|
It's hard to believe that we transitioned to weekly program newsletters over three years ago! Over the past several months, OSPI CNS has been looking at our current practices and leaning into questioning how to best serve you by asking ourselves, "Does this still work?"
Changes to Newsletters
We heard you! OSPI CNS wants to ensure the information shared in newsletters continues to be pertinent and timely.
We will continue to share information in newsletters based on program (School Meals, Child and Adult Care Food Program, Summer Food Service Program), but keep an eye out for these changes starting January 2023:
- Newsletters will come to your inbox on the 2nd and 4th Mondays every month!
- Regular office hours with your Program Specialist — Office hours will provide opportunities for us to share important information and for you to ask questions. Reach out to your program specialist for their office hours information.
By changing to this format, we hope that you'll have more time to focus on what you do best—serving children delicious meals, while also ensuring you have the information to operate your programs successfully!
|
 |
|
Mark Your Calendars
It's that time of the year where many of us will take a break from busy work schedules to spend the holidays with family and friends.
OSPI Child Nutrition Services will not be releasing a weekly newsletter on the following dates:
- Monday, December 26, 2022
- Monday, January 2, 2023
Staff will be available to answer questions and provide technical assistance.
Thank you for all you do to provide nutritious meals to children in our state. We hope you have a safe and happy holiday season.
|
USDA’s Team Nutrition initiative is proud to announce the release of the Whole Grains Quiz! This new quiz supports information provided in the updated Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs, Whole Grains Resource for the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs, Crediting Handbook for the Child and Adult Care Food Program, and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
How to Use This Resource
These interactive quizzes can be used by Sponsors at trainings and other nutrition events as a fun and engaging learning activity. Team Nutrition Quizzes are also available as widgets, so they can be easily embedded and displayed on other web pages.
Looking for More Resources?
The complete web quiz collection is available on the USDA Team Nutrition Quizzes webpage. Upon completion of each 10-question quiz, quiz takers receive a score along with a link to resources that can help expand their knowledge on the topic and build their nutrition skills.
Additional web quizzes on new topics will be released soon!
Questions? Please contact the Team Nutrition inbox.
On December 11, ByHeart voluntarily recalled certain infant formula products. For details about this recall and affected products, visit the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Recall Notice webpage.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) remains committed to ensuring CACFP participants have access to safe formula. Collaborative efforts are being made between USDA and FDA to monitor this developing situation. Additional guidance will be provided if the impact of the recall evolves.
Use the ByHeart Letter to Consumers for details on next steps if you purchased this product.Parents and caregivers of infants who have used this product and are concerned about the health of their child should contact their health care provider.
Please share this information with your infant room staff and the families of infants at your center(s).
USDA requires each CACFP sponsoring organization (sponsors with 2 or more sites) to review each facility three times each year, and meet requirements outlined in 7 CFR 226.16(d)(4)(iii):
- At least two of the three reviews must be unannounced;
- At least one unannounced review must include observation of a meal service;
- At least one review must be made during each new facility's first four weeks of Program operations; and
- Not more than six months may elapse between reviews.
An updated CACFP Sponsor Monitoring Form for FY23 is now available for child care sites.
Reminders
- Keep completed monitoring forms on file for 3 years plus the current fiscal year
- It may be necessary to conduct more than 3 reviews per facility when findings are noted and corrective action has been assigned
- Sponsor must assess if submitted corrective action has been implemented and finding(s) have been corrected
- Documentation of review follow-up, corrective action, and correspondence must be kept
Please review the Monitoring for Sponsoring Organizations Reference Sheet for more information and best practices.
Child Nutrition Program operators can order free print materials to help kindergarten students discover MyPlate today.
Discover MyPlate: Nutrition Education for Kindergarten is fun and inquiry-based nutrition education that fosters the development of healthy food choices and physically active lifestyles during a critical developmental and learning period for kindergarten children.
Order each of the following materials now, while supplies last!
Questions? Please email the Team Nutrition inbox.
