- \n
- Children ages 12 and younger<\/li>\n
- Children of migrant workers ages 15 and under<\/li>\n
- Children ages 18 and younger in At-Risk Afterschool programs and Emergency Shelters<\/li>\n
- Children and adults of any age with disabilities<\/li>\n
- Adults ages 60 and older<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t
![\"Benefits](\"https:\/\/growthzonecmsprodeastus.azureedge.net\/sites\/1980\/2023\/08\/Benefits-of-CACFP-9e541d79-163d-40a6-97c9-0afd9dde4a47.jpg\" "\\"Benefits")
\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDownload Benefits of the CACFP\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\n\t\tHow is reimbursement determined?\n\t<\/h3>\n\t
Reimbursement for CACFP participants is dependent upon a variety of factors, such as what type of facility is administering the CACFP, the income level of participants and the income level of the area. To find out what your income\/area eligibility and reimbursement rates would be, please use the following links.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIncome Eligibility\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tArea Eligibility Mapper\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tReimbursement Rates\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n
\n\t\tWhat kind of food is served in the CACFP?\n\t<\/h3>\n\t
The CACFP nutrition standards are based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans<\/a><\/strong>, science-based recommendations made by the National Academy of Medicine, cost and practical considerations, and stakeholder input. There are five meal components: Grain, Vegetable, Fruit, Meat\/Meat Alternate and Fluid Milk. In order to be reimbursed, the meal or snack must contain the required components in their minimum amounts by age.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t
![\"2021](\"https:\/\/growthzonecmsprodeastus.azureedge.net\/sites\/1980\/2022\/08\/2021-MP-Components-copy-85ebc8fe-4c9c-40d9-b092-29c3fe60936c.png\" "\\"2021")
\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLearn About the CACFP Meal Patterns\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t![\"2025](\"https:\/\/growthzonecmsprodeastus.azureedge.net\/sites\/1980\/2025\/06\/2025-Meal-Pattern-Cards-Spanish-Web.jpg\" "\\"2025")
\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDownload the CACFP Meal Pattern Cards\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\tFrequently Asked Questions\n\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\tHow many meals and snacks am I allowed to claim?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tExpand<\/i><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t
If you operate a child care center, family child care home or adult day care center, you may claim up to 2 meals and 1 snack OR 2 snacks and 1 meal per participant, per day.<\/p>\n
At-risk afterschool centers may claim up to 1 meal and 1 snack per child, per day.<\/p>\n
Emergency shelters may claim up to 3 meals OR 2 meals and 1 snack per child, per day.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\tHow long are the reimbursement rates valid?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tExpand<\/i><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t
The USDA Food and Nutrition Service updates the reimbursement rates every year. They are valid from July 1 to June 30 of the following year.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\tHow do I know what foods I can use for a reimbursable meal?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tExpand<\/i><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t
There are many great resources for you to determine if your meals and snacks are #CACFPCreditable!<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs (FBG)<\/a><\/strong> is the principal tool that is used to determine the contribution that foods make towards meal requirements, regarless of if foods are produced onsite or purchased commercially. In addition to using search tools to find creditable foods, you can also use the Recipe Analysis Workbook (RAW) to determine the crediting for your own recipes.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Additionally, you can use the Crediting Handbook<\/a><\/strong> as a supplement to the Food Buying Guide, as it contains additional information on creditable foods in child and adult care centers, outside-school-hours care centers, and family day care homes.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Finally, to navigate the finer details of crediting foods, be sure to check out our Meal Patterns page<\/a><\/strong> for USDA and NCA resources.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\tWhat constitutes a creditable meal or snack?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tExpand<\/i><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t
All five components (grains, vegetable, fruit, meat\/meat alternate and fluid milk) must be served at lunch and\/or supper.<\/p>\n
- \n
- You may choose to serve a second, different vegetable in place of the fruit component at lunch and\/or supper.<\/em><\/li>\n
- Adults do not require a serving of milk for supper.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Three components must be served during breakfast. Fluid milk and grains are required for all breakfasts. The third component must be either a vegetable, fruit or a mix of both.<\/p>\n
- \n
- Meats\/meat alternates may be served in place of the entire grains component at breakfast no more than three times per week.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Snacks must be two different components of your choice (i.e. grains and milk, fruit and vegetable, meat alternate and grains, etc.)<\/p>\n
- \n
