Its back to school for many children and they are very hungry at the end of the school day.  So before children begin their homework, make sure they have a healthy snack.  This will help their bodies re-charge and fuel their brains for homework. Most children do not eat enough servings of fruits and vegetables each day.  After- school snack time is a great time to sneak in some fruits and veggies!   In season fruits and vegetables during back to school, find out here​

Snack Ideas

• String cheese, whole-grain crackers, fresh fruit
• Whole grain pitas or vegetables with hummus or bean dip
• Cheesy quesadilla with tomato slices
• Whole grain English muffin pizza – add veggies
• Chopped papaya sprinkled with lime juice and nuts
• Nonfat Greek yogurt and berries
• Whole grain mini muffins and grapes
• Edamame & whole grain brown rice (add chopsticks for fun!)
• A boiled egg and carrot sticks
• Veggies with dip and milk
• Oatmeal with blueberries
• Zucchini muffins (recipe below) and milk
• Granola (2 recipes below) and bananas
• Fun Fall Snacks (see below)

Zucchini Muffins
Recipe Courtesy of Simple Recipes
Ingredients

• 3 cups grated fresh zucchini         2/3 cup melted unsalted butter
• 1 1/3 cup sugar                                     2 eggs, beaten
• 2 teaspoons vanilla                           2 teaspoons baking soda
• Pinch salt                                              3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon                    1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 cup walnuts (optional)                1 cup raisins or dried cranberries (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). In a large bowl combine the sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Stir in the grated zucchini and then the melted butter. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Stir these dry ingredients into the zucchini mixture. Stir in walnuts, raisins or cranberries if using.
2. Coat each muffin cup in your muffin pan with a little butter or vegetable oil spray. Use a spoon to distribute the muffin dough equally among the cups, filling the cups up completely. Bake on the middle rack until muffins are golden brown, and the top of the muffins bounce back when you press on them, about 25 to 30 minutes. Test with a long toothpick or a thin bamboo skewer to make sure the center of the muffins are done. Set on wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Remove muffins from the tin let cool another 20 minutes.
3. Note, if you are including walnuts and dried fruit, you will likely have more batter than is needed for 12 muffins. I had about 14 muffins from this batch, and that included filling the muffin cups up as far as possible (above the surface of the muffin tin).

USDA CACFP Granola Recipe
CACFP Crediting Information: 1/8 cup 2 tsp (No. 24 scoop) provides .5 serving grains/bread.

Granola: Only 5 Ingredients!
Recipe Courtesy of Super Healthy Kids
 
Ingredients

• 6 cups rolled oats                   1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup oil (grapeseed, coconut or vegetable)
• 1/3 cup honey                          2 tsp vanilla

Optional:

• 1 cup wide cut coconut, 1/3 cup sesame seeds, 1/4 cup sunflower seeds, 1/2 cup raisins or craisins, 1/2 cup dried mango, 1 cup chopped nuts

Directions

1. Mix rolled oats and brown sugar together.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, honey and vanilla.
3. Pour over dry mixture and stir to coat thoroughly. Add in chopped nuts and desired seeds at this point.
4. Spread on a sprayed baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes.
5. Stir frequently (every 5 minutes) to ensure even baking. It should be golden brown when it is done.
6. Add dried fruit and coconut after it is finished baking.
7. Let it cool on the baking sheet and then break up any large pieces. Store in an airtight container.
8. Makes 8 cups. Can store for 3 weeks.

Stay tuned for Fun Fall Snacks...

