGENTA MYPLATE PDF OR THE GREEN/YELLOW MYPLATE PDF . 

2. ORDER MYPLATE EAT SMART HANDOUTS FOR CHILDREN (CHILDREN CAN DRAW AND COLOR) AND PARENT HANDOUT- FREE  PDF
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3. ORDER MEET MYPLATE FLYER FOR PARENT/PROVIDER HANDOUT - FREE

Menus

CACFP Menus
State                                              Agency/Organization
New York              Menu           NY Department of Health
Idaho                      Menu           Idaho Department of Education
West Virginia      Menu           West Virginia Depatment of Education
Georgia                 Menu            Tallatoons CAP
Colorado               Menu            Colorado Dept. Of ED
Colorado               Menu            Colorado Dept. Of ED
Masschusetts     Menu            Clarendon
Michigan              Menu            Association for Child Development Michigan and Illinois
New York              Menu            Manhasset/Great Neck Head Start_ New York            
Illinois                   Menu            ISBE
South Carolina   Menu            Low Country Food Bank
Minnesota            Menu            Providers Choice Infant Menus
Connecticut         Menu            Connecticut Department of Education
Wisconsin             Menu            Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
Iowa                        Menu             Idaho  Department of Education

Find more menu samples and forms in the CACFP Meal Pattern Library
Multicutural...coming soon

Food

Seasonal Food Chart
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Spring
Seasonal Food App 

Summer
Fall
Winter

Videos from the Kitchen

Healthy Snack Video
Having Fun with Elmo in the Kitchen
Fruit Smoothie and Veggies
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N is for Nutrition

coming soon
More to come...
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