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Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)

2024 - 11

Alaska Department of Education and Early Development
Division of Finance and Support Services
Child Nutrition Programs
P.O. Box 110500
Juneau, AK 99811

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USDA Policy, Information, and Implementation Memos

Sponsoring organizations and institutions are required by regulation to keep Bulletins, Instructions, and USDA Policy Memorandums for reference and to apply immediately the appropriate instruction to agency programs. Call Child Nutrition Programs if you need further clarification.

USDA Policy Memo 12-2024 Questions and Answers Related to CACFP 11-2021, SFSP 07-2021 Collection of Race and Ethnicity Data by Visual Observation and Identification in the Child and Adult Care Food Program and Summer Food Service Program – Policy Rescission – Set 2

This guidance is intended to assist state agencies and program operators of the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) and Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) in meeting the longstanding federal requirement to collect race and ethnicity data of program participants. In addition, this guidance includes examples of challenges program operators may encounter and best practices that may be used to collect race and ethnicity data for the CACFP and SFSP. Each scenario is followed by examples of talking points that program operators may use when faced with challenges collecting these data. See the appendix at the end of this document for best practices and example scenarios.

Additional Topics

Please be aware of our annual renewal/application deadlines. Thank you for all your work on getting your applications submitted in time.

 Confirmed Alaska Food Recall

DEC’s Food Safety and Sanitation Program has confirmed the Alaska distribution of a recently recalled product. Perdue Food LLC is recalling approximately 167,171 pounds of frozen ready-to-eat chicken breast nugget and tender products that may be contaminated with foreign material, specifically metal.

No adverse reactions due to consumption have been reported to date.

For additional information:

•  For more information on recalls that affect Alaska, please visit: https://dec.alaska.gov/eh/fss/recall-alerts/. This also contains information on recall terms, what to look for, and what to do with a recalled food, 
• To report a suspected foodborne illness to the Alaska Section of Epidemiology, please click here: https://health.alaska.gov/dph/Pages/default.aspx.
• For other food recalls, please visit the FDA’s website at: https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts. 

Pasteurized Eggs

The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) clarified the Alaska Administrative Code 18AAC 31.215’s regulation on how pasteurized shell eggs or pasteurized liquid, frozen, or dry eggs or egg products should be used in recipes in which more than one egg is broken and the eggs are combined (such as hot-held items like scrambled eggs, omelets, and French toast).

Unpasteurized eggs can still be used as long as the food is thoroughly cooked, as specified in 18 AAC 31.232.

Webinars

Uniform Grant Guidelines / Uniform Administrative Requirements (2 CFR Part 200) The Bruman Group, PLLC is nationally recognized for its federal grants management and education practice. They provide legal advice and consultative services regarding federal grants compliance on the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Uniform Grants Guidance (UGG), as well as the Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR), and the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA). They will be holding training on the UGG and significant updates. The training will be held Wednesday, 2 October 2024 from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. AKDT To join, use this Zoom Link, or connect via Zoom using the following meeting information: Meeting ID: 862 9658 7372 Passcode: 986508

Choose Yogurt That Is Lower in Added Sugars in the CACFP

Team Nutrition's upcoming webinar will highlight the new added sugars limit for yogurt and how to identify yogurt that meets this limit. Attendees will have a chance to submit questions to the presenters and check their knowledge through interactive polling questions. This free webinar is on Sept 19, Thursday, 10:00-10:30 am Alaska. A Spanish webinar will be held later that day from 11:00-11:30 am Alaska.

Medical Statements, Milk Substitutions & Special Diets

Have you ever received a parent's or doctor's note describing a meal modification or substitution to serve a child or adult in your care? Maybe you have felt confused or overwhelmed on how to modify the menu to ensure foods are safe to serve to a participant with a disability. This NCA webinar will help you: 1. Learn when you need to have a medical statement to serve safe, reimbursable foods in the CACFP. 2. Identify creditable and non-creditable milk substitutions in the CACFP, including what documentation you may need. 3. Understand how to tailor foods for special diets, like vegetarian, pureed, and gluten-free diets. This webinar is on Sept 24, Thursday, 10:00 am - 12:00 noon Alaska. This is free for NCA members.