Join Melissa as she takes the attendees on a journed to learn tips and tools for menu planning with the new CACFP regulations. Everyone will gain valuable techniques for running a program with integrity.
​
Melissa has a deep-rooted passion for child nutrition. She is owner and founder of My School RD, a consulting company with the vision of schools creating healthier lunch menus. Melissa has 20 years of experience as a child nutrition specialist and nutritional analyst, and wakes up every morning with cheerful enthusiasm for the new day and the challenges it brings. As a former School Meals Initiative Audit Specialist, Melissa approaches the task of nutritional analysis, school district audit preparation, and record keeping with an eye for detail and meticulous organization. She sincerely values the relationships she carries with her clients, who are lifelong customers. Melissa has two delightful children, has mentored CSU Long Beach dietetics students for 15 years, and is on the CSULB Dietetic Internship Advisory Board. In her “spare time,” she is founder of a nonprofit organization called Legacy Kids Project, fosters kittens for the animal shelter, dabbles in horse whispering, cooking, and gardening, and is a life coach, encouraging and empowering individuals to reach their highest potential.

May is a month for celebration. First and foremost – each year it’s the time we celebrate the hard work and dedication child care providers put into growing the next generation. This year, the community has an additional reason to celebrate as May marks the 50th birthday of the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). The CACFP is a federal child nutrition program that supports family child care providers, faith-based and community-based child care centers, and after school programs as they serve millions of children healthy meals and snacks across the United States. In 2017, 4.4 million children and 2.05 billion meals and snacks were served through the CACFP.
Nemours Children’s Health System and the National CACFP Forum have partnered to celebrate this important milestone. Beginning with a call for pictures from the CACFP community to create a large mosaic birthday card to take to Capitol Hill and joining with Kaplan to provide a few gifts to some lucky winners who submitted a healthy celebration photo.

Now, to continue the celebration we are sharing with you some success stories and resources from Healthy Kids, Healthy Future, a collaboration of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Nemours Children’s Health System. Healthy Kids, Healthy Future continues the work of Let’s Move! Child Care, supporting early education providers in helping children get a healthy start to life. Healthy Kids, Healthy Future is a nationwide call-to-action that empowers child care and early education providers to make positive health changes in children that could last a lifetime, including supporting the healthy growth and development of children in your programs through the CACFP.
We enjoyed hearing from providers and sponsors about how CACFP helps them take a variety of approaches to healthy eating. One of the best practices that participants in the CACFP are encouraged to do is serve family style meals. Serving meals family style has many benefits for children including the creation of a healthy eating environment that is responsive to children’s hunger and fullness cues while allowing children to practice social and motor skills. CACFP-sponsoring organizations provide technical assistance for this and Nemours Children’s Health System has created a guide to help providers implement family style meals, the Family Style Dining Toolkit.

One of the submissions from the CACFP photo contest shows children practicing family style dining. Children take turns portioning their own food and participating in child-focused conversation to build peer-to-peer interaction.

Did you know that the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) turns 50 this year? That’s right – May 8th, 2018 marks the 50th anniversary of the CACFP’s launch.  This critical program positively impacts millions of children and families across our nation each year, and together, the National CACFP Forum and Alliance for a Healthier Generation are planning a big “Happy Birthday CACFP” bash!
Curious as to why we’re partying? The reasons we’re putting on our dancing shoes are too numerous to count – but a few of the highlights include:

• The CACFP provides over 2 billion meals and snacks each year to children and adults who might otherwise not have access to nutritious, healthier meals every day
• Good nutrition – which can be found in meals provided by the CACFP – is associated with better grades, attendance and behavior, and can increase focus and energy throughout the day
• The CACFP supports kids in a wide variety of environments - including afterschool programs, summer camps, early care and education sites, and more!

​At this point, you must be wondering – how can I join in the festivities? The answer is simple! Check out these three easy ways that you too can celebrate the CACFP this month:

​     1. Host a “CACFP Birthday Party” for your youth-serving organization! This will enable providers to share more                           information about the CACFP with parents and community members, as well as create a happy environment in                   which to celebrate good nutrition.  Share photos of the event on social media and tag #CACFP50 so we can all join               in the fun!

