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January 2017 eNews
#healthyholidaynca Healthy Holidays MyPlate MyState Style The National CACFP Sponsors Association asked the child nutrition community to share photos of their MyPlate, MyState Healthy Holidays. In addition to seeking a MyPlate meal, we asked participants to show how they use local foods from their state and region to create balanced meals and then posting a picture of their plate and sharing on social media using hashtag #healthyholidaynca. We loved the these three featuring local foods: Healthy Hannukah from Wisconsin, Holiday MyPlate from Utah, and Christmas Breakfast from Missouri. We're sending each child care provider a $100 Visa gift card to thank them for sharing their healthy holidays and to keep up the great work serving healthy, local foods! |
$20,000 in Scholarships for Professional Development On staff at a Head Start, Food Bank, School District, At Risk Afterschool, Summer Food, Tribal Nation, Center, Home Care or CACFP Sponsoring Agency? Apply for one of thirteen (13) scholarships offered by the National Child Nutrition Foundation to attend the National CACFP Conference. This $1,500 scholarship includes conference registration, four (4) nights lodging at the conference hotel, and up to $300.00 toward transportation costs. |
Celebrate Winter Sometimes in the winter we have to create many more indoor opportunities for children than when we can play outside all day during other seasons. Here are some great ideas for child care providers, centers, and families. Have children help you make a healthy Winter Stew or make super easy puffy snowflakes! For physical activity consider this Mitten Match Fun: Place numbered mitten pairs around the room. The kids locate all of the mittens and practice numbers while hanging all of the mittens on a clothesline. Try greatest to least and least to greatest. Make sure the kids move around to complete the task. Download this Happy Winter flyer and share by email, on your website, through social media or print to hand-out personally to your providers and childcare families. |
MEMBER SHOWCASE Meet Kim Jackson As a pre-vet major, Kim Jackson never imagined herself as a child care provider. After helping a friend with their child care home twenty years ago, she hasn't looked back. While watching the kids grow and reach life milestones, Kim has a feeling of accomplishment because she was there to influence them along the way and this continues to motivate her as a provider today. The (children) have their own garden, visit the local farmer's market and help with food choices. Kim believes, "Growing and learning with homemade, fresh food will help you make healthy choices as you go through life." Read more about Kim, her program, and stories of other child care providers at our Member Showcase page. Do you have a provider or center you'd like us to feature? Email Us |
USDA FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICES Policy Memo Summaries At NCA, we've put together a quick note highlighting why these recent memos from the USDA matter most to you.
Read the summaries and download the full text on our policy page. Read More |
REGISTER BY FEBRUARY 15 TO SAVE $75 EARLY Registration Savings If you are looking for over 100 hours of training opportunities, check out the National CACFP Conference schedule, workshops, featured programs, and preconference training! Join over 1,200 of your colleagues in San Diego next April. Get a discount. Register Today! FOUR HOUR DEEP DIVE PRECONFERENCE TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES The Healthy Out-of-School Time Movement & CACFPImagine if all 10.2 million young people who were enrolled in afterschool programs had the opportunity for healthy snacks, meal and engaging nutrition enrichment. Imagine if afterschool program providers and school nutrition staff had the training and resources to collaborate, partner and take-action. Plan to attend this preconference training where participants will discuss the connection between food insecurity, childhood obesity and quality improvement efforts, engage in nutrition enrichment activities that can be used to support the new CACFP meal pattern, and leave with resources to use immediately. Learn MoreServing Summer Meals: Planning, Participation, Policy & Partnering for SuccessThe Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) is an important tool for addressing the nutrition gap low-income children face when the school year ends - and success depends on collaboration, proactive planning, and partnerships every step of the way. This interactive and informative session will cover the nuts and bolts of SFSP and beyond, including: USDA resources and streamlining policies for sponsors; emerging trends and promising practices that can be replicated in your community; strategies for improving meal quality and reducing food waste; anti-hunger advocate perspectives on facilitating community collaboration and buy-in; and examples of effective outreach and marketing efforts. Whether you are a CACFP sponsor operating SFSP for the first time, or a year-round sponsor looking to expand or sustain your current operations, you will leave this session with practical resources, new contacts, and a concrete plan to reach more children with nutritious meals during the summer months. Learn More |
Foods of the Month Curriculum Our friends at the National Recreation and Parks Association have developed a fantastic resource we know you will love! These free, downloadable resources include monthly lesson plan guides to implement the Commit to Health: Foods of the Month nutrition literacy curriculum. The lesson plan guide is divided up into suggested weekly activities that include experiential activities, coloring and activity sheets, fun being active tips and USDA MyPlate activities. Two age-appropriate lesson plan guides are available for each month. |
#MYPLATEMYWINS Start with Small ChangesThere's more than one way to eat healthy. Practical changes to the meals you commonly eat or serve, whether in the employee cafeteria, child care center, or at your favorite eatery, can add up to big wins over time. The MyPlate, MyWins animated video series demonstrates small changes in meals that will decrease consumption of added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium in alignment with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Making choices that incorporate these changes in your everyday life can help you achieve a healthy eating style now and into the future. Each week this month #MyPlateMyWins will feature a new animated video showing how we can incorporate small changes toward a healthier lifestyle. For instance, the #MyPlateMyWins for Beverages video features small changes you can make to improve your drink choices. For example, cut down on saturated fat in your coffee order by skipping the whip cream and asking for skim milk in place of whole milk. |
National Farm to School Network Seeking Core Partners If you and your agency are passionate about the farm to preschool movement, consider this opportunity from our friends at the National Farm to School Network! NFSN is seeking partner organizations to serve as Core Partners who will contribute to network development, information sharing, and policy development. NFSN will support the activities undertaken by Core Partners through structured opportunities for peer learning and integration of on-the-ground activities into a coordinated national movement with the goal of advancing and institutionalizing farm to school and ECE across the nation. Core Partners will be given a matching grant of $4,000 to cover expenses and will be featured as recognized leaders. |
#ncasupersnack How do you CACFP Snack? Tell Us All & Win $100 We know that the habits child care providers instill in children at an early age will become life-long healthy choices. We also know that it's easy to get into the snack rut. So we're asking everyone, "How Do you CACFP Snack?" Post your healthy CACFP creditable snack to Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram and tag @NationalCACFP. Then hashtag your photo and share your #ncasupersnack! Whoever has the most likes, shares, or favorites by March 15th will win $100 and be featured in our eNews and conference. We'll make a free, downloadable #ncasupersnack inspiration booklet and everyone wins! |
CACFP Job Board Do you have a job opportunity in your child nutrition program you would like to share with the CACFP Community? Please contact us and we'll get a short summary and link to your application posted on our website. Email Job Posting Looking for a position? Check our website! Be sure to get a competitive advantage and get your CACFP Professional Certification! Learn More |
WELCOME NATIONAL ALLY Seafood Nutrition Partnership Seafood Nutrition Partnership addresses the health risks associated with low seafood consumption. The aim is to inspire a healthier America by promoting a nutrient-rich diet that includes seafood and to build awareness about the essential nutritional benefits from eating seafood twice a week as recommended by the USDA HHS Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Learn More |
Trending on Facebook Join the #NationalCACFP community on facebook for crafts, snacks and other clever ideas shared daily. Get a dose of what's in the news, policy changes, and CACFP specific issues. Resources, printables, and more! Check It Out Please Forward Share our CACFP Connections with your colleagues and friends so they can get our eNews delivered directly to their inbox! Subscribe Here Find A Sponsor Looking to join the food program? Find a Sponsor and receive reimbursement for serving healthy foods! Find A Sponsor |
