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Including local foods into your CACFP meal program not only provides children access to healthy foods, but can also be an educational tool. Serving local foods in combination with hands-on nutrition education has been shown to increase a child’s willingness to try new foods.
When deciding which local foods to purchase, choose foods that are in season by using the Washington Grown Vegetables & Legumes and Fruits & Herbs Seasonality Charts.
Your whole menu does not have to be local. Try featuring one local product for special events, like Farm to CACFP week or Taste of Washington Day, both celebrated the first week of October. Once you get comfortable with one item expand your menu to feature a “Harvest of the Month” focused on one local food.
There are several ways you can purchase locally grown foods. The Eat Local First Washington Food and Farm finder can help you find local producers, farmers markets, food hubs, CSAs and more based on your zip code.
Below is a list of ways your center can buy locally grown food closer to the source.
Farmer, Rancher, or Fisher Direct
Purchasing directly from local farmers, ranchers, and fishers is as close to the source as you can get. When contacting potential vendors, ask the following questions:
- What items do you produce and when are they typically in season?
- Are you willing to host on the farm class visitor in the classroom?
- Do you offer delivery, and is there a minimum order amount for delivery?
- Is there a particular day of the week when we can pick up, or you can drop off?
- How do you prefer to be paid, and how often?
- What will happen if a product is unavailable or does not meet my quality standards?
When buying directly from farmers, make sure to ask for a receipt for your purchases.
CSAs
Community Supported Agriculture, also known as CSAs, are great if you want a variety of seasonal foods on a weekly basis while supporting farmers at the beginning of the growing season. If you subscribe to a CSA, you are buying a “share” of the farm’s harvest for the year. CSA members receive a weekly box that has an assortment of fresh items selected by the farmer. This is a great opportunity to try vegetables you might not otherwise buy. It is a great way for you and the children to discover new foods and recipes. Some farms may offer delivery to your site, have an off-farm pick-up location, or have on-farm pick-up.
Consider opening the CSA share box with the children and enjoy the excitement of the shapes, colors, and textures together. Many CSAs send out a weekly email or newsletter that details what is included in the box as well as recipe or meal suggestions that will help you use those local foods that you may not be familiar with.
Farmers Market
Farmers Markets are a great place to go to discover what is in season in your area and meet your local producers. While at the market, introduce yourself to the vendors. Ask them about what products they grow and what and timing of availability.
A farmers market also makes for a great field trip. Visiting a farmers market is a great way for children to see, touch, taste and smell a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables. Get the children’s opinions about what new foods they want to try for meals and snacks. Create a scavenger hunt of different vendors, with questions geared towards learning about new foods and how they get from farm or sea to fork.
Food Hubs
Food hubs aggregate local products from multiple farms, ranchers, fishers, and processors and distribute them to customers within their delivery area. They are great resource if you want to select a large variety of local foods including raw, processed, and minimally processed while still knowing the name and background information on the farm who produced it. They typically provide deliveries; however, most have a $150 - $200 minimum order requirement.
Email farmtocnp@k12.wa.us to request support in sourcing local foods and integrating Farm to CACFP programing into your center?
Thank you for your participation in CACFP week during the week of March 13th! The National CACFP Sponsors Association (NCA) hosts this campaign annually to raise awareness of how the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Child and Adult Care Food Program works to combat hunger and bring healthy foods to the table for participants of childcare centers, adult day services and day care homes across the country. We hope you were able to enjoy the daily resource packets from your CACFP Specialists and had a chance to tune in to some of NCA’s daily webinars during CACFP week.
We would like to share the CACFP week video message from the Food & Nutrition Service team at USDA’s Western Regional office which shows their appreciation for you!
Excellence Award Recipients
CACFP Sponsors go above and beyond in feeding children healthy meals and snacks every day. CACFP week provided the state agency an opportunity to recognize those who have shown excellence in specific areas of the Child and Adult Care Food Program and highlight the amazing things being done in Washington State.
Congratulations to the 2023 CACFP Week Excellence Award Recipients!
Excellence in Foodservice
Award Recipient:
- Tony Rebensdorf, Clark College Child and Family Studies
Honorable Mentions:
- Jessica Travis, Winlock School District
- Stacie Andrews, Ridgefield School District
Excellence in Nutrition Education
Award Recipient:
- The Children Center at Burke Gillman Gardens-Seattle
Excellence in Mealtime
Award Recipient:
Excellence in Menu Planning
Award Recipients:
- Orcas Day Care Association-Kaleidoscope
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WACC District #17 of CCS dba: Community College of Spokane
Honorable Mention:
- Nadya Islas, Island of Angels Childcare Center
Excellence in Leadership
Award Recipient:
- Edmonds Community College-Head Start
Excellence in Innovation
Award Recipient:
- Educational Opportunities for Children and Families
Excellence in Inclusion
Award Recipient:
- The Children Center at Burke Gillman Gardens-Seattle
Excellence in Oversight
Award Recipients:
- Educational Opportunities for Children and Families
- Debrorah Karney, Skagit Valley College-ECEAP
What Does CACFP Mean to You?
We asked and you told us! We encouraged you, CACFP Sponsors in WA State, to share your stories, testimonials and artwork that captured the essence of the Food Program. Review these heartfelt responses and artwork of what CACFP means to Sponsors, participants and families in Washington State.
Sponsor Responses:
“It means our kiddos can go home without hunger in the evenings.”
“ I enjoy letting perspective families know we serve USDA meal; breakfast, Lunch and PM snack. Families appreciate it so much!”
“CACFP has allowed me to gain knowledge in regards to child nutrition. I have learned a lot on USDA food standards and ways to create a healthier meal pattern for my family. CACFP has allowed us to provide the best quality meals for the children in our center.”
