Stirring Up Goodness: Nutrition Tips & Support for Families with Little Ones

‍We know how essential healthy eating is to young children’s physical and cognitive growth, energy, and emotional development. That’s why we’re excited to spotlight the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)  -- a nationwide nutrition program that helps child care providers serve balanced, tasty meals and snacks to supports families just like yours. 

What is CACFP and Why It Matters for Your Family

CACFP is a federally funded nutrition program administered through the U.S. Department of Agriculture that reimburses participating child care programs for serving healthy, nutritious meals and snacks. Through sponsors like Quality Care for Children, CACFP is active in child care centers, family child care learning homes (FCCLH), afterschool programs, emergency shelters, and other care settings to ensure our very young children have consistent access to nutritious foods when they’re learning, playing, and growing. 

Here’s what that means for you and your child:

• More nutritious meals served where your child eats every day: When child care providers are enrolled in CACFP, your child receives meals and snacks that are planned to meet federal nutrition standards, helping set the stage for good eating habits from the very start. 

• Less stress around snacks and meals: When your child’s care provider participates in CACFP, you don’t have to worry about sending snacks or packing meals at home. This means you have more time on busy days and often helps families save money on household food costs.

• Affordable, quality care: Because CACFP helps cover a portion of food costs, many programs can reinvest that savings into other areas of their program. It also means that parents aren’t being charged more in tuition to cover food expense.

• Nutrition education baked in: Many CACFP providers use fun activities like taste tests, cooking tasks, and other food-related learning that build confidence and curiosity for young children around new foods. 

Celebrate Nutrition with National CACFP Week

Each year, programs across Georgia and the U.S. celebrate National CACFP Week during the third week of March to raise awareness about how CACFP supports communities and works to combat hunger. This year’s theme  -- “Stirring Up Goodness” -- invites families (along with child care providers) to think about food, fun, and connection while supporting the program’s positive impact and the people who make it happen. 

Here are some daily themes and activities your child’s care providers may be exploring at their program for CACFP Week that you can use at home, too!

• C is for Community & Food Access (Monday) – Talk about where food comes from and why everyone deserves healthy meals.

• A is for Adults (Tuesday) – Share one of your favorite recipes from when you were a kid with your child or take a mini-wellness break, such as stretching or a breathing activity, with your child to show how you take a few moments during the day to focus on wellness.

• C is for Children & Families  (Wednesday)– Try simple cooking tasks with your child (like washing veggies, breaking eggs, or stirring batter).

• F is for Farm to CACFP (Thursday) – Visit a local farmer’s market or grow a few herbs at home to explore fresh produce.

• P is for Physical Activity (Friday) – Pair healthy foods with fun movement like dancing, hopping, or a walk outside. 

Tips for Families to Use at Home

Through the CACFP, child care programs provide meals and snacks with more whole grains and vegetables, and fewer added sugars. See the tips below, and here, inspired by the CACFP’s focus on balanced eating to support your family’s meals at home:

Build Colorful Plates
Let your child help fill their plate with fruits and vegetables of different colors -- reds, greens, yellows -- to make mealtime fun and nutritious.

Little Chefs, Big Fun
Invite your child to take simple “kitchen helper” jobs like rinsing berries, stirring batter, or sorting fruit. This boosts confidence and expands taste preferences.

Keep It Balanced
Pair proteins (like eggs, beans, or yogurt) with grains (like whole-grain toast) and produce (like sliced apples) for meals that fuel play and learning.

Use Mealtime to Talk
Ask questions like “What color is this veggie?” or “Does this crunch feel funny?” Kids learn about food through all their senses -- sight, smell, taste, touch. Plus, you’re strengthening vocabulary and curiosity at the same time.

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Great Books to Read Together

Sharing picture books about food and movement is a great way to introduce your children to new cultures and foods, teach how food makes it to their table, and encourage them to try different foods and be active.

Below are some books you might enjoy from the CACFP Week book list. Find more info and links for video read-alouds here:

1. Thank You, Omu! by Oge Mora

2. Grandpa’s Garden by Stella Fry

3. Bee-bim Bop! by Linda Sue Park

4. Too Many Carrots by Katy Hudson

5. Move! by Steven Jenkins and Robin Page

Whether your child’s program participates in CACFP or you’re looking for nutrition advice at home, remember that healthy eating is a journey. Every small bite of a veggie, every story read together about food, and every shared snack is a chance to build good, lifelong eating and wellness habits.

Learn more about CACFP and gather more great tips, activities, and resources from the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning.