By joining the USDA Food Program, family child care providers receive:
- Reimbursement for some of the cost of providing healthy meals and snacks to children in care.
- Ongoing education on food safety, nutrition, menu planning, shopping and budgeting.
- Consultation with registered dieticians at the Early Childhood Programs and Services.
- A great marketing tool for your home child care business, assuring parents that children in your care are receiving healthy meals and snacks.
Program Requirements
To participate in the program, you must:
- Have a current Fairfax County child care permit or state license.
- Have children, other than your own, in your care.
- Sign a provider agreement with the Early Childhood Programs and Services.
- Follow the USDA meal pattern.
- Serve nutritious foods (for example, eating more whole grains).
- Submit menus and attendance records each month for reimbursement.
- Record each meal or snack at the time it is served (point of service).
- Allow a minimum of three home visits per year.
- Complete annual USDA regulations training.
Read more about the program in English and Spanish*.
Early Childhood Programs and Services will provide the forms and assistance you will need to obtain reimbursement each month.
Frequently Asked Questions for Family Child Care Providers About the USDA Food Program
1. How can the CACFP help me (the family child care provider)?
The CACFP will help you by providing reimbursement for meals and snacks that meet recommended nutrition guidelines to children in care. The program provides training on menu planning, food safety and nutrition and let parents know that children receive nutritious meals. Nutrition is an important part of quality child care and a healthy lifestyle.
2. What meals can I claim?
Family child care providers can claim up to two meals and one snack per child per day. You can choose the combination that works best for your program.
3. How do I get my reimbursement?
Reimbursement checks are mailed directly to you on a monthly basis.
4. Does the CACFP meal pattern allow for variations to accommodate participants who cannot eat certain foods because of religious reasons?
Yes. In many cases substitutions to accommodate religious dietary restrictions can be made within existing meal pattern requirements. The adjustments can be made as needed by submitting a letter from the parent for an alternate meal pattern.
5. Is an infant meal reimbursable if the iron-fortified infant formula is supplied by the parent or guardian?
Yes. Reimbursable meals for infants may contain either breast milk or iron-fortified formula, or both. Infant formula may be supplied by the family child care provider or by the parent. However, the meal must be served and fed to the infant by the provider.
6. How can my participation in the CACFP help parents?
Parents who leave children in your care want to feel confident that the child receives the best care, the care of a professional. Your participation in the CACFP assures parents that their child is receiving nutritious meals based on USDA nutrition standards, a sign of quality child care, and will learn to develop healthy eating habits that will last life time.
7. What does a program visit look like?
Your Child Care Specialist will visit your program 3 times a year to review your paperwork, answer your questions, and bring you nutrition education material, record keeping calendar, attendance sheets and menus.
8. Can I claim meals for my own children?
Under certain guidelines, family child care providers may claim meals and snacks served to their own children when in child care. ECPS staff can help you determine if you are eligible.
USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program Orientation
To join the USDA Food Program, please call 703-324-8100, TTY 711, to register for an orientation session or contact your child care specialist in the Early Childhood Programs and Services for an in-home orientation.
Discover how the USDA Food Program will benefit your family child care business. Learn about the resources you receive when you participate in the Food Program. Learn how to join the Food Program and the easy way to submit your monthly claims for reimbursement.
Please note: After you join the Food Program, your child care specialist will visit you in your home and will provide you with a certificate for two hours of training credit.
When you have your first child in care you ready to join the USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program. We will come to your home and teach you how to start claiming. Call Simran Saigal at 703-324-8260, TTY 711 or Alisa Brooks at 703-246-8778, TTY 711 and they will arrange for your in-home Food Program training.
