March 28th, 2024

2:00-2:30 PM EDT

Encourage young ones to share their thoughts and stories as they gather around the dining table- family style. This interactive experience fosters not only healthy eating habits but also helps them learn the art of conversation, where little voices can be heard and cherished. Receive tips on how to make family style dining kid-friendly and discover resources to start conversing with children at the table!

Family Style Dining: Conversations Around the Table – Event Registration (growthzoneapp.com)

CACFP Week is a national education and information campaign sponsored annually the third week of March by the National CACFP Sponsors Association. The campaign is designed to raise awareness of how the USDA’s Child and Adult Care Food Program works to combat hunger. The CACFP brings healthy foods to tables across the country for children in child care centers, homes, and afterschool programs as well as adults in day care.

The theme of CACFP Week in 2024 is eating the rainbow!

When you register for National CACFP Week to let us know that you’ll be participating, we’ll send you a sample menu that focuses on eating a different color of the rainbow each day.

Visit the Campaign Page for resources, recipes, advocacy opportunities, and social media contests!

A veces es difícil ofrecer comidas y bocadillos balanceados a los niños. Satisfacer las diferentes preferencias sin perder de vista los requisitos del CACFP y ofrecer una variedad de alimentos nutritivos sin tirar a la basura cantidades excesivas puede parecer un sueño lejano. Con frecuencia, las dificultades relacionadas con la alimentación son en realidad una lucha de poder. Entonces, ¿cómo podemos ayudar a los niños a sentirse capaces de tomar sus propias decisiones a la hora de comer? Intenta algunos de estos consejos y observa si cambia el clima emocional a la hora de comer.

Comer en familia: en lugar de servir la comida a los niños en un plato, enséñales y permíteles que se sirvan sus propia cantidad. Los niños pequeños pueden aprender a servirse la fruta o la verdura en el plato y, a medida que crecen, pueden ir aprendiendo a servirse sus bebidas. Si usted está preocupado por su monitor – Requisitos para las comidas establece que cuando las comidas son servidas al estilo familiar, “Una cantidad suficiente de alimentos preparados debe ser colocado en cada mesa para proporcionar las porciones completas requeridas de cada uno de los componentes … para todos los niños o adultos en la mesa y para acomodar a los adultos supervisores si desean comer con los niños y adultos.” Esto significa que aunque un niño tome inicialmente una porción de comida más pequeña de la que le corresponde si usted la hubiera emplatado, cuenta igualmente mientras haya comida suficiente para que puedan tomarse la porción completa.

Modifica los utensilios para ayudar a los niños a servirse solos: Por ejemplo, he descubierto que una botella reciclada de crema de café es un buen primer utensilio para servir leche o agua, ya que el pico es muy pequeño y la botella es fácil de sostener y difícil de romper. Otras formas fáciles y divertidas de ayudar a los niños a servirse la comida son unas pequeñas pinzas o tazas medidoras, que tienen los bordes más altos que las cucharas de servir y pueden facilitar la distribución de la cantidad de comida en el plato previsto.

Colabora con las familias o explora diferentes partes del mundo en busca de inspiración para variar. Consulta a las familias sobre las comidas favoritas de sus hijos y sobre cuáles eran sus comidas favoritas cuando eran niños. Intenta preparar el mismo plato inspirándote en diferentes culturas. Albóndigas italianas una semana, albóndigas la siguiente y albóndigas suecas después.

Ofrezca condimentos: puede dejar que los niños se sirvan ellos mismos (intente con botellas más pequeñas con boquillas pequeñas para evitar derrames y el uso excesivo) u ofrezca una salsera con salsa o aderezo al lado para que los niños sumerjan o rieguen sobre su comida. Un salero vacío en la mesa puede dar a los niños una sensación de autonomía sin correr el riesgo de salar demasiado la comida.

Invita a los niños a que te ayuden a planificar las comidas: Saca las hojas circulares y pídeles que marquen con un círculo una fruta o verdura que les gustaría probar. Asegúrate de darles crédito cuando las sirvas: “¡Gracias por elegir estos grandes kiwis verdes para probar en el almuerzo de hoy, Saamya!”.

No dude en sazonar bien los alimentos. Podemos pensar que los niños prefieren los alimentos blandos, pero en realidad el sabor que quieren evitar es el “amargo”. Eso nos deja todo un mundo de sabores por explorar. Prueba las habas verdes con limón; agrega canela, cúrcuma y pimienta negra a las batatas; decora los calabacines cocidos con ajo y una espolvoreada de parmesano.

Ten en cuenta la división de responsabilidades en la alimentación, que establece que es responsabilidad del adulto ofrecer comidas nutritivas y balanceadas, y responsabilidad del niño decidir qué cantidad de alimento desea comer y escuchar las señales de su cuerpo. Recuerda que las comidas son una forma de crear comunidad. No sólo comemos para recargar pilas, sino que compartimos alimentos, recuerdos y tiempo juntos. Cuando a los niños se les anima a participar, pero no se les obliga a limpiar su plato o a comer algo que no les gusta, aprenden hábitos saludables para toda la vida.

