Head Start programs provide nutritious meals to children in their care. The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) aims to improve the quality of these meals and make them more affordable. Under the CACFP nutrition standards, meals and snacks should include a great variety of vegetables and fruits, more whole grains, and less added sugar and saturated fat. The standards also encourage breastfeeding and better align with the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).
CACFP Meal Services in Head Start Programs
This webinar offers resources and information on how to implement CACFP in your program and summarizes the requirements for recordkeeping and reimbursement of meals and snacks.
Guidance for Implementing the Child and Adult Care Food Program Meal Patterns
Explore guiding questions and tips for developing an approach to fully implement the CACFP meal patterns. This resource also identifies the Head Start Performance Standards that support CACFP meal pattern requirements.
Coordinating Nutrition and Health Services Across Head Start, WIC, CCDF, and CACFP
Explore this page to find resources to strengthen local, state, and regional coordination across nutrition programs.
Family Style Meals
Family style dining in early childhood programs means children and teachers sitting together at a table for a meal or snack. The CACFP recognizes family style dining as a meal service option.
Last Updated: September 16, 2022