- Milk may not be served at snack time when juice is served for the other component.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
You must meet the minimum serving size, as determined on the meal pattern cards for each age group, in order to be reimbursed.<\/p>\n
Additionally, at least one serving of grains per day must be whole grain-rich in order for the day’s meals and snacks to be reimbursed (excluding children under 1 year old).<\/strong><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\tWhat do I do if a participant requires meal modifications?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tExpand<\/i><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t
Food substitutions and other reasonable modifications to the CACFP meal pattern may be necessary to mee the dietary needs of participants who:<\/p>\n
- \n
- qualify as having a disability under any of the federal nondiscrimination laws;<\/li>\n
- are eligible for special education under the IDEA; or<\/li>\n
- do not qualify as having a disability under any of the federal nondiscrimination laws, but have other special dietary needs.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
For participants with disabilities, USDA requires that CACFP facilities make modifications on a case-by-case basis. <\/strong><\/p>\n
If the meal modification does not meet the meal pattern requirements, a medical statement from a licensed physician or licensed health care professional who is authorized to write medical prescriptions under State law (health care professional) must be provided. Meals that do not meet the CACFP meal pattern requirements are not eligible for reimbursement unless they are supported by a medical statement.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The medical statement, signed by a State recognized licensed healthcare professional, should include a description of the child’s or adult’s disability so that providers understand how it restricts the child’s or adult’s diet. The statement should also describe what must be done to accommodate the disability. This may include what foods should not be served and recommendations for what should be served. A medical statement is required to justify reimbursement for the modified meal. This statement should be kept on file at the center or day care home.\u00a0<\/p>\n
For participants without disabilities, the CACFP regulations allow, but do not require, meal modifications.<\/strong> Examples of optional meal modifications include requests related to religious or moral beliefs, general health concerns, and personal food preferences. USDA exemptions include sponsors of Jewish and Seventh-day Adventist institutions.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\tCan I mix two ingredients to make up one whole component?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tExpand<\/i><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t
Yes, but there are minimum serving requirements in order to count towards the crediting.<\/p>\n
- \n
- Grains require at least 1\/4 ounce equivalent per serving<\/li>\n
- Fruits and vegetables require at least 1\/8 cup (2 tbsp). Exceptions include dried fruit, which credits for twice the volume served, and raw leafy greens, which credit for half the volume served. For example, 1 tbsp of raisins would meet the minimum creditable portion size for dried fruit, whereas 1\/4 cup of spinach would be needed to meet the minimum creditable portion size for raw leafy greens.<\/li>\n
- Meats\/meat alternates require at least 1\/4 ounce<\/li>\n
- Additionally, fluid milk can be credited in smoothies if a portion contains at least 1\/4 cup (2 fl oz) of milk. Otherwise, fluid milk must be served as a beverage or over cereal in order to credit.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\tWhat is whole grain-rich?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tExpand<\/i><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t
Whole grain-rich (WGR) means that at least 50 percent of the grain ingredients of the food are whole grains, and any other grains are enriched. At least one serving of grains per day must be WGR (excluding for children under 1 year old).<\/p>\n
There are six methods to determine if a food item is WGR):<\/p>\n
- \n
- The food is labeled as “whole wheat” and meets the FDS’s standard of identity<\/li>\n
- The food is found on any State Agency’s WIC-approved whole grain food list<\/li>\n
- The packaging contains an FDA statement about diets rich in whole grain foods<\/li>\n
- The first ingredient (second if after water) is a whole grain, and the next two grain items (if any) are whole grains, enriched grains, bran or germ.<\/li>\n
- The food meets the whole grain-rich criteria under the NSLP<\/li>\n
- There is manufacturer documentation or a standardized recipe that can determine that whole grains are the primary grain ingredient by weight<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
There are many resources on our Meal Patterns page<\/a><\/strong> that can help you determine if you’re serving a whole-grain rich food, such as our Identifying Whole Grain-Rich Guide<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n
In addition to the standards for WGR, all<\/em> grain products served in the CACFP must be made with whole grains or enriched meal and\/or enriched flour, or bran, or germ, to be creditable.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\tWhat are ounce equivalents?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tExpand<\/i><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t
Ounce equivalents (oz eq) tell you the amount of grain in a portion of food. When serving a grain, you will need to identify how many ounce equivalents are in each serving based on the product and its weight.<\/p>\n
