CACFP Program Trainings

Directors, owners, administrators, and staff of all types of participating institutions

This Civil Rights training is a yearly training requirement for participating CACFP institutions and their facilities. The goal of this training is to describe the Civil Rights procedures and requirements that apply to both the State agency and local agencies operating the Child and Adult Care Food Program as described in the United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) Instruction 113-1 document.

At the end of these trainings, participants will be able to:

• Define Civil Rights
• Identify the six protected classes
• Define the annual Civil Rights training requirements
• Identify the nine areas of responsibility
• Solve Civil Rights case studies

Individual(s) responsible making purchases with CACFP funds

Discusses Procurement standards as a tool to provide greater accountability over assets and increase transparency in the use of public funds.

At the end of this training, participants will be able to:

• Understand the basics of making purchases with CACFP funds
• Differentiate Small Purchasing methods from Formal Procurement methods

Directors, owners, and administrators of all types of participating institutions

This 30-minute webinar will provide an overview of the Corrective Action Plan (CAP) process, including why to write a CAP, the five key questions that need to be answered when completing a CAP, and the importance of providing Supporting Documentation for all Corrective Action Plans. Participants will need to download the Corrective Action Plan Template and the CAP Checklist prior to beginning the webinar.

At the end of this training, participants will be able to:

• Explain the purpose of a Corrective Action Plan
• State why a Corrective Action Plan is necessary to close a review
• Answer five key questions for completing a Corrective Action Plan
• Identify examples of supporting documentation for CAPs
• Use the CAP Institution Checklist to write a complete CAP

Individuals responsible for completing Adult Income Eligibility Applications

This introductory training will cover Adult Income Eligibility Application requirements, review a sample Adult Income eligibility application form developed by the state agency, and provide tips on maintaining eligibility documentation.

At the end of this training, participants will be able to:

• Identify the requirements for collecting and maintaining eligibility applications
• Assess eligibility applications for accuracy
• Describe how to accurately report free/reduced/denied numbers
• Identify policy memos regarding classification of eligibility applications

Individuals responsible for completing Child Income Eligibility Applications

This introductory training will cover Child Income Eligibility Application requirements, review a sample Child Income eligibility application form developed by the state agency, and provide tips on maintaining eligibility documentation.

At the end of this training, participants will be able to:

• Identify the requirements for collecting and maintaining eligibility applications
• Assess eligibility applications for accuracy
• Describe how to accurately report free/reduced/denied numbers
• Identify policy memos regarding classification of eligibility applications

Individuals responsible for the CACFP Medical Statement for participants.

This training covers recent changes to the North Carolina CACFP Medical Statement for Meal Substitutions. View the webinar to learn about the reasons behind the changes, institution’s responsibilities, the CACFP medical statement, and additional guidance.

Individual(s) responsible for reviewing institution menus and ensuring the CACFP meal patterns are followed including CACFP program operators and those who prepare foods for institutions.

This 30-minute webinar is geared to staff who work in child care centers or sponsored facilities who prepare menus, purchase food, and prepare meals. Participants will learn about the different and appropriate way in which combination foods can be documented in CACFP. A combination food is a food that contains two or more meal pattern components. Combination foods may be commercially prepared or made-from-scratch recipes.

At the end of this training, participants will be able to:

• Identify what food items qualify as combination foods
• List different ways to document combination foods
• Describe ways to locate documentation for combination foods
• Accurately describe the appropriate and required documentation for combination foods

Early childhood education staff, adult day care centers staff, administrators, child care providers, and community partners.

Farm to CACFP is a growing movement among facilities. Farm to CACFP includes incorporating local foods into menus, planting gardens, taking field trips to farms and farmers markets, and much more.

Learn how experiential gardening and nutrition activities paired with eating local foods can "plant the seeds" for healthy eating habits while supporting local economies.

At the end of the webinar, you will be able to:

1. Describe Farm to CACFP and its benefits
2. Identify ideas and resources for how get started with local foods and incorporate gardening and nutrition activities in your facility
3. Learn from community partners who are implementing Farm to Early Care and Education initiatives in their communities

Early childhood education staff, administrators, and child care providers.