     2. Try out a new CACFP resource! The Alliance for a Healthier Generation has created several tools to support the                       CACFP and its new meal pattern, including:  
             a.  The Healthier Generation Store with Amazon Business – this first of its kind online marketplace features                               products vetted by Healthier Generation to align with national nutrition guidelines – and is expanding this                           spring to include products compliant with the CACFP Meal Pattern![1]
             b.  The Smart Foods Planner – this one-stop food and beverage hub features a product database (where CACFP-                       compliant yogurt and cereals are identified), sample menus, recipes and more.
             c.   The CACFP Product Calculator - This very useful tool for programs will help you identify CACFP-compliant                     yogurt, cereal and milk. Simply plug in information from a product’s nutrition facts panel and get your results [2]
   
  3. Learn more about nutrition and the CACFP! Join the National CACFP Forum and Healthier Generation on May 23rd                at 2pm ET for a live webinar. During the session, we’ll celebrate the CACFP by sharing tips, tools, and resources –              including the Healthier Generation Store with Amazon Business, the Smart Foods Planner and CACFP Product                      Calculator – that will help make navigating the CACFP Meal Pattern simpler and more enjoyable! 

We hope to see you at the party! Looking for even more ideas on how to get involved? Check out the Happy Birthday CACFP homepage, follow @HealthierGen and @CACFPForum on Twitter, or spread the news via social media!  You can click here to download a social graphic & use this optional messaging to get started today:

• It’s a #CACFP50 Birthday Party! Join our friends @HealthierGen and @CACFPForum on May 23rd @ 2pm ET for a webinar to celebrate this critical #nutrition program. Resources, tools and more will be shared! http://bit.ly/2I6HPUm
• Looking for ibit.ly/2I6HPUmdeas for your own #CACFP50 party? Join our friends @HealthierGen & @CACFPForum for a webinar on May 23rd @ 2pm ET.  Resources, tools, & more–including the @HealthierGen Store with @AmazonBusiness & #CACFP Calculator–will be shared! bit.ly/2I3FGZB
• Curious about how to celebrate #CACFP50 this month? Check out @HealthierGen and @CACFPForum’s recent blog for resources, activities and more! bit.ly/2wldH6b
• We’re proud to celebrate #CACFP50 this month, and our favorite way to party is by checking out new tools to support the #CACFP Meal Pattern! See some recommendations from our friends @HealthierGen and @CACFPForum to learn more today: bit.ly/2wldH6b

Please join us and welcome Gina Maniscalco of Clarendon Early Education Services, Inc. to the National CACFP Forum Leadership Council.

Gina started her journey in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) in the early child care community then on July 22, 2009 she started a new role as a home monitor with Clarendon Early Education Services, Inc.  She has worn many hats including the opportunity to work as the Field Supervisor to home monitors.   "I find my job very rewarding and I am able to mentor and play a supportive role to our CACFP monitors and providers.   I am committed to learning even more and advocating for the Child and Adult Care Food Program, CACFP."
 
Gina tells us she loves attending the different CACFP conferences and finds them very informative and always come back with enthusiasm. She feels that together we can continue to teach our providers how to serve healthy and nutritional meals while continuing education on CACFP policies, procedures and best practices.
 
Gina has several passions; but right now it is Farm to Table. She is currently taking the lead and working with local farmers to get her program's providers involved with purchasing local produce and fruits.  "This is a way to teach our children the value of eating fresh produce and fruits and how we all can support each other."

Gina is very excited to be a part of the CACFP Leadership Council and developing even more leadership and advocacy skills to use in her position at Clarendon and the CACFP and Child Care Community.  

This past week in Washington D. C.  many CACFP leaders came together to learn, exchange ideas, get inspired and be motivated. That they did, with too many moments to do the conference justice, leading us to mostly focuses on the CACFP Leaderrship Conference moments.

Top 10 CACFP Forum Moments at the CACFP Leadership Conference during the #hungerpc18 Anti-Hunger Policy Conference.

10. National CACFP Forum Board welcomes new board member Margaret McDonald, Clarendon to her first National CACFP Forum Board meeting during the CACFP Leadership Conference held in conjunction with the Anti Hunger Leadershp Conference. 

9.  National Sponsor Association President Senta Hester, Our Daily Bread shares the National CACFP Week news. Successful Strategies in CACFP with Susana Reza, Donna Pomerson and Sonja Carvalho drew raves as they shared what is working to get the job done in CACFP.

