Child Care Food Program

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The Child Care Food Program (CCFP) is part of a nationwide program funded by the Department of Agriculture (USDA) and provides cash reimbursement for meals and snacks served to children ages 12 years and younger in licensed family child care homes. Participating family child care providers may be reimbursed for three meals (one of which must be a snack) per enrolled child, per day for food meeting USDA guidelines for good nutrition.

Either in the office and at home visits, CCFP staff can help providers with kid friendly recipes, practical menu-planning ideas, current information on nutrition and food safety, individualized help with child-feeding concerns, and current information on child care issues. Participating providers may also take advantage of the Provider Pantry where enrolled CCFP providers may shop for great food at reduced prices at the local food bank.

Food habits are caught rather than taught. The preschool years are when individual eating patterns and habits are established that may determine the quality of one’s diet throughout life. Through training and monitoring, CCFP can help providers promote proper nutrition for growing children and shape child attitudes toward the acceptance of nutritious foods.

To be eligible for CCFP services, the provider must be a licensed family child care provider caring for at least one child, either full or part time. Once a month, the provider will send CCFP the information regarding attending children and menus of the meals served to them. CCFP staff also visit with the provider a minimum of three times per year while the provider is serving the children a meal or snack. Enrolled providers must also complete one nutrition education training each year, which may be done through CCFP. Read more about benefits you can receive and how to enroll today!


Tip of the Week
Nutrition education research indicates that around the ages of 4 and 5, children start to develop their adult food preferences. A child’s long-term nutritional status and health may be positively influenced if he or she develops a preference for a variety of nutritious foods at an early age.
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Did You Know?

Set the stage. Create a positive environment for eating at the breakfast, lunch, and dinner table! Create a pleasant, supportive and unhurried environment in which your children can enjoy healthy foods. Meal and snack times should be happy times. If there is enjoyable, light conversation and relaxing background music playing, it is more likely that appetites and dispositions will be good. Read more about creating a healthy eating environment.

Provider Toolkit

Other CCCC Programs You Should Know About

  • Free and low-cost professional development opportunities and trainings for child care professionals.Take advantage of the continuing education opportunities from participating programs!
  • Resource Library offers providers the opportunity to borrow toys, equipment, books, magazines and videos. The Library also has a wide collection of general nutrition books, cookbooks and nutrition training videos in addition to children books and activities to encourage healthy food choices and physical activity for all ages!
  • Child Care Initiative Project (CCIP) aims to increase the capacity of family child care providers and improve the quality of care for infants and toddlers in family child care settings. New or existing providers that are expanding to a larger capacity or serving families during non-traditional hours/days are invited to join this training program. When participants complete a series of workshops and meet all licensing requirements, they become eligible for a choice of incentive packages to help them start or improve their child care program.
  • Resource and Referral Counselors furnish information on licensing, parent/provider communications and child care support.
  • Kern County Children's Dental Health Network
    Please call 661.377.0322 or 661.377.0323 for more information on dental education, treatment and preventative services offered to local child care centers, family child care providers and families with children under 6 years of age.


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    Food Program greyarrow: Child Care Job Bank greyarrow: CCCC Training Calendar greyarrow: Local Investment In Child Care (LINCC) greyarrow: Resource Lending Library greyarrow: Resource & Referral (R&R) greyarrow: License-Exempt Provider Program