The CACFP renewal deadline was set for 9/1 to allow program specialists enough time to review renewal applications prior to the beginning of fiscal year 21–22 on October 1.
It may take up to 30 days for your renewal application to be approved. Renewals submitted after September 1, 2021, risk not being approved in time for their centers to claim meal reimbursement starting on October 1, 2021.
If you have not submitted your renewal yet use this checklist to complete your renewal.
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Annual Training- Review the Annual Training Reminder for more details
- Ounce Equivalents (Oz. Eq.) 101 Training
- FY22 CACFP Annual Updates Webinar
- Annual Civil Rights Training
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WINS Application- Review the Renewal Reminder for more details
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Study Month- Review the Study Month Reminder for more details (not required for Emergency Shelters and At-Risk Programs)
- Please note, study month numbers cannot be added in WINS until all components of the WINS renewal application have been approved by your program specialist.
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Meal Distribution Plan (MDP)- Review the MDP Reminder to assist you in determining if this is needed.
Review the Specialist’s Insider Tips for Renewal article for additional assistance.
To support school nutrition, child care, and adult care professionals' efforts to connect children and adults with nutritious meals throughout the COVID-19 pandemic USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) established nationwide waivers to allow program flexibility for School Year 2021–22 (SY 21–22) and Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22).
Allowances may be requested in circumstances where sponsors are experiencing food or labor shortages or altered facility operations due to COVID-19.
The CACFP Meal Distribution Plan (MDP) & Waiver Request Survey may be submitted for current program operation through September 30, 2022. Use this Checklist prior to beginning the survey. If you exit the survey before it is submitted, your progress will be lost.
The MDP Survey must be submitted to request the following flexibilities:
- Grab-and-Go Meal Service
- Off-site Monitoring
- Meal Pattern Flexibilities
More MDP Information
- Your MDP must be submitted and approved prior to utilizing available waivers granted by the USDA. Approval may be made retroactive in emergency circumstances when prior approval cannot be made.
- FNS expects schools and child care providers to use the flexibilities for only the duration and extent that they are needed.
- Waiver use will be approved on a case-by-case basis and only for a limited duration of time.
- Once you submit the MDP you will receive a confirmation email.
- Your program specialist will contact you regarding approval status of your organization's plan and waiver request(s).
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To request use of additional waivers or extensions for approved waivers, program operators should notify their program specialist and submit an additional MDP for approval.
Reference Sheets, FAQ's, and Other Resources
Questions? Please contact your CACFP Specialist.
Farm to CACFP week is just two weeks away! Are you ready?
You can engage children by including fresh, local foods in your CACFP menu and offering nutrition or agriculture enrichment activities. OSPI can’t wait to see how you’re celebrating.
Do you believe in the power of good nutrition? Are you interested in assisting school districts and other institutions in providing children with healthy and nutritious meals? CNS is seeking skilled candidates for several positions. Does this sound like you? Apply to join the CNS team today!
Current Recruitments
Coming Soon
- Administrative Program Specialist – Financial
- Administrative Assistant – Food Distribution Program
Ounce Equivalent requirements begin in less than one month!
Have you reviewed the grains that you serve to make sure your portion sizes align with the ounce equivalents requirements? If you haven’t yet, take a look at your menus and find all of the grain items!
Items like rice and pasta still require the same amount to be served – either ¼ cup or ½ cup based upon the age of the child. But if you are serving crackers, you need to double check the Team Nutrition Grains Chart to make sure to serve at least the minimum portion based on ounce equivalents.
Check the breads, muffins, tortillas, buns and rolls to make sure they are also served in the minimum portion.
Remember to save a copy of your label for verification of portion size during a review.
About Ounce Equivalents
Ounce equivalents allow you to credit for the amount of grains that is in any given grain product. Many grain products have additional ingredients like oil, milk, and eggs that can increase the weight of the final products. Because of this, the amount of grains in a product can vary from item to item.
Consider a standard dinner roll and compare it to a waffle—while a dinner roll might be smaller than the waffle, the amount of creditable grain flour in the product might be the same because it is mostly grains, while waffles include other ingredients.
In addition, grain products may vary in sizes. Waffles and other grain items come in many different sizes with some crediting for far larger portions than the minimum.
Resources
Questions? Please contact your CACFP Specialist.
Starting September 15, the National Farm to School Network in partnership with Michigan State University Center for Regional Food Systems will be launching the 2021 National Farm to Early Care and Education Survey. The goal of the national survey is to collect information from early care and education (ECE) providers about activities that fall under the broad heading of Farm to ECE.
This includes:
- Purchasing and serving local foods
- Conducting educational activities related to local foods, or
- Creating and tending gardens
What to Expect
Even if you do not currently participate in these activities, please submit your responses. Your response will help inform farm to ECE programs and policy at the national and state level!
- On September 15, ECE providers will receive an email from the National Farm to School Network with the subject line “Feedback Requested: NFSN Farm to Early Care and Education Provider Survey.”
- Follow the link in the email to respond to the survey and be eligible to win a farm to ECE curriculum.
Questions? Please email Lacy Stephens at the National Farm to School Network.
CACFP specialists are hosting office hours in the coming months. These meetings may be conducted as facilitated discussions highlighting several topic areas, or as a platform for Questions & Answers and open dialogue.
Office hours are meant to be a safe space to learn more about CACFP operations from discussion topics or from the questions other sponsors bring forward. You are welcome to bring your questions or just plan to listen in.
Register to attend an upcoming session!
- Jessica Condron – Open Q and A
September 20, 10–11 am
- Megan Harlan – Open Q and A
September 20, 1–2 pm
- Jeannette Green – Open Q and A
September 21, 1:30–2:30 pm
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Join USDA’s Team Nutrition for the Serving Snacks in the CACFP webinar!
This webinar will show Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) operators how to plan and prepare reimbursable snacks for the children and adults in their care. Attendees will have the opportunity to submit questions to the presenters and to check their knowledge during the presentation.
Register for the Serving Snacks in the CACFP English Webinar
Date: Thursday, September 23
Time: 11:00 – 11:30 am PT
Register for the Serving Snacks in the CACFP Spanish Webinar
Date: Thursday, September 23
Time: 12:00 – 12:30 pm PT
Team Nutrition will provide certificates of participation to individuals who attend the entire thirty-minute webinar. The National CACFP Sponsors Association (NCA) is also offering webinar participants the opportunity to submit and track continuing education credits.
Questions or Accessibility Needs? Please email Team Nutrition for more information.
This month’s Curriculum Corner Resources include handouts with beneficial information regarding feeding young children that you can share with staff and the families your sites serve.
Water: It's a Great Choice
- Available in English and Spanish
- Reviews
- Why CACFP programs offer water
- Why water is a great beverage choice
- What they can do at home to incorporate more water
- Has an interactive activity that parents can do at home with their children
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Portions for Preschoolers
- Available in English and Spanish
- Provides information on:
- The difference between adult and preschool size portions
- Sample portion size of foods for 3–5 year olds
- Helpful feeding tips
- Reasons why portion sizes differ
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