If you are a state or locally licensed nonprofit child care center, then you are eligible to participate in the Child and Adult Care Food Program.

State or locally licensed for-profit child care centers must have 25% or more of enrolled children eligible for free or reduced-price meals.
A child care center that has 50% free and reduced eligible children and 50 total children enrolled who serves Breakfast, Lunch, and a Snack daily could expect to receive around $2875.00, in reimbursement each month.
Please call the Nutrition Works office at (208) 336-5533, extension 6540 to discuss what your monthly reimbursement rate might look like.

How the Food Program Works

Child Care Providers Follow These Main Requirements

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    Meal Pattern: Serve foods to enrolled children according to the Food Program meal pattern guidelines
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    Recordkeeping: Record attendance and meals using free online recordkeeping system
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    Annual Training: Complete a minimum two-hour nutrition training each year
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    Civil Rights: Provide CACFP benefits to children (infant through twelve years of age) without regard to race, color, sex, handicap or national origin
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    Claims: Submit monthly claim by the 3rd of the following month

While Nutrition Works Offers the Following

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    Monthly Reimbursement: Payment for up to 2 meals and 1 snack or 2 snacks and 1 meal for each enrolled child each day (paid by direct deposit or mailed check on 3rd Friday of the month)
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    Resources: Monthly newsletters, online resource center, and annual training to keep you updated on the program, nutrition issues, recipes, and other best practices
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    Reviews: An assigned staff member will visit your site to observe snack or mealtime at least 3 times a year and provide technical assistance as needed.

Ready to Join?

Getting Started on the Food Program

Complete an application by calling us or beginning the process online.
Conduct and Enrollment and Eligibility Study
Participate in Program Orientation and Pre-approval Visit
Plan menus, train staff, determine start date.
Begin participating using our online recordkeeping platform.

Join hundreds of Idaho Child Care Providers participating in the Food Program!
Call us at 208-336-5533 or start your application online today.

Have some additional questions? Check out our FAQ page.

*Your specific situation may result in a reimbursement amount that is significantly higher or lower depending on the number of children served each day and your percentage of Free, Reduced, and Paid household income eligibility.

Reimbursement Rates for Child Care Centers
July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2023

*Centers receive an additional $.30 reimbursement for each lunch and supper as Cash-in-lieu (CIL) of receiving USDA commodities.  CIL is not subject to the sponsor percentage.

MealFreeReducedPaid
Breakfast$2.21$1.91$0.45
Snack$1.18$0.64$0.19
Lunch / Supper$4.03$2.63$0.47