While it may not be a great time to start a garden at your center or plant seeds in the ground, winter is a great time to plan for future gardening efforts. Below is a list of some grant opportunities that can help your center increase their Farm to CACFP programing by building gardens.
National Head Start Association Gro More Garden Grants
The National Head Start Association with support from The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation provides grants to Head Start organizations aiming to increase both students' and their families' appreciation and understanding for healthy foods and nutrition through garden programs. Applications are due by December 23, 2022.
2023 GroMoreGood Grassroots Grant
The GroMoreGood Grassroots Grant, brought to you by The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation and KidsGardening, is designed to bring the life-enhancing benefits of gardens to communities across the United States. Application Period: January 3, 2023 - February 10, 2023.
USDA's Farm to School Grant
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) awards competitive Farm to School grants that support planning, developing, and implementing farm to school programs. USDA's Farm to School grants are an important way to help state, regional, and local organizations as they initiate, expand, and institutionalize farm to school efforts. Applications are due by January 6, 2023. Learn more Farm to School Grant Program Applicant Resources webpage.
The Fruit Tree Planting Foundation
This foundation provides high-quality fruit trees and shrubs, organic soil amendments, equipment, planting volunteers, and on-site orchard design work, and more, with the goal of improving the surrounding environment and providing a source of healthy nutrition. Applications open on a rolling basis.
|
Register now to attend free, live, interactive training sessions for child nutrition professionals offered by the Institute of Child Nutrition (ICN). These virtual training sessions feature individual lessons led by ICN's expert trainers on important topics for child nutrition professionals in child care programs.
Trainings will be held in January–March 2023. Some of the child care trainings include:
- Food Safety in Child care (4 hours)
- Introductions to Happy Mealtimes in Child Care Settings (4 hours)
- Norovirus in Child Care (2 hours)
- Training Culturally Diverse Groups (4 hours)
- Basic Culinary Math (4 hours)
For a list of trainings as well as training dates and times, please visit ICN’s VILT Registration page.
Registration is limited to 25 participants per session, and training sessions will fill up quickly.
|
Fifteen scholarship opportunities will be available from the National CACFP Sponsors Association (NCA) for the 2023 National Child Nutrition Conference. The conference is to be held at the Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego from April 10–14, 2023. Through the scholarship program, NCA is honored to recognize the professionals who are dedicated to ensuring that our nation's most vulnerable populations have access to nutritious food.
Apply for NCA Scholarship Today!
Applications will be due by January 10, 2023 and recipients will be announced in early February. Each scholarship will include conference registration, four (4) nights' lodging at the conference hotel, and up to $300 toward transportation costs. 15 additional scholarships will be awarded to attend the conference virtually.
Eligible applicants include:
- Sponsoring Organizations
- Family Home Providers
- Child Care Centers
- Adult Day Care Centers
- Head Start programs
- School Districts
- At-Risk Afterschool Sites
- Emergency Shelters
- Summer Food Sites
- Food Banks
- Tribal Nations
Check out the resources available for feeding the youngest CACFP participants!
 |
|
Mealtimes with Toddlers in the CACFP
This resource assists CACFP Sponsors with meeting meal pattern requirements and creating positive meal time experiences and also has info available to share with parents/guardians!
Access this resource digitally in English or in Spanish today or you can order print copies by following instructions on the Team Nutrition Mealtimes with Toddlers webpage.
|
Feeding Infants in the CACFP
This resource includes info on the infant meal pattern; developmental readiness, handling and storing infant formula and breastmilk, solid foods, what is creditable and more!
Access this resource digitally in English or in Spanish today!
Additionally, you can order print copies find parent communication tools, handouts, and check your knowledge questions with resources found on the Team Nutrition Feeding Infants in the CACFP webpage!
|
|
December 26
|
No Weekly Newsletter
|
|
December 30
|
October 60-day Claiming Deadline - if you haven't already, submit your claim
|
|
January 2, 2023
|
No Weekly Newsletter
|
|
January 9
|
Semi-Monthly Newsletter Released
|
|
January 15
|
December Claims Due in WINS
|
|
January 23
|
Semi-Monthly Newsletter Released
|
|
