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The primary goal of the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) is to serve nutritious meals to children in family child care homes, child care centers, and afterschool programs. The CACFP also serves children under the age of 18 in emergency shelters and adults in day care. Secondary goals of the food program include: 1. the establishment of positive eating habits at the earliest stages of development, 2. a reduction of future health care and education costs due to lack of proper early development, and 3. training and support for local child care personnel.
During National CACFP Week, Union County Extension & Outreach joins with all other organizations nation-wide working in the CACFP in acknowledging the many ways our community benefits from the program.
Children and adults that are cared for by providers participating in the CACFP benefit from nutritious meals that ensure proper development. Children in CACFP care settings receive meals that are nutritionally superior to those served to children in comparable child care settings not participating in the CACFP. These children also benefit from early nutrition education that helps them establish positive eating habits that will enrich the quality of their diet throughout their life. Research shows that CACFP reduces food insecurity and plays a vital, clear role in promoting nutrition security.
Parents of children in child care are assured that their child(ren) receives high quality meals. With proper nutrition, the child is less likely to experience illness and fatigue and will develop at a normal physical and intellectual pace. Good nutrition is the recipe for an all-around happier child. By expanding access and strengthening CACFP, working families can ensure that their children are well cared for and receive the nutrient-rich diet and tools they need to be healthy.
Providers receive nutrition education and support services from their CACFP sponsor that help them serve nutritious meals and create a positive eating environment for children. Research shows that the CACFP is an indicator of an overall higher quality of child care. Reimbursement for CACFP participation supports providers in offering nutritious meals to those in their care. As a result, CACFP providers serve more fruits, vegetables, and milk than non-CACFP child care providers.
This program provides over 1.8 billion meals and snacks to over 4.5 million children daily in child care centers, family day care homes, after-school programs, and emergency shelters, and over 137,000 adults in adult day care. Over 80,000 child care centers and 72,000 family day care providers work with 500 sponsors to use CACFP to provide children with high quality nutrition and learning experiences.
Please join us in honoring all CACFP providers for their invaluable work done on behalf of Iowa children. The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) is a USDA Child Nutrition Program administered in Iowa by the Iowa Department of Education, Bureau of Nutrition and Health Services. CACFP provides meal reimbursement to child development home providers for serving nutritious meals to children enrolled in their childcare home. In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, meals served in child development homes are available to all enrolled participants for no separate meal charge. To participate in CACFP contact the Union County Extension & Outreach Home Sponsor Organization for more information: Julie Schultz, 641-782-8426, julie2@iastate.edu.