PK-12 Education Nutrition Programs Child & Adult Care Food Program | Child & Adult Care Food Program |
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The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) is a federally funded program that provides meal reimbursement to child care centers, adult day care centers,emergency shelters and child development homes for serving nutritious meals. The objectives of CACFP are to:
This Program serves:
The funds provided for this Program are from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The Program is operated in Iowa through the Bureau of Nutrition, Health and Transportation in the Department of Education. What is QRS?QRS stands for Iowa's Quality Rating System. It offers providers a guided way to improve the quality of child care they provide by achieving recognized "Levels". What do the levels mean? A provider who achieves Level 1 has met Iowa's registration or licensing standards. A provider who achieves Level 2 has completed additional training and steps to improve quality and participates in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). Providers in Levels 3-5 have made significant steps in meeting key indicators of quality in the areas of professional development, health and safety, environment, family and community partnership and leadership and administration. Because participation in the CACFP has been shown to be an indicator of quality child care, a center must participate, if eligible, to achieve level 2. Am I eligible for CACFP? Who can participate? Registered child development homes, Licensed child care centers, Head Start, Early Head Start, afterschool programs, and child care programs operated by school districts. For more information visit: http://www.dhs.state.ia.us/iqrs/ Eligibility RequirementsChild Care Centers: Public or Private Non-profit
Any child care organization in Iowa providing non-residential care for
children may participate in the Child and Adult Care Food Program if
the following requirements are met:
A Board of Directors governs the private non-profit organization.
Voting board of directors should not have a vested interest in the center(s) or
be a paid center employee.
A private non-profit or a public organization can operate a preschool,
full day child care center, an outside school hours child car, an At Risk After School snack program or
an emergency shelter program.
Child Care Centers: Private For-Profit
A private for-profit child care organization in Iowa providing
non-residential care for children may participate in the Child and
Adult Care Food Program if the following requirements are met:
25% Documentation Survey
To determine CACFP eligibility, distribute the income eligibility form (with a cover letter) to parents, and complete the 25% documentation form .
Child Development Homes Any child development home providing care for children in Iowa may participate in the Iowa Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) if the child development home:
Emergency Shelters An emergency shelter or temporary residential site must provide residential care and food services to homeless children. It must be a public or private nonprofit institution. Unlike most other CACFP facilities, a shelter does not have to be licensed to provide day care. However, it must meet any health and safety codes that are required by state or local law.A shelter may complete an application and sign an agreement with the State administering agency, or it may participate as a facility under an existing public or non-profit CACFP sponsoring organization. At Risk After School Snack Program In order for an At Risk After School site to participate, it must be located in a school attendance area where at least 50 percent of the enrolled children are eligible for free or reduced price meals (area eligible). After school care programs can use free and reduced price meal data from elementary, middle, or high schools to document a site as "area eligible". You must also provide children with regularly scheduled educational or enrichment activities in a supervised environment. There are no federal licensing requirements; however, after school care programs are required to meet State or local licensing requirements. If the organization is exempt from licensing, the program must meet State or local health and safety requirements. ReimbursementMeals - What Meals Can be Reimbursed? Child Care Centers are paid reimbursement for children 1-12 years and infants served meals that follow the CACFP meal pattern requirements. Centers may request approval for breakfast, lunch, supper, and snacks (morning, afternoon and evening). Currently, USDA rules allow reimbursement to be paid for not more than two meals and one snack or one meal and two snacks per child per day. Meals served to supervising adults, volunteers and visitor cannot be claimed for CACFP reimbursement.
Adult Day Care Centers are paid reimbursement for planning and serving meals that follow the adult CACFP meal pattern requirements.
Centers may request approval for breakfast, lunch, supper, and snacks
(morning, afternoon and evening). Currently, USDA rules allow
reimbursement to be paid for not more than two meals and one snack or
one meal and two snacks per adult per day. Meals served to supervising
adults, volunteers and visitor cannot be claimed for CACFP reimbursement.
