Copy
 July 2016
Issue 6
Inside this Issue:
USDA Meal Pattern Information
FY 2017 Recertification Reminder
Claim related forms for 2016-2017 now available
Cooking Matters for child care professionals
2016 CACFP Institution and Site Staff Training Schedule
Double Up Food Buck program from LiveWell
Rethink your drink - Choose water
Recipe Corner
USDA Nondiscrimination Statement
CACFP Contact Info


The Colorado Child and Adult Care Food Program is pleased to announce the release of the new USDA meal patterns on April 22, 2016. We have been working hard to create an implementation plan to help all CACFP participants transition to the new rules as smoothly as possible.
 
What to expect
Starting in July, expect to see monthly emails blasts which will let you know what we are working on. The email blasts will feature a few new rules each month that you can begin implementing once you feel ready. Over time, you will be introduced to all the new rules. We encourage all participants to get ahead of the game by training staff members on the monthly featured rules.
 
DON’T FORGET you must comply with all new meal pattern rules by October 1, 2017. The good news is you can start incorporating new rules today at a pace that you feel is right for you and your organization. 

If you choose to wait until October 2017 to train staff or implement the new meal pattern rules, you are allowed to do so.  But why wait?  We suggest getting ahead of the game and starting now!
Recertification for FY 2017 is almost here!
 
The annual CDPHE-CACFP recertification process for Fiscal Year 2017 (October 1, 2016 through September 30, 2017) will begin in August 2016.

Once the 2016-2017 application is open, all participating CACFP institutions must submit the completed online recertification application packet by mid September 2016 to avoid an interruption in claims.

CACFP will email a letter on the FY 2017 recertification process to all institutions soon with important information and instructions.  Stay tuned for more information!
 CACFP claim related forms for 2016-2017 now available
 
Claim related forms for 2016-2017 are available on the CACFP website.  You may also request a copy of each form by email.  

Reimbursement rates from the USDA will be emailed to all CACFP participants once the rates are received by the CACFP office staff.

Child care center forms include:
Household Income Eligibility Guidelines.
Income Eligibility Forms (IEFs) in English and Spanish 
Child Care IEF letter in English and Spanish

Adult Day Care forms include:
Adult Household Income Eligibility Guidelines
Adult Income Eligibility Forms (IEFs)  
Adult IEF Letter
 
 
Cooking Matters for Child Care Professionals

Early care and education (ECE) professionals face many of the same challenges as parents in creating healthy meals with existing resources. Recognizing this, Share Our Strength's Cooking Matters® launched Cooking Matters for Child Care Professionals, a FREE professional training program designed to empower professionals to serve healthy meals and create a positive food environment for the children in their care. Each of its five modules offer professionals hands-on practice in the kitchen, interactive discussions on ways to make healthy choices about food served to kids, and strategies to promote healthy eating habits.

Cooking Matters for Child Care Professionals was developed in 2010 to address the specific needs of family childcare home providers and center-based ECE staff that serve young children from limited-income families.

Sign up for a FREE training event in your area today!

For more information, contact Heather Augilar at 303-801-0319 or haguilar@strength.org

2016 CACFP Institution and Site Staff Training
 
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Thurs, August 11



Wed, September 14



Wed, October 12



Wed, Novermber 16



Thurs, December 14 
.
CDPHE
4300 Cherry Creek Drive South
Denver, CO  80246

Mesa County Public Health Department
510 29 ½ Road
Grand Junction, CO  81504

CDPHE
4300 Cherry Creek Drive South
Denver, CO  80246

Community Partnership for Child Development
2330 Robinson Street
Colorado Springs, CO  80904

CDPHE
4300 Cherry Creek Drive South
Denver, CO   80246
 
Register online at www.colorado.gov/cdphe/cacfp-state-training

For more information, please contact Jodi Christopfel at 303-692-2608 or Jodi.Christopfel@state.co.us

Double Up Food Bucks Colorado (Double Up Colorado) helps increase access to fresh, Colorado-grown fruits and vegetables. When recipients of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) shop at participating farmers markets, they can now have their purchase matched with a voucher worth up to $20 per visit to put toward Colorado-grown fruits and vegetables.

Food insecurity is a significant issue in Colorado, with 11 percent of our state’s population living in poverty. Many of these Coloradans rely on food assistance programs like SNAP (formerly food stamps), which serves more than 485,000 Coloradans a month. However, most SNAP recipients receive $1.41 per meal or $4.23 per day in benefits, making it a challenge to have enough money to buy food for the whole month.

