Child Care Programs Play an Important Role in Child Nutrition and Wellness
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Meals and snacks served in child care are an important part of a child's day. And now, with the increasing price of food, growing awareness of children's health and obseity, and overall food insecurity among families and communities, the meals served in child care may be even more important to families.
Child care centers are also a place for physical activity, play, and a variety of activities that support healthy development.
Created in 1968, the Child and Adult Food Program (CACFP) serves more than three million children in child care settings each day. Currently, ECEC members serve at least 200,000 children through the CACFP program at over 2,000 child care centers across the country. CACFP standards are called a "meal pattern" which provides detailed nutritional standards and guidance.
But even if they aren't participating in CACFP, ECEC members are serving meals and snacks to thousands of young children each day.
ECEC Resources
Child Nutrition Action in Congress
Child Nutriton Action in the Administration
Resources and Reports
Background
ECEC Resources
Stories from the Field: Child Nutrition and the Child and Adult Care Food Program
Early Care and Education Consortium, October 2009.
Child Care and Child Nutrition
Child Care Exchange, May/June 2009.
The Child and Adult Care Food Program
ECEC Radio, June 2009.
Child Nutriton Action in Congress
The Child Nutrition Act, which includes important initiatives like CACFP, school lunch and WIC, was reauthorized in the 111th Congress.
The next step is for the U.S. Department of Agriculture to create regulations for the new provisions created in the new law.
Please see our Federal Legislation page for important updates and summaries of the final legislation.
Testimony of Carolyn Morrison, "Improving Children's Health: Strengthening Federal Child Nutrition Programs." U.S. House of Education and Labor Committee.
March 3, 2010.
Child Nutriton Action in the Administration - Let's Move! Child Care
On June 8th, the First Lady visited the CentroNia childcare facility in Washington DC to kick off Let's Move! Childcare, a program designed to combat childhood obesity, and get the youngest children off to a healthy start.
Visit the Let's Move! Child Care website to get free tools to make nutrition fun, and get kids moving!
The Let's Move! Child Care fact sheet shows the guidelines for starting early, and starting smart.
Design new eating habits with the USDA's new interactive program myplate.gov.
Or find a community garden in your area with the USDA's new People's Garden.
The next steps include outreach and working with providers. ECEC is a member of the Health Kids, Healthy Future Steering Committee and is a proud partner of the First Lady's Let's Move! Child Care initiative.
Resources and Reports
Child and Adult Care Food Program: Participation Trends 2010
Food Research and Action Center, March 2010.
How Improving Federal Nutrition Program Access and Quality Work Together to Reduce Hunger and Promote Healthy Eating
Food Research and Action Center, February 2010.
Food Hardship: A Closer Look at Hunger
Data for the Nation, States, 100 MSAs, and Every Congressional District
Food Research and Action Center, January 2010.
State Obesity Statistics 2009
Food Research and Action Center, December 2009.
Ending Childhood Hunger by 2015: The Essential Strategies for Achieving the President's Goal
Food Research and Action Center, July 2009.
Good Nutrition Feeds Healthy Development and a Healthy Future: Reauthoization of WIC and CACFP
Zero to Three, 2009.
Reading, Writing and Hungry: The Consequences of Food Insecurity on Children, and on Our Nation's Economic Success Partnership for America's Economic Success, November 2008.
State of the States: 2008
FRAC's Profile of Food & Nutrition Programs Across the Nation
Food Research and Action Center, November 2008.
Background
About CACFP, including state resources and updated participation trends.
The Food Research and Action Center.
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