Farm to Preschool is taking off across North Carolina. From starting a small garden to featuring local produce on menus, Farm to CACFP can increase children’s willingness to try new foods and is good for the local economy. This webinar will “dig in” to how you can start or enhance your farm to preschool activities while also following CACFP guidelines.

At the end of this webinar, you will be able to:

1. Describe Farm to Preschool (definition and benefits).
2. Identify ideas and resources for how to go fresh and local in your CACFP program.

Individuals at Sponsoring Organizations and Independent Centers who are responsible for menu planning, purchasing foods, and ensuring CACFP Meal Patterns are followed.

This 20-minute pre-recorded webinar explains CACFP Policy Memo 17-08 – Grain-Based Desserts in CACFP, including the definition of grain-based desserts in CACFP, healthy alternatives to desserts, and how to navigate the revised Exhibit A of USDA’s "Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs."

At the end of this training, participants will be able to:

• Identify grain-based desserts in the revised Food Buying Guide
• List specific examples of grain-based desserts
• Identify alternatives to grain-based desserts when planning menus in the CACFP

Early childhood education staff, administrators, and child care providers.

Have picky eaters? Want to sample new foods in your child care facility, but don’t know the best approach? Need ways to help engage staff and promote healthy lifestyle choices at the same time? This webinar will help! You will learn the ‘how-to’ and best practices to follow nutrition standards for role modeling in your child care setting. The webinar will focus on 10 specific and simple tips for role modeling that you can begin to implement immediately following the webinar viewing. We will also share resources for promoting these nutrition standards.

At the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:

1. Understand "best practice" physical activity and nutrition standards for child care as they apply to role modeling.
2. Use those standards in multiple areas of the child care setting to promote healthy lifestyle role modeling.
3. Identify available resources and materials that can be used for promoting these practices within your institution and with the families and lives of those in your care.

This session has been granted 1.0 Contact Hour Credit through the NC Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE).

Individuals at Sponsoring Organizations and Independent Centers who are responsible for menu planning, purchasing foods, and ensuring CACFP Meal Patterns are followed.

Do you serve snacks in your child or adult care facility or at-risk afterschool program? Are you looking for nutritious alternatives to crackers and fruit juice? This 50-minute prerecorded webinar will give participants suggestions for healthy, creditable and affordable snacks in correct portion sizes to meet the revised CACFP snack meal patterns.

At the end of this training, participants will be able to:

• Identify CACFP child and adult meal pattern requirements for reimbursable snacks
• Use the Food Buying Guide to project food purchasing needs for CACFP snacks
• Plan healthy, reimbursable snacks

Individuals responsible for meals and menu planning at adult day care centers - cooks, kitchen managers, administrators, and adult day care providers.

This 50-minute webinar is geared to staff who work in adult day care centers.  Participants will learn about changes to the new CACFP Meal Patterns which promote increased consumption of whole grains, a greater variety of fruits and vegetables, and less added sugar and saturated fats in meals and snacks served in adult day care centers.  Participants will learn about resources available to help with successful implementation of the CACFP Meal Patterns.

At the end of this training, participants will be able to:

• Identify changes to the adult meal patterns
• Compare the revised adult meal patterns with the previous pattern
• Identify resources and tool available to help with successful implementation of the new meal patterns
• Implement the adult meal pattern successfully at your institution

Individuals at Sponsoring Organizations and Independent Centers who are responsible for menu planning, purchasing foods, and ensuring CACFP Meal Patterns are followed.

This webinar is geared to staff who work in child care centers serving children ages 1-18 years. Participants will learn about the CACFP Child Meal Pattern that became effective on October 1, 2017. This webinar will cover changes to specific meal components and additional changes that promote healthier meals for children in child care settings, at-risk afterschool programs, and emergency shelters.

At the end of this training, participants will be able to:

• Identify changes to the CACFP child meal pattern
• Know where to locate child meal pattern resources
• Implement the child meal pattern successfully at your institution

Individuals at Sponsoring Organizations and Independent Centers who are responsible for menu planning, purchasing foods, and ensuring CACFP Meal Patterns are followed.

This webinar is geared to staff who work in child care centers serving infants. CACFP meal patterns have been created to ensure infants are provided the most nutritious meals throughout the day. This includes support and promotion of breastfeeding, and offering solid foods based on developmental readiness. Participants will learn about changes to the infant meal patterns effective October 1, 2017.