Double Up Colorado addresses the challenges these families face by increasing the amount of Colorado-grown fruits and vegetables that recipients of SNAP can purchase. Double Up Colorado will be active in 30 farmers markets, 3 food box sites, and 4 small retailers (including Community Supported Agriculture (CSAs), food co-operatives, corner stores and urban agriculture marketplaces). You’ll find a full list of the participating markets on the Double Up Food Bucks Colorado website.

Please contact Wendy Peters Moschetti (wendymoschetti@livewellcolorado.org) or Amy Nelms (amynelms@livewellcolorado.org) to learn more.

Rethink your Drink, Choose Water

Hot summer days are here!  Take this opportunity to encourage children and adults in care to "rethink your drink" and choose water to replenish and rehydrate.  Encourage participants to reduce intake of extra calories from beverages with little to no nutritional value, such as soda, fruit drinks, sweetened bottled waters, sports drinks and energy drinks.

Research shows excessive sugar-sweetened beverage consumption is linked to obesity and dental cavities. 

Promote drinking water as a calorie-free, healthy, refreshing, cheap and readily available alternative.  

Choose water for hydration and health.
  • Add a  flavor boost to your water with a slice of lemon, lime or cucumber at meal time.
  • Use a water bottle during times of physical activity.
  • Set an example. Parents and educators play a powerful role in modeling behavior for their children by choosing water. 
For more information, check out the Increasing Access to Drinking Water and Other Healthier Beverages in Early Care and Education Settings Toolkit
 
Need materials? Questions?  Please contact Jennifer Dellaport, CDPHE-ECOP manager, at 303-692-2462 or email her at Jennifer.Dellaport@state.co.us
 
Recipe Corner
 

Confetti Couscous 

Adapted by Meghan George-Nichols, RD, CLC
Ingredients 25 Portions 50 Portions
Whole Grain Couscous 14 oz 28 oz
Water, boiling 4 cups 8 cups
Olive oil  #1 1/4 cup 1/2 cup
Canned tomatoes, diced & drained 12 oz 24 oz
Canned garbanzo beans, drained 1 lb 2 lb
Cucumber, diced 1/2 lb 1 lb
Parsley, chopped 1/2 cup 1 cup
Olive oil  #2 1 cup 2 cups
Lemon Juice 1/4 cup 1/2 cup
Dijon mustard 1/2 Tbsp 1 Tbsp
Garlic, minced 1/2 Tbsp 1 Tbsp
Salt, kosher 1/2 tsp 1 tsp

Directions
In a full size, 4-inch hotel pan, add couscous & olive oil to boiling water and stir to combine.  Cover the pan with a tight lid or plastic wrap and allow to sit for 15 minutes. 

While the couscous steams, mix the canned tomatoes and garbanzo beans in a large bowl.  Add the diced cucumbers and chopped parsley.  Mix to combine ingredients.  

In a separate bowl, whisk together remaining olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, minced garlic and salt.  If making large quantities, you may want to use the immersion blender to combine.

Toss the vegetables with the dressing. 

Fluff the couscous using a large fork or perforated spoon.  Add the vegetable mixture to the couscous, mixing gently.  Do not over mix or it will become mushy. Serve immediately. 

This recipe is easy to serve family style.  
  
CACFP Crediting
Each serving meets the bread/bread alternative requirement and 1/4 cup of the fruit/vegetable requirement for lunch or supper for children 3-5 years of age.    

Miss Meghan's serving suggestion to make a complete meal -  
Add 3/4 cup of non-fat milk, 1/4 cup watermelon and 1.5 ounces baked chicken breast. Enjoy!

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA. 
 
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.
To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD-3027) found online at: http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by:
 (1) Mail:            U.S. Department of Agriculture 
                         Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights 
                         Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; 
(2) Fax:            (202) 690-7442; or 
(3) Email:         program.intake@usda.gov. 
 
This institution is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.

Contact Info for CACFP

Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
Child and Adult Care Food Program
4300 Cherry Creek Drive South
Denver, CO  80246


P   303-692-2330      F   303-756-9926     
CACFP Website
CACFP Website
Link to CHEARS
Link to CHEARS
CACFP Email
CACFP Email
WIC Website
WIC Website
Bits and Bites is published by:
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
Child and Adult Care Food Program 
PSD-CAC-6411
4300 Cherry Creek Drive South
Denver, CO  80246-1530

P   303-692-2330
F   303-756-9926


unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences