Upcoming Events

Dear Child and Adult Care Food Program Operators:

The California Department of Social Services Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) Branch is reminding CACFP child care centers and family child care homes to register and attend the 2025 Child Care Meal Quality (MQ) and Nutrition and Physical Activity (NPA) Forums.

Child Care Meal Quality Forums

The Child Care MQ Forums are designed to assist early child care program food service staff to enhance the quality of meals served to young children. The Child Care MQ Forums will take place in-person and in a virtual classroom and kitchen. The forums will highlight ways to enhance the nutrition environment of early child care programs through improved food preparation and service using the U.S. Department of Agriculture CACFP meal patterns for children. The forums highlight healthy meal planning, food purchasing, food preparation, culinary skills, recipe development, and kitchen safety. Participants will be exposed to culinary techniques to assist with the creation of meals to bolster health and wellness. All attendees will receive a toolkit with a variety of resources that they can immediately use in child care centers and day care homes.

Visit the California Preschool Instructional Network (CPIN) Child Care MQ Forums web page for the agenda, registration links, session descriptions, speakers, target audience, recommendations to optimize the virtual and in-person Child Care MQ Forum experience, professional growth hours, and contact information. 

The cost to attend the in-person MQ forum is $35 and includes a morning snack and lunch. The virtual forums are free to attend. All forum participants will receive a Certificate of Completion and a tote bag filled with sample menus, recipes, and other resources. Space is limited to the first 30 registrants.

Child Care Nutrition and Physical Activity Forums

The Child Care NPA Forums highlight and demonstrate methods for integrating nutrition education, edible gardens, wellness policies, and physical activity into Child Care Centers (CCC) and Day Care Homes (DCH). Participants will learn ways to create environments that maximize opportunities for children to develop healthy eating habits and to move their bodies to learn. Additionally, participants will learn about the Farm to CACFP Initiative and the Preschools Shaping Healthy Impressions through Nutrition and Exercise (SHINE) program. For more information about Preschools SHINE and how to apply, visit the CDSS Preschools SHINE web page. For more information about the Farm to CACFP Initiative, visit the CDSS CA Farm to CACFP Initiative web page.

These forums provide a unique platform where early childhood educators can express challenges and develop solutions toward supporting active living and healthy eating environments. All attendees will receive a variety of tools and resources they can immediately use in CCCs and DCHs.

Visit the CPIN Child Care NPA Forums web page for the agenda, registration links, session descriptions, speakers, target audience, professional growth hours, and contact information.

The cost to attend the in-person NPA forum is $35 and includes a morning snack, lunch, printed Certificate of Completion, and a tote bag filled with nutrition education materials for children, and physical activity music and props.

Contact Information:

For questions regarding this subject, please email Madison Fellenz, Nutrition Education Consultant, at Madison.Fellenz@dss.ca.gov.