At the end of this training, participants will be able to:

• Identify changes to the CACFP infant meal patterns
• Compare the revised CACFP infant meal pattern with the previous pattern
• Implement the infant meal pattern successfully at your institution

Sponsoring organizations, CACFP program operators, including child and adult care providers, state agency staff and community partners

Learn how North Carolina CACFP operators have embraced the revised CACFP meal patterns. In this 60-minute prerecorded webinar, we recap the meal pattern improvements, and feature the work of NC CACFP operators who participated in the state agency’s menu assessment project. Viewers will hear from programs meeting or exceeding CACFP best practices and learn about innovative menu planning training from Sponsoring Organizations.

Staff at CACFP facilities and community members interested in reducing food waste at home and in the community.

This webinar discusses ways to reduce food waste at home and in the CACFP; tips on food portion sizes, and ways to celebrate National Nutrition Month® in March and beyond.

At the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:

• Define food waste
• List three benefits of reducing food waste
• Identify five ways to reduce food waste at home and in the CACFP
• Learn ways to celebrate National Nutrition Month® during March and beyond

Child care providers, child care administrators, community partners, staff, and parents

This webinar will introduce participants to the Ten Steps to Breastfeeding-Friendly Child Care, summarize the benefits of having a breastfeeding-friendly child care, describe the process for applying for the North Carolina Breastfeeding-Friendly Child Care Designation, and explain how child care facilities are awarded the North Carolina Breastfeeding-Friendly Child Care Designation.

At the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:

• Identify the Ten Steps to Breastfeeding-Friendly Child Care
• Recognize the benefits of having a breastfeeding-friendly child care
• Understand the process for applying for the North Carolina Breastfeeding-Friendly Child Care Designation
• Learn how child care facilities are awarded the North Carolina Breastfeeding-Friendly Child Care designation

Individuals at Sponsoring Organizations and Independent Centers who are responsible for ensuring CACFP Meal Patterns are followed and serve breastfeeding families. This webinar is also recommended for any institution serving infants.

This training will describe in detail the ways in which CACFP supports, protects, and promotes breastfeeding. We’ll discuss the provision of breastmilk related to the infant and child meal patterns, developmental readiness for solids, as well as reimbursement for meals when mothers breastfeed onsite or provide expressed breastmilk. We’ll also review the ‘Provision of breastmilk, or infant formula and solid foods’ form.

• Describe ways in which CACFP reimbursement can be claimed for breast milk
• Identify ways to support breastfeeding families in CACFP
• Review USDA policy memo guidance related to breast milk and breastfeeding
• Discuss the provision of breast milk for children 12 months and older

On February 6, 2018, the Nutrition and Technical Assistance Branch (NTAB), CNP held a webinar that provided an interactive demonstration of the new Food Buying Guide (FBG) Mobile App and the FBG Interactive Web Tool. The link to the recording of the webinar is available on the USDA Team Nutrition Webinar page.

FNS regional offices, state agencies, sponsoring organizations, and CACFP program operators, including child care providers, are invited to participate.

On October 19, 2017, USDA’s Team Nutrition initiative will present the first of a series of interactive, skills-building webinars on the updated Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) meal patterns.

The webinar series, entitled CACFP Halftime: Thirty on Thursdays, will take place on the third Thursday of each month and will be offered in both English and Spanish. The English webinar will be held from 2:00-2:30pm ET, and the Spanish webinar will be held from 3:00-3:30pm ET.

Future CACFP Halftime webinars will focus on other popular topics that include:

• Choose Yogurts That Are Lower in Added Sugars
• Serving Milk in the CACFP
• Menu Planning for the CACFP
• Identify Foods That Are Whole Grain-Rich
• Grain-Based Desserts in the CACFP
• How to Serve Meat and Meat Alternates Instead of Grains at Breakfast
• Offer Versus Serve in the CACFP
• Recipe Development and Crediting
• Meal Pattern for 13-18 Year Old Age Group
• Feeding Infants in the CACFP

State agencies are encouraged to share this announcement with their CACFP sponsoring organizations and independent centers. Questions about the CACFP Halftime Webinar Series may be sent to TeamNutrition@fns.usda.gov.

To register for the webinar, please visit the CACFP Halftime Webinar page.