For example, to meet 1 oz eq of grains, you would need to serve:<\/p>\n
- \n
- 16 oz of baked goods (breads, biscuits, bagels, etc.), or<\/li>\n
- 22 grams of crackers, or<\/li>\n
- 28 grams of cereal grains (oatmeal, pasta, brown rice, etc) by dry product OR 1\/2 cup cooked, or<\/li>\n
- 28 grams of ready-to-eat (RTE) breakfast cereal, or<\/li>\n
- 34 grams of waffles or pancakes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
These are general rules for the grain types. Please use the Food Buying Guide<\/a><\/strong> or the Using Ounce Equivalents for Grains Worksheet<\/a><\/strong> to make sure you’re serving the correct oz eq. There are also more resources on our Meal Patterns page<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\tThere are so many different rules! How do I remember them all?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tExpand<\/i><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t
We’re here to help! Here are some of the pages that can help you navigate the nuances of the food program:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Meal Patterns<\/a><\/strong>: Find education pieces on the five components and meal service that you can print out and keep for easy reference.<\/li>\n
- Learning Center<\/a><\/strong>: It’s not just for earning your certification! The Learning Center contains numerous webinars from USDA and other sources that are completely free to watch.<\/li>\n
- Policies & Regulations Blog<\/a><\/strong>: When there’s a new update from USDA, we’ll go through it and summarize the language in our policy blog within a few days. It’s also a great idea to sign up for our weekly eNews<\/a><\/strong>, which will feature these blog posts when they come out so you don’t miss a thing!<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
We also post our Meal Pattern Minute<\/a><\/strong> on social media for those quick tips that sometimes slip through the cracks in the big picture of the food program. Be sure to\u00a0follow us on Instagram<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0or\u00a0on Facebook<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0for more tips, recipes and resources!<\/p>\n
And finally, we encourage you to attend the National Child Nutrition Conference<\/a><\/strong> or check out some of the webinars that we hold in our Event Calendar<\/a><\/strong>, much of which can also count towards any continuing education certifications you may pursue.<\/p>\n
\n\t\tWhat Are All Those Acronyms?\n\t<\/h3>\n\t
As with starting anything new, you’ll run into a lot of new acronyms that colleagues will use all the time. Here are some of the most common acronyms to help get you up to speed.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t
![\"CACFP](\"https:\/\/growthzonecmsprodeastus.azureedge.net\/sites\/1980\/2022\/09\/CACFP-Acronyms-9-12-2022-cacfp.org1024_1-3154e9de-1f47-489b-b96a-6ba0a0bf0a05.jpg\" "\\"CACFP")
\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDownload Acronym Guide\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\tI want to join the Food Program!\n\t<\/h2>\n\t
Great! There are three ways to join the Food Program.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\t\tFind a Sponsor\n\t<\/h4>\n\t
A CACFP Sponsor <\/b>is an organization that will help you claim reimbursement for the meals and snacks that you serve through the CACFP. They ensure you are compliant with state and federal rules and assist you in proper reporting and other administrative functions.<\/p>\n
\n\t\tContract with State Agency Directly\n\t<\/h4>\n\t
Independent centers may contract directly through their State Agencies. This does not apply to family child care homes, which must find a sponsor in order to participate in the food program.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n\t\tBecome a Sponsor\n\t<\/h4>\n\t
If you operate multiple child care centers, adult day care centers, at-risk afterschool programs or emergency shelters, you may be eligible to become a sponsoring organization. For-profit organizations may only sponsor for-profit centers within the same legal entity, i.e. affiliated centers. A nonprofit organization may sponsor both affiliated and unaffiliated centers.<\/p>\n
Responsibilities of a Sponsor include:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Assume financial and administrative responsibility for each participating site<\/li>\n
- Attending and providing trainings<\/li>\n
- Preparing reimbursement claims<\/li>\n
- Ensuring permits are obtained and maintained<\/li>\n
- Regular monitoring of participating sites<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Contact your State Agency<\/strong><\/a> to find out if you are eligible to become a sponsor and what your next steps are.<\/p>\n
\n\t\tWhat type of program do you operate?\n\t<\/h2>\n\t
Identify the care you provide and follow your path to joining the CACFP.<\/p>\n\t
Child Care Center<\/strong><\/p>\n
- \n
- Public or private nonresidential licensed child care centers<\/li>\n
- For-profit centers are eligible if at least 25% of participants qualify for free or reduced rates or receive child care subsidies.<\/li>\n
- Serves children ages 12 and under<\/li>\n
- Reimbursement for up to 2 meals and 1 snack, or 1 meal and 2 snacks – per child, per day<\/li>\n
- Reimbursement is based on the income level of the children in care (free, reduced-price or paid rates)<\/li>\n
- Join the Food Program by either\n
- \n
- Finding a Sponsor<\/li>\n
- Contracting with your State Agency directly<\/li>\n
- Becoming a Sponsor through your State Agency<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFind a Sponsor\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tContact State Agency\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t
Family Day Care Home<\/strong><\/p>\n