Participant/Family Responses:
“My child now eats salad at home because of the spinach blueberry salad they are served at day care.”
“We feel so lucky to have such a great program that feeds our children healthy, diverse meals.”
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CACFP Week gives the State Agency the opportunity to celebrate our Sponsors and acknowledge the tremendous work you do every day. From the bottom of our hearts, we want to thank you for your tireless efforts to provide healthy meals to participants in your communities! |
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Each month your regional staff will be holding office hours. Specialists will start office hours by providing important CACFP updates and reminders. During the remainder of the session, specialists will provide technical assistance and training around specific CACFP topics. If a specialist outside of your region is hosting office hours with a topic of interest to you, please feel free to join! |
Office Hours Schedule
Specialist: Tina Bischoff, Region 8
Topic: Recordkeeping
Date: 4/10/2023 Time: 4:00 PM Click here to join the meeting
Specialist: Arianne McConchie, Region 5 & 9
Topic: USDA Proposed Rule - Meal Pattern Revisions
Date: 4/13/2023 Time:10:00 AM Click here to join the meeting
Specialist: Jeannette Green, Region 3
Topic: CACFP Resources
Date: 4/14/2023 Time: 12:30 PM Click here to join the meeting
Specialist: Teresa Diaz, Region 1
Topic: Recordkeeping
Date: 4/17/2023 Time: 2:00 PM Click Here to Join the Meeting
Specialist: Samantha Evans, Region 2
Topic: Menu
Date: 4/21/2023 Time: 9:00 AM Click Here to Join the Meeting
Specialist: Eddie Griffin, Region 7
Topic: Recipes & Menus
Date: 4/24/2023 Time: 11:00 AM Click Here to Join the Meeting
Specialist: Andy Weaver, Region 6
Topic: Menu Documentation
Date: 4/24/2023 Time: 1:00 PM Click Here to Join the Meeting
Specialist: Molly Gleason, Region 4
Topic: USDA Crediting Handbook
Date: 4/24/2023 Time: 4:00 PM Click here to join the meeting
For information and next steps on the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health, please review the following:
Post-Conference Updates
You are invited to join the Biden-Harris administration for their post-Conference monthly update.
Register for the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health Monthly Update session
Date: Tuesday, March 28
Time: 1:00 pm PT
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Effective March 1st, 2023 the CACFP email address, communitynutrition@k12.wa.us is no longer in use. General inquiries should be sent to CACFP@k12.wa.us. For specific questions, please contact your Program Specialist directly. |
The Proposed Rule Child Nutrition Programs: Revision to Meal Patterns Consistent With the 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans has been published in the Federal Register.
Based on the latest nutrition science and feedback from Child Nutrition Stakeholders across the nation, USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service is proposing updates to the child nutrition standards. The proposed updates reflect the goals of the most recent Dietary Guidelines, as required by law, and build in time for planning and implementation to ensure Sponsors and the children they serve are set up for success.
Want to learn more?
Proposed CACFP/SFSP Meal Pattern Revisions Webinar
The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) presented a webinar on March 1st tailored specifically for CACFP and SFSP sponsors. You can access the Child Nutrition Programs Proposed Rule: Revisions to the CACFP & SFSP Meal Patterns presentation by registering for the on-demand recording.
Proposed Child Nutrition Program Meal Pattern Revisions Webinar
If you would like to know about proposed revisions across all Child Nutrition Programs, you can access the recorded webinar, Child Nutrition Programs: Revisions to Meal Patterns Consistent with the 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans Proposed Rule on FNS’s Website.
USDA would like your Feedback!
Comments on the Proposed Rule can be submitted through the Federal eRulemaking Portal through April 10, 2023. Section 16 of the proposed rule provides a summary of the rule and a list of specific questions for which USDA is seeking public comments. For more information on submitting comments, please see Tips for Submitting Effective Comments.
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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 Recruitment
Administrative Program Specialist (In Training) Candidate Pool- Recruitment is ongoing. Looking to fill a position in Eastern Washington.
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In celebration of National Nutrition Month & CACFP Week Team Nutrition has shared 20 new CACFP breakfast recipes in the Child Nutrition Recipe Box (theicn.org).
These standardized recipes:
- Meet the minimum serving amount of at least one meal component for children 3 through 5 and 6 through 18 years of age.
- Provide yields for 6, 25, and 50 servings.
- Promote a variety of foods and flavors for breakfast.
Recipes include:
- Berry Medley and Quinoa Breakfast Bake*
- Breakfast Black Beans with Eggs
- Cheesy Cheddar Drop Biscuits
- Cinnamon-Citrus French Toast Squares
- Cottage Cheese and Fruit Bowls
- Easy Overnight Oats and Berries
- Easy Whole-Wheat Drop Biscuits
- Egg and Broccoli Scramble*
- Fruit and Nut Butter Pita Pockets
- Fruit and Yogurt Roll-Ups
- Golden Squash Hotcakes*
- Lemon-Blueberry Corn Muffins
- Orange Cranberry Quick Bread
- Oven Baked Pancakes with Spiced Pears
- Peachy Oatmeal Bake
- Roasted Sweet Potato Hash
- Strawberry and Waffle Kebabs with Maple-Yogurt Dip*
- Turkey Sausage with Sweet Cran-Apple Topping
- Whipped Cream Cheese and Pear Toast
*indicates recipes with a new instructional cooking video
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Oregon State University Presents FoodHero.org
This site promotes food that is healthy, fun, tasty and fits into your budget.
Here you will:
- Find healthy ingredient based recipes
- Learn how to plan, create, and budget for healthy meals
- Find simple gardening tips
- See monthly featured foods
- Resources available in English and Spanish
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April 15
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March Claims Due in WINS
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