8.  Alliance for a Healthier Generation, Partnership for a Healthier America, American Heart Association, USDA Food and Nutrition Service, Food Marketing Institute, Georgia Food Bank Association, The Food Trust, University of Chicago, Food Nutrition & Policy Consultants, National CACFP Forum presented information on Selecting, Purchasing, and Accessing Affordable Healthy Foods for CACFP Child Care and Afterschool Programs. Smart Food Planner Calculators  Food Buying Guide App and so many more resources and ideas coming your way.

7.  Julie Schuell, Nemours Foundation talked Project Hope,

6. Launch of the Child and the Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) Birthday Celebration on May 8, 2018. 

5. CACFP Policy and Advocacy conversation closing with a CACFP march to the hill to visit representatives.

4. USDA FNS presence brought updates and conversation on Resources, Policy, Training, Procurement, Food Crediting, CN Labels, Food Buying Guide, After School.

3.  Lunch Plenary Speakers: Matt Knott, President, Feeding America w Jim Weill, President, FRAC Plenary Address: Charles Blow, New York Times Columnist w Moderator: Fatima Goss Graves, President and CEO of the National Women’s Law Center Rep. James P. McGovern (D-MA) w Jared Bernstein, Senior Fellow, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, former Chief Economist and Economic Adviser to Vice President Joseph Biden w Denise Forte, Senior Fellow, The Century Foundation, former Staff Director, House Education and the Workforce Committee (Minority) w Eric Rodriguez, Vice President, Unidos US (formerly National Council of La Raza) w Jim Weill, President, FRAC (Moderator) Eileen Hyde Director, Hunger and Healthy Eating, Walmart Foundation, w Kris Charles, Senior Vice President, w Global Corporate Affairs, Kellogg Company blew everyone away.

2.  National CACFP Friend of the Forum award presentation to Chris Clark, Tom Clark, T&L Foundation for Child Care Information.

1.  Meeting with new and old CACFP and Nutrition Program friends and colleagues

What were your favorite moments of the Anti Hunger Policy Conference?

See you next year at the Anti Hunger Policy Conference.

Reno, Nevada
​
Light bulbs and lessons learned in CACFP and Child Care

A colleague of mine sent over a news video and asked if this was good to put on our CACFP Forum Facebook page. I reviewed it and got extremely excited. This video should be on all CACFP Facebook pages I told my colleague, it certainly tells the family child care and CACFP story in a very short amount of time. We need to find out how Food for Kids got this type of news coverage for CACFP, her program and the family child care provider.

So, I called Alix Melillio and asked her how she got the news to come out and do this piece on CACFP and family child care. What she told me was a surprise; on January 9, 2018, Alix, the Food for Kids Director, received a phone call from  KTVN reporter Ryan Canady asking about the Child and Adult Care Food Program being renewed. This gave Alix an opportunity to talk about the CACFP and she took it. The next thing she knew she had gotten this reporter interested in the CACFP New Meal Pattern Standards in family child care.  He asked if they could do a visit with a family child care provider on CACFP. Now there was only a bit of time to find a child care provider that would let them come visit a meal which is not a problem in CACFP but this time with a reporter.

Enters Margaret Oberg, family child care provider, who said sure come on over. Between the three of them they agreed on a visit at lunch time which was to be served early at the request of the reporter as he had to move fast to get the story on KTVN's evenings news show today. TODAY, Alix thought with excitement.

As you can see by the video here, they did the interview, and the rest is history. Or is it? During my conversation with Alix she said something that really hit home with me. "This experience got me to thinking, must have been a slow day the news; we all just assume the news is not interested in CACFP and Family Child Care maybe because they turned us down once or we never see anything about us. After this experience I know better,” Alix said.

