Child and Adult Care Food Program

What is The Child and Adult Care Food Program?

• The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) is a federally funded program that promotes good health and nutrition for children in child care. The CACFP provides money to registered child care homes to help pay for nutritious meals and snacks served to children.

What are the Benefits of the Child and Adult Care Food Program?

• Benefits to the Child Care Provider
  Providers receive a monthly reimbursement check.
• Providers receive nutrition education and support services from the CACFP sponsoring agency, which helps the provider maintain a quality child care environment.

Benefits to the Child

• Children receive balanced, nutritious meals and snacks.
• Children develop a positive attitude about food, and nutritious food habits that last a lifetime.

Benefits to the Parents

• Parents benefit by knowing their child is receiving balanced meals and snacks.
• Parents do not have to pay for the cost of the meals and snacks served.

How Can I Participate?

• To participate in the Child and Adult Care Food Program you must be a registered child care home and have one child in your care, other than your own. You can register through your local Department of Human Services.

What are the Nutritional Requirements?

• Breakfast:
  • Milk
  • Fruit or Vegetable or Juice
  • Bread, Bread Alternate or Cereal
• Snacks: (choose 2 of the 4 food groups)
  • Milk
  • Fruit or Vegetable or Juice
  • Bread or Bread Alternate
  • Meat or Meat Alternate
• Lunch/Supper:
  • Milk
  • Meat or Meat Alternate
  • Vegetable
  • Fruit
  • Bread or Bread Alternate

What Else is Required?

• Provider keeps records of monthly menus and meal counts.
• Menus are checked to assure they meet minimum nutritional requirements.
• Providers attend at least one nutrition workshop per year.

Reimbursement for Meals

• Child care home providers may be reimbursed for two meals and one snack or two snacks and one meal per child ages birth through 12 years and some older children under special conditions.
• The amount of reimbursement you receive will depend on the number of children you care for, the number of days you care for children, and the number of meals and snacks served. 

How Else Do Providers Benefit?

• Your sponsor provides training and support regarding menu planning, nutrition, food preparation, sanitation, and recipe ideas.
• In-home visits to help you with menu ideas and insure you understand as well as provide educational experiences for the children.
• By receiving reimbursement, providers don't have to charge parents for meals. This keeps rates competitive, helping to attract new families.

What Do Providers Have to Say About the CACFP?

• "My day care children love the home visits conducted by the CACFP staff and the fun nutrition education activities."
• "It's so nice to get new monthly menu and snack recipes and ideas."
• "I enjoy the nutrition classes and the nutrition and food safety information I receive from the food program"

For More Information Contact the Agency Serving Your County:

Polk County- Community Family & Youth Services
Serving Polk County
515-286-2136

MICA- Mid Iowa Community Action
Serving Wright, Humboldt, Story, Pocahontas, Greene, Webster, Calhoun, Hamilton, Kossuth, Boone Counties 
515-956-3312 or 1-800-890-8230

Community Resources in Service to People, Inc.
Serving Madison, Warren, Adair Counties
515-462-3980

Marshall County Child Care Services 
Serving Marshall and Hardin Counties
641-754-1715

Peck Child Development Center
Serving Jasper County
641-792-7228

Community Opportunities, Inc.
Serving Carroll, Sac, Audubon, Guthrie and Dallas Counties
712-792-9266 or 1-800-642-6330

SIEDA
Serving Appanoose, Davis, Jefferson, Keokuk, Mahaska, Van Buren, Wapello and Marion Counties
515-682-8741 ext 239

The Child and Adult Care Food Program is an equal opportunity program and all meals are made available to all enrolled children at no separate charge regardless of race, color, disability, national origin, sex, or age and there is no discrimination in the course of meal service. If you believe you have been discriminated against because of race, color, national origin, age, sex or disability, write immediately to the Secretary of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. 20250 

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