Outside School Hours Care Centers may claim breakfasts and
snacks. Lunches served to school children in these centers may be
claimed only when school is not in session such as on weekends,
holidays or school vacations.
Child Development Homes are reimbursed for planning and serving
meals that follow CACFP requirements for children 1-12 years and infants. Homes may request approval to
claim breakfast, lunch, supper and snacks (morning, afternoon and
evening). Reimbursement is paid for not more than two meals and one
snack, two snacks and one meal or three snacks per day.
At Risk After School Snacks served after the end of the school
day or on vacation days or holidays (during school year only) are the
only meals eligible for reimbursement. All snacks are reimbursed at the
"free" rate. Income applications are not required.
Homeless and Emergency Shelters may claim breakfast, lunch and
supper or two of these meals and a snack. All meals are reimbursed at
the "free" rate. Income applications are not required. Reimbursement is based on the income level on participants if income applications are collected. Meals served to lower income participants are reimbursed at a higher rate. Reimbursement rates can be found on the side navigation menu under "Nutrition Programs Funding " and then select CACFP. Application Procedures
How do I apply for the CACFP center program in Iowa? Center Programs and Emergency Shelters:
Contact Rod Bakken or Robin Searles at 515-281-5356
Attendance at a CACFP Steps to Success Workshop is required to become
familiar with the Program requirements. The CACFP application for
participation must be completed by your organization and returned to
the State Agency for approval. An appointment will be made for a
pre-approval visit by the CACFP consultant
located in your area.
Child Development Homes: Contact the Child and Adult Care Food Program Home Sponsor in your county, (click on the list below.) Call the Home Sponsor and ask for the CACFP representative to schedule a visit in your home to explain the CACFP requirements. List of CACFP Home Sponsors in Iowa by county General ResourcesMeal Patterns
The following meal patterns must be followed for the ages specified in
order for meals served to participants to be eligible for CACFP
reimbursement
CACFP Menu Ideas
Montana Toolkit http://www.opi.mt.gov/schoolfood/cyclecare.html CACFP Menu Ideas Parts 1 and 2 were submitted by child care providers and have been reviewed to meet CACFP meal pattern requirements. They can be used by child care centers and homes for menu planning ideas.
Activities for Nutritious CACFP Snacks may be used by child care centers and homes for healthy snack ideas and include related activities the meet CACFP requirements.
The list of Best Practice Tips for Mealtime includes acceptable types of meal service (pre-dished, family style and transition) and step by step tips for successful mealtime offered by centers accross Iowa.
List of creditable CACFP Snacks for use by child care centers and homes.
The Serving Size Chart is used to assist staff who prepare serving dishes for CACFP family style meals to ensure enough food is on the table for the number of participants sitting at the table.
Menus the meet CACFP requirements and the 2005 Dietary Guildline recommendations for healthier meals.
Forms Form that must be completed by a designated health care professional in order to claim meals for reimbursement when a child or infant cannot follow the CACFP meal pattern. The form is recommended when a child or infant has a food allergy but can follow the meal pattern.
Publications Building for the Future BrochureThe Building for the Future Brochure must be provided to families upon enrollment to inform them of the center's participation in the CACFP. A copy may be downloaded from the USDA Websites listed below (print two-sided, flip on short edge) or obtained from the CACFP Steps to Success Manual. Building for the Future Brochure-EnglishCenter Resources
Forms Forms that musts be distributed to all families if the center wishes to claim any meals for reimbursement at the higher (free or reduced price) rates of reimbursement. A current complete and correctley approved form must be on file for a child whose meals are claimed at the free or reduced price rate of reimbursement. Forms are current for one year. Parent Letters:
One of the following letters must be attached to the Iowa Eligiblity Application. Select the non-pricing letter for centers that include meals in the cost of child care. Select the pricing letter for centers that charge seperately for meals.