Recipes & Resources

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Resources The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has provided a list of resources for Early Care and Education providers: Improving nutrition, physical activity, and breastfeeding in early care and education (ECE) settings. ECE providers are on the frontline of public health and are valuable partners in safeguarding the health and well-being of young children and families. CDC offers many resources, from free training to educational materials to share with families, through the Early Care and Education Portal. Starting good nutrition practices early can empower children to develop healthy dietary patterns that will benefit them throughout their lives. CDC’s Infant and Toddler Nutrition website is another resource that public health professionals, health care providers, and the public can access for information and practical strategies on feeding healthy foods and drinks to infants and toddlers. In addition to the many resources related to young children that I’ve already mentioned, CDC publishes timely, relevant feature articles. Here are just a few: Breastfeeding Benefits Both Baby and Mom Good Nutrition Starts Early Mealtime Routines and Tips Tips to Help Your Picky Eater Achieving continuity of care for mothers who breastfeed. Breastfeeding has many health benefits for infants, children, and mothers. Communities, workplaces, childcare agencies, hospitals, health care providers, lactation support providers, and related social services can make breastfeeding easier. CDC provides information, resources, and data to help with breastfeeding efforts. They recently released new breastfeeding rates that can be used to help inform decisions for supporting breastfeeding at state and national levels. Your role in promoting the health of young children is important and valued, and CDC wants to help you to help others. A healthy start for young children can set them up for good health throughout their lives.

Crediting Tip Sheets The Crediting in the Child Nutrition Programs Tip Sheet series has been revised to reflect the changes with the Final Rule, Child Nutrition Programs: Meal Patterns Consistent With the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The Crediting in the Child Nutrition Programs tip sheet series consists of seven tip sheets covering the five meal components: fluid milk, fruits, vegetables, meats/meat alternates, and grains (three separate tip sheets). The revised versions introduce the menu-planning flexibilities beginning July 1, 2024 and changes that will implemented in the coming school years in a quick-reference format.

Harvest of the Month

To find out more about Harvest of the Month resources, please contact Waverli Stowe at waverli.stowe@alaska.gov.

Team Nutrition Resources

• CACFP Meal Pattern Training Tools
  • CACFP Meal Pattern Training Worksheets
  • CACFP Grains Oz Equivalent Resources
• Crediting Handbook for the Child and Adult Care Food Program
• Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs
• CACFP Halftime: Thirty on Thursdays Training Webinar Series
• Team Nutrition Homepage

Contact Us

Child and Adult Care Food Program

• eed.cnp.cacfp@alaska.gov

School Meals

• eed.cnp.schoolmeals@alaska.gov

Summer Meals

• eed.cnp.summer@alaska.gov

Food Distribution Program

• eed.cnp.fdp@alaska.gov

Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Program

• eed.cnp.ffvp@alaska.gov

Farm to School

• eed.cnp.fts@alaska.gov

The Emergency Food Assistance Program

• eed.cnp.tefap@alaska.gov

Child Nutrition Grants

• eed.cnp.grants@alaska.gov

Child Nutrition Financial Management

• eed.cnp.fm@alaska.gov

This newsletter contains hyperlinks to information created and maintained by other public and private organizations. These links are provided for the reader’s convenience. DEED does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of this outside information. Furthermore, the inclusion of links is not intended to reflect their importance, nor is it intended to endorse any views expressed, or products or services offered, on these sites, or the organizations sponsoring the sites.

USDA Nondiscrimination Statement (English)

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by: 

1. mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights 1400 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
2.  fax: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
3.  email: program.intake@usda.gov

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.