- \n
- Licensed or approved family or group day care homes<\/li>\n
- Serves children ages 12 and under<\/li>\n
- Reimbursement for up to 2 meals and 1 snack, or 1 meal and 2 snacks – per child, per day<\/li>\n
- Reimbursement is based on the income level of the local geographic area, the child care provider, or the children in care (free, reduced-price or paid rates)<\/li>\n
- Must join the Food Program signing an agreement with a sponsoring organization<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFind a Sponsor\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t
Adult Day Care Center<\/strong><\/p>\n
- \n
- Public or private nonprofit adult day care centers<\/li>\n
- For-profit centers may be eligible for CACFP if at least 25% of their participants receive benefits under title XIX (Grants to States for Medical Assistance Programs) or title XX (Block Grants and Programs for Social Services and Elder Justice)<\/li>\n
- Individuals who reside in institutions are not<\/strong> eligible<\/li>\n
- Serves adults 60 or older, or adults who are physically or mentally impaired to the extent that limits their independence and ability to carry out activities of daily living<\/li>\n
- Reimbursement for up to 2 meals and 1 snack, or 1 meal and 2 snacks – per adult, per day<\/li>\n
- Reimbursement is based on the income status of each participant<\/li>\n
- Join the Food Program by either\n
- \n
- Finding a Sponsor<\/li>\n
- Contracting with your State Agency directly<\/li>\n
- Becoming a Sponsor through your State Agency<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFind a Sponsor\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tContact State Agency\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t
At-Risk Afterschool Site<\/strong><\/p>\n
- \n
- The program must:\n
- \n
- Be located at a site where at least half of the children in the school attendance area are eligible for free and reduced-price school meals<\/li>\n
- Offer educational or enrichment activities after the regular school day ends or on weekends and holidays, during times of the year when school is in session<\/li>\n
- Meet licensing, health or safety codes required by state or local law<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
- Afterschool programs located in schools are also eligible<\/li>\n
- Serves children ages 18 and under<\/li>\n
- No application for guardians to fill out<\/li>\n
- Reimbursement for up to 1 meal and 1 snack – per child, per day\n
- \n
- ARAS sites can serve one meal per day on weekends or during vacations with State Agency approval<\/li>\n
- ARAS sites can also serve 2 snacks instead of 1 meal and 1 snack with State Agency approval<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
- Reimbursement is at the free rate<\/li>\n
- Join the Food Program by either\n
- \n
- Finding a Sponsor<\/li>\n
- Contracting with your State Agency directly<\/li>\n
- Becoming a Sponsor through your State Agency<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFind a Sponsor\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tContact State Agency\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t
Emergency Shelter<\/strong><\/p>\n
- \n
- Any facility whose primary purpose is to provide temporary shelter to homeless families with children<\/li>\n
- Serves children ages 18 and under<\/li>\n
- No application for guardians to fill out<\/li>\n
- Reimbursement for up to 3 meals or 2 meals and 1 snack – per child per day<\/li>\n
- Reimbursement is at the free rate<\/li>\n
- Join the Food Program by either\n
- \n
- Finding a Sponsor<\/li>\n
- Contracting with your State Agency directly<\/li>\n
- Becoming a Sponsor through your State Agency<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFind a Sponsor\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tContact State Agency\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
What is the CACFP? The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) is a federal program that provides reimbursements for nutritious meals and snacks served to eligible infants, children and adults. These participants can be at child care centers, day care homes, adult day care centers, at-risk afterschool care centers, and emergency shelters. Who is…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":55201,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"yoast_head":"\n
Join the Food Program - National CACFP Sponsors Association<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cacfp.org\/join\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Join the Food Program\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"What is the CACFP? The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) is a federal program that provides reimbursements for nutritious meals and snacks served to eligible infants, children and adults. These participants can be at child care centers, day care homes, adult day care centers, at-risk afterschool care centers, and emergency shelters. 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- The program must:\n
- Learning Center<\/a><\/strong>: It’s not just for earning your certification! The Learning Center contains numerous webinars from USDA and other sources that are completely free to watch.<\/li>\n
- Meal Patterns<\/a><\/strong>: Find education pieces on the five components and meal service that you can print out and keep for easy reference.<\/li>\n
- Milk may not be served at snack time when juice is served for the other component.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Adults do not require a serving of milk for supper.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- You may choose to serve a second, different vegetable in place of the fruit component at lunch and\/or supper.<\/em><\/li>\n