About the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)

Congress established the Child Care Food Program in 1968 to improve the health of children in child care centers both by improving the nutritional quality of meals and by promoting healthy eating. In 1975, the program was expanded to include family child care homes. In 1989, the program was renamed the Child and Adult Care Food Program when it was expanded again to include adult day care centers. The program is run nationally by the Food and Nutrition Service, an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

The program is administered in North Carolina by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health / Nutrition Services branch. Child Nutrition Program, Inc. (CNP) has a contract from the state to provide program services directly to family child care homes and centers. Family child care homes must have a "sponsor" such as CNP to participate in the program. Child care centers can choose to apply for funds directly from the state, but may prefer the benefits of CNP, Inc.'s services.

CACFP Meal Requirements

Child care centers and family child care homes can be reimbursed for 2 meals and 1 snack per child per day. The meals must include the following components to qualify for reimbursement:

Breakfast: Milk, fruit or vegetable or 100% juice, bread or cereal.

Lunch or supper: Milk, meat or meat alternate, fruit or vegetable (2 servings), bread or alternate.

Snack: Serve at least 2 of the 4 components: Milk, meat or alternate, fruit or vegetable, bread or alternate.