CACFP Comes to Life in Family Child Care

Photo courtesy of Special Blessings Child Care

Post written by:
​Corinne Carr
Special Blessings Child Care 
​
Happy Birthday, CACFP!! This is my 25th year in Family Child Care. I have been with First Choice Support Services Inc.25 years. First Choice is a Child and Adult Care Food program. (CACFP) The CACFP is funded by the USDA and administered by the Kansas State Dept. of Education.  
 
Megan Mahoney asked her daughter “Did you have yummy food for lunch?” Bridget responded “Yes, I did” Mom asked “So what did you eat” the daughter responded “We had fruit and carrots and sandwiches.” Mom asked “What kind of sandwiches?” the daughter responded I don’t know……Not salami though. Miss Corinne doesn’t buy salami.”
 
One day I fixed black beans with brown rice, sitting at the table with the children (Family Style Dining).  Everyone was served, enjoying conversation. Bridget said “We don’t eat stuff like that at home.”  So, her mother and I had conversation at the end of the day.   Mom stated "Bridget had told her, that she eats black beans when Ms. Corinne fixes them.” Bridget will eat my black beans it took some convincing. When mom fixes them in their sweet potato enchiladas, Bridget will pick them out! Megan’s husband Tom stated “We need Ms. Corinne to write a cookbook, because the children will eat her lunch but don’t always eat our dinner.”
 
I feel as a family child care provider the trainings and guidelines that we follow help me be more health conscious of what I serve. I fix two Ethnic meals or snacks during each week. I wished I kept a journal over the years. “Ms. Corinne you’re the best cooker lady” I remember one day I walked out of the room to help a child and back in and four little boys were having an “English Pea” fight across the table. Oh dear!
 
We also take what is in the garden and add to our meals.  We were involved with the USDA when they were working on a multicultural recipes project as a plan to provide technical assistance materials for the CACFP. We tried various ethnic meals in our program. Some of the meals the children like we continue to use the recipes.

I always have a saying, if the child tries their food on their plate and decides they do not like it…. “You might not like it today. But, you might like it tomorrow.”  And “Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds.” 

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Kids in the garden. Photo courtesy of Special Blessings Child Care

Kids in the garden. Photo courtesy of Special Blessings Child Care