Providing balanced meals and snacks for children can be a challenge. Accommodating different preferences while remaining aligned with CACFP requirements and offering a variety of nutritious foods without large portions winding up in the trash might seem like a distant dream. Often, feeding concerns are really just a venue for power struggle. So how can we help children feel empowered to make their own choices at meal times? Try some of these tips, and see if the emotional climate of your meals changes.

Family style meals: instead of plating food for the children, teach and then allow them to serve their own portions. Even young toddlers can learn to scoop fruit or vegetables onto their own plate, and as they get older, they can build towards pouring beverages. If you’re concerned about your CACFP monitor, 7 CFR 226.20 — Requirements for meals states that when meals are served family style, “A sufficient amount of prepared food must be placed on each table to provide the full required portions of each of the components… for all children or adults at the table and to accommodate supervising adults if they wish to eat with the children and adults.” This means that even if a child initially takes a smaller portion of food than would be required if you had plated it, it still counts as long as there is enough food for them to have taken the full portion.

Modify tools to help children serve themselves: I’ve found that a recycled coffee creamer bottle is a great first tool for pouring milk or water, because the spout is very small and the bottle itself is easy to hold and hard to break. Some other easy and fun ways to help children serve their own food include small tongs or measuring cups, which have higher edges than serving spoons and can facilitate more food getting to the intended dish.

Collaborate with families or look around the world for inspiration for variety. Ask families what their children’s favorite meals are and what their favorite meals were as children. Try the same dish inspired by different cultures. Italian meatballs one week, albondigas the next, and Swedish meatballs after that!

Offer condiments: you can let children serve themselves (try smaller bottles with very small nozzles to prevent spills and overuse) or offer a pre-filled cup of sauce or dressing on the side for children to dip or pour over their food. An empty saltshaker on the table for children to use can also give a sense of autonomy without risking oversalted food.

Invite children to help you plan meals: Bring out the circulars and have them circle a fruit or vegetable they’d like to try. Make sure to give credit when you do serve it– “Thank you for picking out these big green kiwis to try at lunch today, Saamya!”

Don’t shy away from seasoning food well! While we may have an image of children preferring bland foods, often the taste they’re looking to avoid is “bitter”. That leaves a whole world of flavors to explore. Try lemony green beans; add cinnamon, turmeric, and black pepper to sweet potatoes; jazz up cooked zucchini with garlic and a sprinkle of parmesan.

Consider the Divison of Responsibility in Feeding, which states that it’s the adult’s job to offer balanced and nutritious meals, and the child’s job to decide how much of a food– if any– they’ll eat, and listen to their body’s cues. Remember that mealtimes are a way to build community. We don’t just eat for fuel; we share food, memories, and time together. When children are encouraged to participate, but not forced to clean their plate or eat something they dislike, they learn lifelong healthy habits.

Like the Early Childhood Nutrition Improvement Act, this proposal will benefit family child care providers who participate in the CACFP.

It will:

• Provide an additional 10 cent reimbursement for each meal and snack served in the CACFP
• Eliminate the tiering of family child care homes
• Allow family child care home providers to claim their own children’s meals for reimbursement
• Shift the calculation of family child care homes’ reimbursement from “food at home” to “food away from home” to align with centers

Read More Here

Click here to send a letter of support to your representative!

On October 26, the Early Childhood Nutrition Improvement Act (H.R.6067) was re-introduced in the House of Representatives by Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) and Congressman Marc Molinaro (R-NY). This bipartisan legislation would: 

• Allow providers who are open for more than 8 hours in a day to be reimbursed for an additional meal (up to 3 meals and 1 snack). 
• Align the calculation of reimbursement rates for family child care homes with that of centers by shifting to “food away from home.” 
• Allow annual eligibility for for-profit child care centers to streamline program operations. 

This would make a huge difference in children’s nutrition and providers’ bottom lines.

Read More Here from the CACFP!

Click here to send a letter of support to your representative!

For more opportunities to advocate for yourself and your fellow providers, read about the Child Care Nutrition Enhancement Act here!

If you participate in CACFP (Child and Adult Care Food Program) this resource will be helpful for changes in requirements for cereal you serve starting in October 2017.  This guide shows you how to check the nutrition facts label and calculate whether a cereal qualifies.  There is also a list of approved cereals included.

Approved Cereal Shopping Guide

There are many benefits to getting locally sourced food for your family child care.  Buying local supports the community economy, tends to be fresher and healthier, and empowers children and families to make informed food choices.  If you are thinking about shifting toward buying more locally sourced food or just want some tips and ideas, this resource from the National Farm to School Network has some great information.

Locally Sourced Food For Family Child Care Tip Sheet

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has some resources available to help maintain healthy eating in your family child care home.  There are links and information for adults about how to “Go Further with Food” during National Nutrition Month.  There are also resources for older school-age children on the Body and Mind (BAM) page, including these great healthy recipes that children can help prepare.