Of course, this also got ME thinking. I asked if Alix if she would ask Margaret Oberg if I could give her a call. Margaret agreed. I had a few questions but I also wanted to congratulate Margaret on the interview. After a few moments into our conversation I found out why she was so wonderful in the interview. She has been licensed as a home child care provider for over 40 years and has belonged to the Northern Nevada Child Care Association since it was formed in 1978, serving on the Board as Secretary, Vice President and President.  She has been:

• accredited through NAFCC since 1998,
• a member of the UNR Family Child Care Network since 1996
• on the Board of the Reno Association for the Education of Young Children for six years. 

 
Margaret is also a member of the Nevada Registry and serves on both the Washoe Co. Child Care and TEACH Advisory boards.  As you heard in the interview Margaret is a strong advocate of the Child and Adult Care Food Program and thinks of it as a major contributor to her successful family child care business. 

Before our chat was over, this busy professional family child care provider turned the conversation over to a topic near and dear to her heart; the UNR Family Child Care Network and its value to the business of taking care of children.  Margaret told me that she credited the University of Nevada Reno's Family Child Care Network and Michelle Gehlert; Program Coordinator for the amount of child care quality and professionalism in the area. She was concerned about losing the UNR Family Child Care Network because of the QRIS getting support from the state instead of the UNR Network. She referred me to  Michelle Gehlert of the UNR Campus Child Care Connections which led us to a new blog indeed. Stay tuned for part 2 about how QRIS is affecting the overall child care industry and CACFP.

This brings us to the light bulbs and lessons learned of this event. What were they?

1.  Not too assume that the media is not interested in reporting on the business of child care and CACFP
2.  That the press has slow news days and sometimes will call you, but don't wait keep them informed
3.  That different news departments (Health Watch) might be interested in different things about CACFP and ChildCare
4. That Margaret Oberg and Food for Kids are teaming up to have success in implementing the New CACFP Meal Patterns
5. That while you are listening to one story, keep your mind open for the next story. Its there, let’s learn from them. 
-- 

"Childhood overweight and obesity affect 22.8 percent of U.S. preschoolers and 8.1 percent of infants and toddlers.2 Early childhood has been identified as a critical period for the prevention of obesity and the development of protective behaviors such as healthy dietary and physical activity patterns."

This review from the Robert Woods Johnson Woods Foundation gives a "comprehensive overview of changes to obesity-prevention policies and evidence-based guidance that have occurred over the past five years and a review of the impact that these policy, systems, and environmental interventions have had in the ECE setting on promoting a healthy diet, adequate physical activity, and reduced screen time." Included in the review are: the Child and Adult Care Food Program, Head Start, Child Care and Development Block Grant, State Child Care Licensing Standards, Quality Rating and Improvement Standards, Key Changes to Policies & Evidence-Based Guidance Designed to Impact the ECE Setting and Evidenced-Based Guidance.

​Worth the read, take a look.  For even more research go to HER

Healthy Eating Research Building Evidence to Prevent Childhood Obesity​

Please join us as we welcome Margaret Mc Donald to the National CACFP Forum board. Margaret brings to the board many years of experience within all phases of CACFP and Child Care.  We very much look forward to the insights and new ideas she will provide in her new role, especially given the changes in the Child and Adult Care Food Program and Child Care this year and in the near future.  The National CACFP Forum board is very excited for this opportunity to work with such a talented colleague as Margaret. 

Margaret is currently the Executive Director of  Clarendon Early Education Services, Inc. in Lawrence, MA and is responsible for directing all aspects of operations and programming for a non-profit child care organization providing child care services to income eligible families across the state of Massachusetts via state and federally funded financial assistance. Clarendon Early Education Services, Inc. employs 30+ FTE and oversees child care operations for approximately 700 children daily.  Clarendon Early Education Services, Inc. is a sponsor of the USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program for 500+ licensed Family Child Care Providers in Massachusetts providing nutritious meals to children and monitoring health, safety, education and program quality. 

Margaret will be at the National CACFP Leadership Conference February 25-27, 2018 in Washington D.C. , please take a moment to say hi and introduce yourself to Margaret. 

Look for more about Margaret McDonald in future editions of Voices and CACFP News to Use.  Interested in participating and/or supporting more in the National CACFP Forum, contact us.