Excellence in Leadership
- Encompass Northwest
- Jessie Pelham at Boys and Girls Clubs of the Columbia Basin
- The Tulalip Tribes
Excellence in Mealtime
- El Centro De La Raza
- Finley School District
Excellence in Menu Planning
- Community Child Care Center
Excellence in Nutrition Education
- Boys and Girls Clubs of the Columbia Basin
Excellence in Oversight
- Community Day Center for Children
- Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Family Day Care Homes
- Tiny Tots Development Center
- Voices of Tomorrow, Family Day Care Homes
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Meal Pattern Minute: Tempeh
Soy delicious! Tempeh is a versatile soy product that can be used in a variety of recipes. CACFP providers may want to use tempeh to meet the cultural needs of their communities. Learn about crediting tempeh in this Meal Pattern Minute.
Spice up your menu with this sticky BBQ tempeh recipe.
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Meal Pattern Minute: Animal Crackers
Lions, tigers, bears, oh my! Are animal crackers creditable in the CACFP? Learn more about grain-based desserts in this meal pattern minute.
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Webinar
With processed foods dominating the headlines and raising questions among CACFP operators, join the National CACFP Association for this Hot Topic webinar.
Hot Topics in Food & Nutrition: Ultra-Processed Foods
Date: March 31
Time: 11 – 11:30 am PT
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Power Up with Protein
Learn about power-packed protein-rich foods and how to incorporate them into your menus in this Mealtime Memo from the Institute of Child Nutrition (ICN).
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Promote Your Program
Get social! Learn strategies to promote your program using social media in this Mealtime Memo from ICN.
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Harvest of the Month
OSPI’s Harvest of the Month resource sheets help sponsors feature seasonal, Washington-grown foods. April's Harvest of the Month is chives. Each sheet includes fun facts, nutrition highlights, selection and storage tips, recipe ideas, and activities.
Access the chives resource sheet on the Farm to CACFP webpage under the Harvest of the Month drop-down menu. If you don’t have access to chives near you or want to feature another local food item, check out past Harvest of the Month resource pages on the OSPI Farm to CACFP webpage under the "Harvest of the Month" drop-down menu.
For support sourcing Harvest of the Month items, email farmtocnp@k12.wa.us.
To start a Harvest of the Month program, see this Getting Started Checklist from Montana Harvest of the Month. This resource is a step-by-step guide to implementing Harvest of the Month activities in early care settings, including menu integration, taste tests, and family engagement strategies.
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New and Featured Resources
Farm to Early Care & Education Forum
Are you interested in gardening with kids, serving local foods, or helping young children learn where food comes from?
Join the Washington Farm to School Network online forum to connect with early care educators and staff across Washington who are exploring farm to early care and education.
In the forum you can:
- Share activities and ideas.
- Ask questions and get guidance.
- Learn about webinars, news and updates.
- Find resources for gardens, food education, and scratch cooking.
- Connect with others doing similar work.
All of the above can be done from your email, in a web browser or on a phone app.
Everyone is welcome — whether you’re just curious or already participating.
Join the community and be part of the conversation.
Montana Harvest of the Month (ECE Resources)
Explore a collection of Harvest of the Month materials, including recipes, gardening tips, videos, book ideas, family engagement resources to support hands-on food learning, and local food exposure in early care settings.
Professional Learning Opportunities
Association of State Public Health Nutritionists Farm to Early Care and Education Webinar
Learn about success and lessons learned while helping Family Child Care Educators access and procure local foods. Hear from organizers and educators from across the country to learn from their experiences getting local foods to little eaters in family child care sites.
Getting Local Foods to Little Eaters in Family Child Care Settings
Date: March 26
Time: 11 am PT
School Garden Support Organization Network Plant Collection and Seed Saving Webinar
Learn how to select resilient plants and engage children in hands-on gardening activities, including seed saving and plant life cycle exploration.
Date: March 25
Time: 11 am PT
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