Time is running out to apply for the Healthier Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) Award. This award recognizes the wellness efforts of childcare facilities participating in the CACFP. 

How do I apply? 

The application includes five categories: Menus, Physical Activity, Nutrition Education, Environment, and Infant Care. Applicants can choose which category(ies) they would like to apply for and at which level. You can apply for a different level every year. Applications must include submission requested supporting documents as listed in the “Evaluation” columns in the application.

Applications are due to the State Agency by September 30th. Completed applications should be submitted to: smorowski@nd.gov  

Winners will be recognized with awards issued jointly by the USDA, Food and Nutrition Services, and North Dakota Department of Public Instruction Child Nutrition Programs. These awards include an award certificate (one for each award category achieved) and a congratulatory letter to your organization. Winners will be recognized in March during National CACFP week.  

1. Click here to download the resource book application details

2. Click here to view a sample application

3. Click here to download the application. Send it to smorowski@nd.gov by September 30th to apply

1. Child enrollment/income applications must be completed annually. 
2. Racial and Ethnic data must be completed annually. Make sure you have one completed for fiscal year 2025 (October '24-September '25).
3. You must train your staff on the CACFP requirements and Civil Rights each year. We have a training resource for those trainings. We will review your training logs when we complete your CACFP program reviews.
4. If you are a Sponsor of Centers, you must do self-monitoring three (3) times a year.  

If you need any of the documents mentioned above, please reach out to our office at dpicnfd@nd.gov

Crunch Off participants -- including students, teachers, childcare providers and children, farmers, parents, community members, and every North Dakota citizen - bite into local produce together (virtually or in person) to celebrate the wonderful fruits and vegetables grown in the Mountain Plains Region. Crunch Off events encourage healthy eating and support local agriculture while celebrating Farm to School Month and highlighting the strength a community gains from farmer to child partnerships.  

How can I participate? 

Register your “Crunch” event at this link. Registration closes on October 31.  

Registration link here --> North Dakota Crunch Off Event Registration 2024 (office.com) 

Bringing people together to crunch into local produce is a great way to add fun (and nutrients!) to gatherings that may occur at farms and gardens or in schools, childcares, and classrooms. Consider including students, teachers, food service staff, parents and community members to help you plan and promote your event.   

Source local food for your event. Contact Katrina Hanenberg of the ND Department of Agriculture (kmhanenberg@nd.gov) for ideas on how to contact local producers. Other ideas include checking your State’s Department of Agriculture website, searching for farmer’s markets in your area and working with a local food hub.  

Consider planning field trips and/or educational activities. There are many ways to include educational pieces about farming, soil, the water cycle, photosynthesis, or other relevant topics during the week or day of the Crunch. Farm field trips are a great way to help students get excited about local produce, learn more about the food system, and have a successful Crunch! If a field trip isn’t feasible, consider having a local producer come to visit your childcare to speak or conduct educational activities in school gardens or classrooms. Take photos and be creative! The Crunch Off is a unique opportunity to partner with local producers, businesses, and others to make an event that the whole community will enjoy. Take pictures and spread the word about local food! Pictures can be submitted to Amanda Olson (amolson@nd.gov) 

Autumn is here! We have exciting and wonderful resources on Farm to CACFP/ECE to share with you. But first, let’s talk about what is Farm to CACFP and ECE. 

Farm to ECE is a set of strategies and activities for the ECE setting. According to the National Farm to School Network, Farm to ECE provides children with: 

• Access to healthy, regionally produced foods through local purchasing. 

• Opportunities for hands-on gardening experience. 

• Nutrition, food, and agricultural education. 

When we tie CACFP into the mix, children are provided activities and nutrition that fit that specific program. But truly, Farm to ECE or CACFP is one in the same, as the goal is to work with younger children who haven’t quite entered school yet or are just beginning kindergarten. It has the same goals and objectives as Farm to School, but just for younger ages.  

Benefits of Farm to ECE 

Children benefit from Farm to ECE activities, such as gardening, farm visits, and taste-testing fresh food from local farms. These types of activities teach children about healthy food and engage all five senses. Additionally, Farm to ECE can increase children's fruit and vegetable intake and willingness to try new fruits and vegetables. This can improve children's diet and wellness. 

Farm to ECE activities can help ECE providers serve vegetables and whole fruits to children. Serving these foods aligns with some of the high-impact obesity prevention standards and with the Child and Adult Care Food Program. In addition, Farm to ECE activities can provide children with opportunities to play outside. Increasing physical activity is also an obesity prevention best practice. 

Farmers benefit from Farm to ECE by creating more diversified income streams for regional growers. 

Communities benefit from Farm to ECE by providing opportunities to build family and community engagement through gardening, gathering food, and visiting farms or food producers' events. 

From: Advancing Farm to ECE | Early Care and Education | CDC 

In the meantime, you should have received your Harvest of the Month posters. If you didn’t receive them, please let Amanda Olson know. We also have cute characters you can print off for decorating or coloring sheets. You can email Amanda Olson (amolson@nd.gov) to access those.

Resources and more! 

• NDSU Extension offers On the Move to Gardening Fun! A hands-on curriculum that provides experiential learning activities about gardening, food and nutrition. The curriculum is adaptable, flexible, and geared toward 3 – 5-year-olds. For more information, contact your local NDSU Extension County office. 
  • Although most North Dakota Department of Agriculture resources and programs are geared towards K-12, they do have some fun resources available that could appeal to you working with younger ages. Plus, they have a library of books available to be checked out, which would be great for ages 0-5. If interested in learning more, you can check out their website or contact Ag. In the Classroom Coordinator, Heather Lang P: 701.595.9120 or hlang@nd.gov 
  • Ag in the Classroom resources.  

• Check out ASPHN's (Association of State Public Health Nutritionists) new cultural recipes and resources available on their CACFP Vegetable and Fruit Snack Menu. It features different ethnic foods of different regions.  Some cultural options include Hispanic, Afro-Caribbean, Middle Eastern, and Polynesian.  Recipes are provided to make preparation easier!  There are also tips for how to incorporate cultural diversity into recipes. Making Recipes More Culturally Aligned with Communities - National CACFP Sponsors Association 

• Gardens in Tribal Communities. This resource can be used to kickstart your Farm to ECE edible garden as well as a Farm to School Garden. Gardens in Tribal Communities | Food and Nutrition Service (usda.gov) 

• Multicultural Child Care Recipes: The 40 recipes in this Team Nutrition collection will add the flavors from different cultures and regions to childcare menus. Available in yields of 6, 25, and 50 servings. Download them in English and Spanish. These recipes also show how to credit the meal you are serving in CACFP. Check it out here. Multicultural Child Care Recipes | Food and Nutrition Service (usda.gov) 

• Minnesota’s Providers Choice has Edible Garden and Nutrition Lesson Plans available for you - please email Amanda Olson (amolson@nd.gov) or Amy Nelson (amylnelson@nd.gov) if you would like a copy of these lesson plans!

• Growing Minds “I Tried Local…” toolkit is designed for use in ECE through 2nd grade. It’s focused on engaging kids with local foods and farms. Publications (growing-minds.org) 

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.