Food Program Tools and Resources

Resources to Help You Serve Healthy Foods

Navigating through nutrition labels and USDA guidelines can be complicated. We have all the tools you need to help you serve healthy foods to children.

These resources are produced by the USDA  Food and Nutrition Service and are intended to help you meet the requirements of Child and Adult Care Food Program.

Resources can be downloaded and printed, or if you are a CACFP participating child care program, you can order free copies of the publications from the USDA Team Nutrition.

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Updated Child and Adult Meal Patterns
Methods for Healthy Cooking
Offer Versus Serve
Infant Meal Pattern
Child Meal Pattern
Calculating Sugar Limits for Cereal
Calculating Sugar Limits for Yogurt
Grain-Based Desserts
Serving Meat and Meat Alternatives at Breakfast
Choose Breakfast Cereals that are Lower in Added Sugars
Choose Yogurts that are Lower in Added Sugars
Adding Whole Grains to Your Menu
Identifying Whole Grain-Rich Foods
Serving Milk
Identifying Whole Grain-Rich Foods Ingredients Using the Ingredient List
Growing a Healthier Future with CACFP
Serve Tasty and Healthy Meals Sample Meals for Ages 1-2
Serve Tasty and Healthy Meals Sample Meals for Ages 3-5
Serve Tasty and Healthy Meals Sample Meals for Ages 6-12
USDA Recipes for Healthy Kids Cookbook for Child Care Centers