Nutrition Program Bulletin – Week of September 28, 2020
Each section contains updates relevant to those nutrition programs. You can jump to the section by clicking the link.
School Food Authorities Providing Snacks while Operating Summer Food Service Programs/Seamless Summer Options
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) released a nationwide waiver that waives the area eligibility requirement for Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) At-Risk Afterschool Meal Program sites. School Food Authorities (SFA) can operate the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) or the Seamless Summer Options (SSO) for breakfast and lunch and then provide a snack via the CACFP At-Risk program. This waiver expires on December 31, 2020 or earlier if funding is exhausted. In order to provide CACFP At-Risk snacks, the SFA must completed a sponsor application for the CACFP program in the Cyber-Linked Interactive Child Nutrition System (CLiCS) and then complete a site application for each site that would like to operate the CACFP At-Risk program.
Please review the September 21, 2020, bulletin for more information.
When reviewing the steps to enroll:
- Please disregard Step 1, as the nationwide waiver mentioned above waives the site eligibility requirement.
- Please use existing CLiCS site ID numbers for the application.
Other CACFP At-Risk snack information:
- SFAs can choose either the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) or CACFP At-Risk meal pattern.
- CACFP At-Risk requires additional SFA monitoring procedures (CACFP 12-2013, SFSP 14-2013).
- CACFP At-Risk can be served on non-school days.
October is Farm to School Month
Farm to School Month is an important time to share farm to school stories and thank farmers! One way to share your story is through social media or your school’s website – and it can be simple!
Take a photo or video of your celebration or a write a thank you to your farmers. Post it to any of your social media outlets using #MNfarmtoschool and #F2SMonth – you could be part of a compilation at the end of the month to tell our collective Minnesota story! Learn more about Farm to School Month and find example social media messages.
Watch the Thank you Farm to School Heroes – MDE Apple Crunch video.
Contact Sami Burington with any questions.
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New Team Nutrition Training Tools
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Reducing the Risk of Choking in Young Children at Mealtimes This resource includes tips on preparing foods to make them easier to chew, choking hazards to avoid, and ways to model and teach good eating habits. View Reducing the Risk of Choking in Young Children at Mealtimes in English or Spanish.
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Mealtimes with Toddlers in the CACFP This resource guide includes topics such as helping children learn how to feed themselves, encouraging children to try new foods, meal pattern requirements, and more. View Mealtimes with Toddlers in the CACFP in English or Spanish. A separate Mealtimes with Toddlers Family Handout is available for CACFP operators to share information with parents and guardians.
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Crediting Store-Bought Combination Baby Foods in the CACFP This training worksheet shows CACFP operators how to serve creditable store-bought combination baby foods as part of a reimbursable infant meal or snack. View Crediting Store-Bought Combination Baby Foods in the CACFP in English and Spanish.
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Feeding Infants Using Ounce Equivalents for Grains in the CACFP This training worksheet helps CACFP operators determine amounts of grains needed to meet CACFP infant meal pattern requirements. Effective October 1, 2021, CACFP operators will use ounce equivalents instead of “servings” when planning menus. View Feeding Infants Using Ounce Equivalents for Grains in the CACFP in English and Spanish.
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Calculating Ounce Equivalents of Grains in the CACFP This training worksheet gives step-by-step directions for calculating amounts of grains needed to meet CACFP meal pattern requirements. View Calculating Ounce Equivalents of Grains in the CACFP in English or Spanish. Operators can also use the Grains Measuring Chart in Team Nutrition's Using Ounce Equivalents for Grains in the CACFP training worksheet to determine ounce equivalents of grains using household measures.
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USDA Foods Distributor Selection and Contact Information
School Food Authorities with USDA Foods orders must select a distributor for the school year 2020-21 in CLiCS.
To ensure timely and accurate delivery of your USDA Foods, please select your 2020-21 USDA Foods distributor by checking the confirmation box on the Food Distribution Program (FDP) Participant Screen in CLiCS 2. Your food will not be picked up for delivery unless this step is completed.
Sponsor contact information must also be verified and is on the same screen.
View instructions for Selecting your 2020-21 USDA Foods Distributor on the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) Food Distribution Program website.
USDA Foods – Strawberry Cup Truck Cancellations
Due to national shortages and a poor strawberry crop this year, vendors are not able to completely fill federal contract obligations. Six trucks of 100256-Strawberry Frz Cup were cancelled for the State of Minnesota: four trucks for school year 2020-21 and two trucks for school year 2021-22.
Once the cancellations are finalized at USDA, sponsors will be able to view the changes in the Monitor Food Movement screen in CLiCS 2.
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Special Milk Program Parent/Guardian Pick Up Waiver
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) recently approved Minnesota’s request to allow parents and guardians to pick up milk for children participating in the Special Milk Program (SMP). To utilize this waiver, schools must also participate in Minnesota’s SMP Non-Congregate Feeding Waiver. For more information, please read the SMP Parent/Guardian Pick Up Waiver Approval.
Tuesdays @ 2 Webinars
Join school nutrition staff for a training webinar every Tuesday at 2 p.m. Read session descriptions and register for Tuesdays @ 2 webinars.
- Verification 200 for School Nutrition Programs (October 6, 2020)
- Labels, Labels, Labels (October 13, 2020)
- Evaluating Verification Household Documentation (October 20, 2020)
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COVID-19 Recovery Grants for Nonprofits
Propel Nonprofits is seeking proposals for COVID-19 Recovery Grants for Nonprofits. These grants are intended to support nonprofits in their response to and recovery from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, including resulting financial impacts on operations and effects on communities served. Grants awarded will be general operating funds, will benefit organizations across various fields of service, and will benefit culturally specific and historically underserved communities. The deadline to apply is October 8, 2020, at 5 p.m. View the application for the Propel COVID-19 Recovery Grant for Nonprofits.
Virtual Training Opportunities from the National CACFP Sponsor Association
The National CACFP Sponsor Association is offering two virtual training opportunities. The Child Nutrition Saturday Summit features seven one-hour workshops on Saturday, October 3, 2020 (9 a.m.‒5:30 p.m.):
- Prep to Plate: CACFP Portion Sizes
- Cultivating Cultural Awareness through Food
- Garden to Early Childhood Education
- Planning Menus and Recipes During COVID-19 Shortages
- Nutrition and the Brain
- Child Nutrition (CN) Labels and Production Formulation Statements: Hands-on Practice
- Creative Ways to Promote Learning and a Healthy Lifestyle
Register for the Child Nutrition Saturday Summit by October 1, 2020.
The Virtual Training Academy is October 26-29, 2020 from 12-4 p.m. Sessions include:
- Engaging with Farm to Early Care and Education (October 26, 2020)
- Head Start: From the Kitchen to the Classroom (October 27, 2020)
- Menu Planning for the CACFP (October 28, 2020)
- Leadership and Motivation (October 29, 2020)
Register for the Virtual Training Academy by October 22, 2020.
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