At-Risk Afterschool Programs End Last Day of SY 2025-2026 (AR)
All CACFP At-Risk Afterschool Programs must end program operation at the end of the planned school year. During the summer, CACFP At-Risk programs may choose to operate as Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) sponsors or sites, if eligible and approved by DPI. If you have any questions, please contact your assigned consultant.
CACFP Training (ALL but FDCH)
The DPI Bureau of Community Nutrition will be offering in-person CACFP Training this summer! Registration is now open. Please share this information with the appropriate staff at your agency.
Click here to register or go to the Training webpage for dates, locations, and to register.
2nd Quarter CACFP Financial Report due June 1, 2026 (SO)
All Sponsoring Organizations (two or more sites on the CACFP) are required to submit the quarterly CACFP Financial Report for the 2nd quarter (reporting period January 1 - March 31, 2026) by June 1, 2026.
Click on the following link CACFP Quarterly Financial Reporting for instructions on how to submit. If you have any questions contact Cari Muggenburg at cari.muggenburg@dpi.wi.gov.
Reminder: Update Contact Information in your CACFP Contract (ALL)
Take a couple minutes today to review the contacts, email addresses, and addresses in your CACFP contract. By doing this now, you will ensure that your agency will receive important emails regarding contract renewal this fall. To do this click on the Online Services link. Use the contract manual to help navigate the contract. Email your assigned consultant after re-submitting the contract with any contact changes.
Planning for August/September 2026: Becoming a Sponsor, Adding New Sites, and/or New Meal Services (ALL)
If your agency has plans to make any of the following changes for August or September 2026, you must notify your assigned DPI consultant by August 3, 2026, to update your CACFP Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2026 contract:
- Adding site(s) to become a Sponsor (Independent center becoming a Sponsor with more than one site on the CACFP)
- Adding new site(s) as a current Sponsor
- Adding new meal service(s)
The CACFP contract runs from October 1st through September 30th. This year, the contract will roll over on September 24, 2026, for the new fiscal year. Any additions not approved by DPI before this rollover date cannot start until October 1, 2026.
By notifying DPI by August 3, 2026, this will allow time for you to enter and for DPI to approve the information in your FFY 2026 contract prior to the contract rollover.
To find your assigned consultant, visit our Consultant Assignments webpage.
Revised Crediting Handbook for the Child and Adult Care Food Program (ALL)
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) revised Crediting Handbook for the Child and Adult Care Food Program (Crediting Handbook) is now available online! This updated resource will help CACFP operators serve meals and snacks that encourage healthy choices, healthy families, and healthy outcomes.
The Crediting Handbook is a technical assistance resource designed to assist CACFP operators in planning menus that meet the current USDA meal pattern requirements. The handbook is also an important supplemental companion to the Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs for crediting foods and meal planning.
This resource provides information on the current CACFP meal patterns, crediting guidance for each meal component, a "Crediting in Action" section to practice crediting skills, and a list of helpful resources. It was recently revised to make the guidance clear and consistent, add new examples to assist with crediting, and use wording that matches current policy.
This revised version includes the following updates:
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A new "Crediting Tips" feature in each meal component section with crediting highlights
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A new "Quick-Reference Crediting Chart for Meats/Meat Alternates" (page 26)
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A new "Flowchart for Determining Creditable Grains" (page 80)
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Added "gelled" as a creditable form of fruit and vegetable juice
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Added guidance that Registered Dietitians can sign medical statements for participants with a disability that affects their diet
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Updated guidance on added sugars limits for yogurt and breakfast cereal
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Added guidance on substituting vegetables for grains in tribal communities
CACFP operators with questions about crediting or the Crediting Handbook for the CACFP should contact your assigned consultant.
Federal Register: Whole Milk Final Rule (ALL)
On May 8, 2026 the Federal Register released the Expanding Fluid Milk Options in Child Nutrition Programs. This final rule with comment period expands fluid milk options by allowing schools and child and adult care providers participating in Child Nutrition Programs to offer whole and reduced-fat milk to participants two years and older. This rule is effective June 8, 2026.
USDA invites interested persons to submit written comments on this final rule. To be assured of consideration, comments on this final rule must be received on or before June 8, 2026.
CACFP operators may offer children 2 years and older and adult participants whole, reduced-fat, low-fat, and fat-free fluid milk to meet fluid milk requirements in these Programs.
The updated fluid milk requirements for each age group are summarized below:
- Fluid milk served to children 1 year old must be unflavored whole milk;
- Fluid milk served to children 2 through 5 years old may be unflavored whole, reduced-fat, low-fat, or fat-free milk; and
- Fluid milk served to children 6 years and older and adult participants may be unflavored or flavored, whole, reduced-fat, low-fat, or fat-free milk.
 Whole Milk Final Rule Effective 6/8/2026
This rule does not require CACFP operators to offer whole and reduced-fat milk but allows operators the flexibility to offer these types of milk to participants two and up. The DPI will be working to update our resources with this change.
2026 Holiday and State Fiscal Year-End Payment Processing Schedule (ALL)
Each year due to bank holidays and for the State to perform year-end wrap up and rollover into the new state fiscal year, the processing of claims is shut down. Be aware of the following information when filing claims for any federal or state Child Nutrition Program.
Claims submitted in the afternoon of June 16, 2026, through July 6, 2026, will be processed on July 7, 2026. Only one claim per program may be entered during this time per agency, including adjustments. Only if your claim is close to the 60-calendar day cutoff, email a paper claim to: Jacqueline.darrow@dpi.wi.gov.
 Payment Processing Schedule May to July 2026
Claim forms can be found under Guidance Memorandum 3. Click on the Online Services webpage to see the schedule for the claim payments for the end of the fiscal year. If you have questions, contact Jacque Darrow at jacqueline.darrow@dpi.wi.gov or by phone (608)267-9134.
CACFP Halftime: Serving Vegetables in the CACFP (ALL)
USDA’s Team Nutrition is excited to announce the release of “Serving Vegetables in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)” on demand CACFP Halftime webinar.
This on-demand webinar focusses on creative and appealing ways to offer vegetables at meals and snacks in the CACFP. It also highlights current CACFP meal pattern requirements and demonstrates how these standards align with the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the Real Food Pyramid. The webinar discusses menu planning flexibilities, strategies for offering a variety of vegetables, and includes a Frequently Asked Questions section addressing common issues related to serving vegetables in the CACFP.
Visit the “Serving Vegetables in the CACFP” webpage to get the training worksheet and recorded webinar.
To receive a certificate of participation after viewing this webinar, please visit the National CACFP Sponsor Association Learning Center and complete the post-webinar practice questions. It may take a few days to receive your certificate.
For more webinars, please visit the CACFP Halftime: Thirty on Thursdays webpage.
CACFP Shout-Outs (ALL)
Does your program have a favorite recipe, a fun food-related activity, helpful tips or resources for running a successful food program, a staff member who is going above and beyond for the food program, or even just a previous menu you are exceptionally proud of!
Complete the CACFP Shout-Out Entry Form for a chance to be featured in a future CACFP Today Newsletter and DPI social media accounts, including Facebook and X. Note: If submitting a recipe, be sure to include the crediting information to show how the food item(s) count towards CACFP meal pattern requirements.
ICN: May 2026 Mealtime Memo: Egg Allergy Awareness: Keeping Mealtimes Safe (ALL)
Food Allergy Awareness Week (May 10–16) is a great time to review how your program keeps children safe from food allergies. One of the most common allergies in young children is eggs. In this Mealtime Memo, we are cracking open the basics of egg allergy safety—what to know, what to avoid, and how to keep every child safe at mealtime.
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