Use this chart to determine if an Iowa Eligibility Application falls within the income guidleine for free or reduced price eligibility. The guidelines change annually, starting July 1st.
Instructions for approving the Iowa Eligibility Application
For Profit Centers complete this form to summarize free and reduced price eligibility. Mail in when complete if you do not have at least 25% eligible for free or reduced price meals. Contact Robin Searles at (515)281-3484 if you believe you have 25% or more eligible.
Form that child care center sponsors used to conduct their 3 required annual review of sponsor center sites.
Form that adult care center sponsors use to conduct their 3 required annual review of sponsor center sites.
Sample CACFP enrollment form with required information. Must be signed by a parent and updated annually.
Form used to record daily meal participation. Each child's first and last name must be listed.
Blank menu form for planning menus in the child care centers.
Blank menu form for planning menus in adult day care centers.
Centers must provide information about the WIC program families of
enrolled children. Order pads of the WIC Income Guildlines to hand out
to parent using this form. CACFP Tracking Worksheet for Training Requirements Use this form to track training for each staff member with CACFP duties to ensure the annual 1.5 hours of annual CACFP training per person has been completed.
Household Contacts Use these forms to conduct household contacts with parents in the event of a child's attendance at the child care facilty or information on the income application needs to be verified.  Household contacts - Tracking/Phone Contact Form Household contacts- Sample Cover Letter
Daily Attendance Record (After School Snack Program)
Sample daily attendance record for use in the afterschool snack program.
Food Production Records Food Production Records are used to document that required amounts of food have been served. If food is ordered food from an outside source, use the Contracted Meal Food Production Record. If meals are prepared onsite, use either the Short Food Production Record or the Regular Food Production Record form. The regular form includes columns that match the Food Buying Guide and instructions for calculating amounts to prepare. Outside hours child care centers may use the form developed for those organizations.
Food Production Record Worksheet (Outside School Hours Care Centers Only)
Home Sponsor Resources
List of Home Sponsors in Iowa USDA FNS Instruction 796-2, Revisions 3 Set of 18 Brochures by USDA's summarizing CACFP allowable financial costs from the FNS Instruction 796-2, Revision 3.  USDA's CACFP Financial Management BrochuresInfant FeedingInfant Meal Pattern Lists what must be served to infants at different ages in order for the meal to be eligible for CACFP reimbursement. Is this infant meal reimbursable? Is a chart that lists which infant meals may be claimed depending on the age of the infant and whether the parent or center provides the breast milk, formula and/or food.
Child Care Center Infant Enrollment Form Includes required information that must be collected annually. The bottom of the form documents what formula the center offers and gives the parent the opportunity to accept or decline this formula and the center's infant food.
This form must be completed by the parent for all infants in care.
Can be used to document in writing what foods an infant has been introduced to at home.
Reimbursable Foods for Infants Lists infant foods that must be used to fulfill the infant meal pattern requirements. Non-reimbursable foods are also listed. Non-reimbursable foods may not be used to meet infant meal pattern requirements.
Infant Menu Form OptionsDHS Recommended Infant Daily Report
Sample form that my be used to record CACFP infant menus and fulfill DHS daily infant report requirements. Individual Infant Weekly Menu
Sample menu form to record an individual infant's weekly menu.
Individual Infant Monthly Menus Sample menu forms to record an individual infant's monthly menu at different ages.
Group Infant Weekly Menu Sample menu form to record what all infants will be served. This form may only be used when all infants served are the same age and offered the same foods.
Infant Recipes
Two infant recipes (pancakes and muffins) using iron-fortified infant cereal may be used to meet the CACFP iron-fortified cereal requirement for 8-11 month olds at breakfast.
Child and Adult Care Food Program FAQsChild and Adult Care Food Program LinksChild and Adult Care Food Program Contact |
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| Last Updated ( Thursday, 17 July 2008 ) |
CACFP Menu Ideas Part1 (