Food Program
CDRC helps to meet the needs of our families through the implementation of the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). The CACFP provides each child with approximately 80% of their nutrition on a given day. The 5 main components that are served through the CACFP are: milk, fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and meat/meat alternates. Full time children are provided with breakfast, lunch, and an afternoon snack.
All meals are served with a family-style dining approach. Children and teachers sit together in small groups and share a meal. Participating in this kind of dining with young children includes many benefits, it:
-
Encourages children to try a variety of foods/cuisines
-
Teaches portion control
-
Promotes social skills
-
Expands fine motor skills with self-serving
-
Models manners and how to use utensils
-
Allows children to see adults making healthy choices