The Child and Adult Care Food Program
In Utah, the Child and Adult Care Food Program is a key source of support for improving the nutritional quality of meals and snacks served to children and adults in day care.
The Child and Adult Care Food Program is a federally funded program that gives meal reimbursements to child care centers, adult day care centers and child care homes for serving nutritious meals. This site focuses on Family Child Care Homes Programs (FDCH).
The objectives of the Family Child Care Homes Program is to:
- Improve the diets of children by providing nutritious meals
- Help children develop good eating habits
Participating homes agree to serve meals as outlined in the FDCH meal pattern guidelines; serve creditable foods; keep daily meal participation records and attendance records; keep menus and other records; attend training sessions as outlined by the State Agency and/or sponsoring organizations; send monthly records to the sponsoring organizations.
Any Child Care Home providing care for children in Utah may participate in the FDCH Food Program provided the following requirements are met:
- The Child Care Home is registered or licensed by the Utah Bureau of Child Care Licensing. (Relative Care Homes must also meet alternate approval standards for health/sanitation, fire safety and other standadards.
- The Child Care Homes Program is sponsored by an approved Utah FDCH Sponsor.
FDCH Sponsors are public or private nonprofit organizations approved by the Utah State Office of Education, Child Nutrition Programs to perform administrative functions that include:
- Training and monitoring providers
- Completing a monthly claim for reimbursement
- Disbursing FDCH reimbursements to child care homes for serving meals that follow the FDCH meal pattern guidelines
Who gets FDCH meals and snacks?
Children age 12 and younger are eligible to receive up to two; meals and one snack, each day, at a day care home, through FDCH.
Child Day Care Homes are paid reimbursement for planning and serving meals that follow the FDCH meal pattern guidelines. These facilities may request approval for breakfast, lunch, supper and snacks (morning, afternoon and evening).
How much reimbursement will I receive?
Child Day Care Homes are reimbursed for meals and snacks served to participants at rates dependent on home eligibility, tiering and in some cases child’s eligibility for free, reduced-price, or paid meals.
FDCH Meal Pattern
(This chart lists the amounts and types of food to be served to participants of the FDCH).
1-2 |
3-5 |
6-12 |
|
---|---|---|---|
BREAKFAST: | |||
Milk (fluid only) | ½ cup |
¾ cup |
1 cup |
Fruit and/or vegetable | ¼ cup |
½ cup |
½ cup |
Bread/Grain | ½ serving |
½ serving |
1 servings |
Hot Cereal | ¼ cup |
¼ cup |
½ cup |
Cold Cereal | ¼ cup or ⅓ ounce |
⅓ cup or ½ ounce |
¾ cup or 1 ounce |
SNACK (Select 2 of the 4 components) |
|||
Milk (Fluid only) | ½ cup |
½ cup |
1 cup |
Fruit and/or vegetable | ½ cup |
½ cup |
¾ cup |
Meat/Meat Alternate | ½ ounce |
½ ounce |
1 ounce |
Bread/Grain | ½ serving |
½ serving |
1 serving |
Hot Cereal | ¼ cup |
¼ cup |
½ cup |
Cold Cereal | ¼ cup or ⅓ ounce |
⅓ cup or ½ ounce |
¾ cup or 1 ounce |
LUNCH OR SUPPER | |||
Milk (fluid only) | ½ cup |
¾ cup |
1 cup |
Fruit and/or vegetables (2 different types) |
¼ cup (total) |
½ cup (total) |
¾ cup (total) |
Meat/Meat Alternate: | |||
meat, poultry | 1 ounce |
1½ ounces |
2 ounces |
or egg | ½ |
¾ |
1 |
or cheese | 1 ounce |
1½ ounces |
2 ounces |
or cooked dry beans |
¼ cup |
3/8 cup |
½ cup |
or peanut butter, or other nut butters |
2 Tbsp. |
3 Tbsp. |
4 Tbsp. |
or yogurt | 4 ounces |
6 ounces |
8 ounces |
or nuts, seeds | ½ ounce* |
¾ ounce* |
1 ounce* |
Bread/Grain | ½ serving |
½ serving |
1 serving |
*Nuts and seeds may be credited toward meeting only 1/2 of the meat/meat alternate requirement. Nuts and seeds are not recommended for children under three years of age.
How do I sign up for the Family Child Care Homes Program in Utah?
Day Care Homes must participate in the FDCH under a sponsoring organization. The Orem Child Care Nutrition Program, Inc. (OCCNPG) is one of the food program sponsoring organizations in Utah that can assist you.
Income Eligibility GuidelinesIncome Eligibility(PDF)
Effective July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021