At Jessica’s Daycare in Monticello, New York, lunch isn’t just a meal, it’s a lesson. Since 2000, owner, educator, and CACFP Ambassador Jessica Dean has nourished young minds through a program focused on gardening and locally sourced food, helping children understand where their food comes from. Through a “seed to belly” initiative, children prepare garden beds, water and harvest produce, and help in the kitchen. The delicious benefits of their hard work show up on their plates, from caprese salads made from fresh tomatoes and local cheese to sweet potato brownies, a favorite birthday treat.
Activities like these are at the heart of Farm to Early Care and Education, an approach that connects children in child care settings to their local food system through local food procurement, gardening, and food, nutrition, and agriculture education—the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) helps make it possible.
How Can CACFP Help Your Program?
CACFP provides reimbursement for nutritious meals and snacks served in eligible childcare and afterschool programs. For Jessica, the program does more than cover some of her food costs; it allows her to expand her garden and strengthen the Farm to Early Care programming that her families embrace.
“The reimbursement received from this valuable program allows you to offset the grocery expense for your program,” she says. Her advice to providers just getting started: Take the time to plan and track meals and attendance. She also advises new providers to start small and make incremental changes. “You don’t have to change your menus overnight.”
Eligible programs can receive reimbursement for up to one meal and two snacks, or two snacks and one meal, per child per day. Meals and snacks must meet minimum food component requirements to qualify. Many licensed or registered childcare programs are eligible. Visit the New York State Department of Health’s webpage or use their pre-screening tool to see if your program qualifies.
Ready to Learn More? Explore These Farm to Early Care and CACFP Resources
Your program may already engage in Farm to Early Care/CACFP activities without realizing it. The National Farm to School Network offers a free Farm to Early Care and Education Self-Assessment to help providers assess current activities and identify future goals. The NYS Farm to Early Care and Education Network’s “Defining Local” guide can help create a definition of local that meets your program’s needs and resources.
Local libraries, Cornell Cooperative Extension offices, and the USDA Local Food Portal provide useful resources on gardening and sourcing local growers and producers. Additional Farm to Early Care and CACFP resources are available from the USDA, FRAC, and the National Farm to School Network.
As a T-Tap credentialed trainer, Jessica is eager to support providers interested in learning more about Farm to Early Care and CACFP programming. Learn more at jessicaadean.com.
Learn More about CACFP
Email Kayla.Snyder@HungerSolutionsNY.org or visit ChildcareMealsNY.org.
