9/3 S.S.T.A.R. - Child and Adult Care Program Newsletter

Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction sent this bulletin at 09/04/2025 07:07 AM PDT

Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) S.S.T.A.R.: Week of 9/3

Update: Power Up Your CACFP Afterschool Meal Program this Year: Register Now!
Update: Meal Pattern Minute from the National CACFP Association (NCA)
Update: Mealtime Memo from the Institute of Child Nutrition (ICN)
Update: Updated CACFP Resources from Team Nutrition
Update: Resource Round Up
Farm to CACFP
Important Dates to Remember

Update: Power Up Your CACFP Afterschool Meal Program this Year: Register Now!

Power Up Your Program (SY 2025–26 flyer) is designed for child nutrition programs serving school-age children. CACFP At-Risk Afterschool Meal Program and Outside School Hours Care Center sponsors can choose from three pathways to take action on nutrition education, culturally inclusive meals, or child nutrition program promotion. Register now for SY 2025–26 or reach out to CNSTraining@k12.wa.us with questions.

Power Up Your Program is offered by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction through a FY23 Team Nutrition grant funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

Update: Meal Pattern Minute from the National CACFP Association (NCA)

Po-Tay-to, Po-Tah-to, do potato chips credit as a vegetable in the CACFP?

Check out the meal pattern minute to learn why potato chips are not creditable.

Want to add some crunch to your lunch? Try these recipes:

Upcoming Training Opportunities Outside of OSPI

Association of State Public Health Nutritionists (ASPHN) Farm to ECE Resource Review Webinar

Date: October 7, 2025
Time: 11am–12pm

National CACFP Association (NCA) Sweet Changes Ahead: Prepping for CACFP's Sugar Rules

Date: September 18, 2025
Time: 2–2:30pm

National Farm to School Conference

Date: December 1–4, 2025

Location: Albuquerque, NM

Update: Mealtime Memo from the Institute of Child Nutrition (ICN)

Stay hydrated this summer and beyond.

Review the Meal Time Memo for August all about the benefits of drinking water, recommendations for water intake, signs of dehydration, and drinks to avoid.

Update: Go, Slow, Whoa

Use NCA's Go, Slow, Whoa handout to stay informed on what foods kids should eat anytime, sometimes, or only once in a while.

Update: Updated CACFP Resources from Team Nutrition

Check out updated resources from Team Nutrition.

Resources include:

Serving Adults in the CACFP
New Food Yields
Print Materials

Update: Resource Round Up

Soak up the last days of summer with delicious summer fruits!

Try Sunny Lemon Chicken
Learn about crediting fruit
Check out this Meal Pattern Minute about Frozen Fruit Juice Bars
Get creative with fruit coloring pages

Farm to CACFP

Get Ready to Celebrate Taste Washington Day!

Save the date and start planning for the 16th Annual Taste Washington Day, Wednesday, October 8, 2025!

On this day, schools and early care and education programs across the state partner with farms to feature local foods on their menus. Taste Washington Day celebrates Washington’s many farmers and food producers, the bounty of the fall harvest, and farm to early care and education connections. Visit the Taste Washington Day homepage to learn more, sign up, and explore free resources.

Upcoming Events

Association of State Public Health Nutritionists (ASPHN) Farm to ECE Resource Review Webinar

This webinar will review Farm to ECE resources from across the U.S., including local food purchasing, gardening, and nutrition/agriculture education.

Date: October 7, 2025

Time: 11 am–12 pm PT

National Farm to School Conference

Join food service professionals, educators, and community leaders from across the nation to share ideas and best practices for connecting children to local food. Includes a Farm to ECE Deep Dive Intensive on December 4. Learn more

Date: December 1–4, 2025

Location: Albuquerque, NM

New & Notable Resources

USDA CACFP SNACS-II Study Report - Highlights CACFP's role in improving nutrition security and aligning with the Dietary Guidelines, with insights for Farm to CACFP implementation.

Youth Sensory Gardening Manual – American Horticultural Society – A practical guide for creating and using sensory gardens, great for early learning environments.

Reminder: Activities not directly connected to CACFP meal service, such as sensory gardens, need to be paid for with non-program funds.

Important Dates to Remember

September 15	August Claims Due in WINS by 2pm
September 29	August 60-Day Claim Deadline

ALL STUDENTS PREPARED FOR POST-SECONDARY PATHWAYS, CAREERS, AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT.

Led by State Superintendent Chris Reykdal, OSPI oversees K-12 public education in Washington state. Our mission is to provide funding, resources, tools, data and technical assistance that enable educators to ensure students succeed in our public schools, are prepared to access post-secondary training and education, and are equipped to thrive in their careers and lives.

ADA NOTIFICATION FOR OSPI CHILD NUTRITION SERVICES EVENTS
To arrange accommodations for persons with disabilities for OSPI Child Nutrition Services events, please contact the Child Nutrition Services Team at 360-725-6200, TTY 360-664-3631, or by email, child.nutrition@k12.wa.us at least three business days before the event. Please note that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) does not require OSPI to take any action that would fundamentally alter the nature of its programs or services, or impose an undue financial or administrative burden.

This Institution is an Equal Opportunity Provider.

SUBSCRIBER SERVICES
Update your subscriptions, modify your password or email address, or stop subscriptions at any time on your Subscriber Preferences page. You will need to use your email address to log in. If you have questions or problems with the subscription service, please visit subscriberhelp.govdelivery.com.

OSPI provides equal access to all programs and services without discrimination based on sex, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, honorably discharged veteran or military status, sexual orientation, gender expression, gender identity, disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability. Questions and complaints of alleged discrimination should be directed to the Equity and Civil Rights Director, P.O. Box 47200, Olympia, WA 98504-7200, 360-725-6162 (TTY: 360-664-3631), equity@k12.wa.us.

This Institution is an Equal Opportunity Provider.