Online CACFP Training
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Earn a certificate of training for completing your required annual CACFP training.
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Online Course Catalog
New versions of many courses are available at the start of each program year (October 1) for users who want to earn a new certificate. More information on retaking courses is available in the Help menu.
Family Engagement for the Win! (CDSS-558)
Is engaging the families in your community one of your organization’s goals? When organizations and families engage with one another, participants win big! Families can be strong allies and support your efforts to ensure participants have the happiest, healthiest place to learn, grow and flourish! Over the course of the next hour, we will outline strategies for engaging families in your program and maximizing your impact.
Incorporating Plant Based Meals (CDSS-554)
This course will explore plant-based diets, what they include, and ideas for planning more meatless meals. We will also talk about the benefits of eating less meat and how to get everyone excited about adding more plant-based meals to their menus.
Keepin’ It Fresh! Easy Snack Ideas for CACFP (CDSS-556)
Does your snack menu need to be re-energized? Do your offerings feel repetitive and stale? Do your participants seem less than thrilled when they are served their snacks? It happens! With regulations and policies and an ever-growing to-do list, it’s easy to fall into a menu planning rut. Spend the next hour with us and fill your participants’ plates with easy and delicious options to refresh your snack menu. They’re sure to excite you and your participants alike!
Standardizing and Crediting Recipes for Child Nutrition Programs (CDSS-324)
This course is designed to elaborate on standardizing and crediting recipes for child nutrition professionals. It provides an overview of standardized recipes, the steps to develop a standardized recipe, and an explanation of how to credit standardized recipes. Participants will understand the key elements of standardizing recipes and the benefits to using them in their child nutrition program.
Standardized Recipe Basics for Child Nutrition Programs (CDSS-323)
This course is designed to build capacity among child nutrition professionals to standardize recipes. It provides a basic overview of standardized recipes, reasons that child nutrition professionals need to use standardized recipes, and an explanation of how to standardize a recipe. Participants will understand the key elements of standardizing recipes and the benefits to using them in their child nutrition program.
2025-2026 CACFP Annual Mandatory Training (CDSS-110)
This course is designed for returning Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) staff and will review the regulations and procedures of the CACFP to assist CACFP Operators with regulatory compliance.
Garden in a Bale: Simple, Effective, and Rewarding (CDSS-004)
A straw bale garden is a revolutionary way to grow fruits and vegetables and is increasing in popularity. Straw bales provide the container for plants and the decomposed straw inside provides a nutrient-rich, moist and warm environment for plants to thrive. This course will explore the aspects of a straw bale garden and give you the knowledge to create this new exciting way to grow fruits and vegetables for your CACFP participants.
2025-2026 General Recordkeeping and Adult Day Care Recordkeeping (CDSS-615)
This course focuses on CACFP recordkeeping requirements for Adult Day Care programs. The course addresses program eligibility, operational requirements, enrollment, participant eligibility, meal pattern flexibilities, and miscellaneous recordkeeping requirements.
2025-2026 General Recordkeeping and Recordkeeping for Emergency Shelters (CDSS-614)
This course focuses on general CACFP recordkeeping requirements in lesson 1. In lesson 2, recordkeeping requirements for Outside School Hours Care Centers is discussed more specifically. The course addresses program eligibility, operational requirements, enrollment, participant eligibility, and miscellaneous recordkeeping requirements.
2025-2026 General Recordkeeping and Outside-School-Hours Care Centers Recordkeeping (CDSS-613)
This course focuses on general CACFP recordkeeping requirements in lesson 1. In lesson 2, recordkeeping requirements for Outside School Hours Care Centers is discussed more specifically. The course addresses program eligibility, operational requirements, enrollment, participant eligibility, and miscellaneous recordkeeping requirements.
2025-2026 General Recordkeeping and At-Risk Afterschool Meals Program Recordkeeping (CDSS-612)
This course focuses on general CACFP recordkeeping requirements in lesson 1. In lesson 2, recordkeeping for At-Risk Afterschool Meals Programs is discussed more specifically. The course addresses program eligibility, operational requirements, enrollment, participant eligibility, and miscellaneous recordkeeping requirements.
2025-2026 General Recordkeeping and Child Care Centers and Head Start Recordkeeping (CDSS-611)
This course focuses on general CACFP recordkeeping requirements in lesson 1. In lesson 2 recordkeeping for Child Care Centers and Head Start programs will be discussed. The course addresses program eligibility, operational requirements, enrollment, participant eligibility, and miscellaneous recordkeeping requirements.
2025-2026 Maintaining a Nonprofit Food Service Program (CDSS-610)
All CACFP institutions must maintain a nonprofit food service program. This course includes two lessons that cover the evaluation of program revenue and expenses, financial recordkeeping and controls, and expectations with operating a nonprofit CACFP.
2025-2026 Sponsor Monitoring (CDSS-609)
This course reviews monitoring requirements, staffing, completing monitoring reports, and conducting the five-day reconciliation.
2025-2026 Meal Counting, Claiming and Documentation for Centers (CDSS-604)
Submitting a claim for CACFP reimbursement requires detailed recordkeeping and preparation prior to the submission. This course reviews requirements related to point of service meal counts, attendance documentation, the edit check process, consolidation, and claim submission.
2025-2026 CACFP Enrollment (CDSS-602)
This course covers the enrollment process for applicable programs, completed Enrollment Forms, and annual update requirements.
2025-2026 Eligibility Determination (CDSS-601)
Meal Benefit Forms (MBFs) are required to determine the free, reduced-price, and base or paid eligibility categories for CACFP participants. This course reviews MBF requirements, demonstrates determining income eligibility, and discusses annual update requirements.
2025-2026 Food Safety Essentials (CDSS-555)
Spend the next hour with us learning about basic food safety and sanitation principles! We’ll review why food safety is an integral part of your operations, the dangers of foodborne illness, and how to apply these lessons to your day-to-day tasks and activities. This course will also cover motivating employees to follow food safety processes and protocols. Feeding children and adults is a noble profession – don’t let a food safety slip mar the reputation of your program!
2025-2026 Family Style Meal Service – Building Better, Healthier, Menus and Eating Habits (CDSS-514)
Family style meal service has the opportunity to teach children so much more than just how to eat. Learn the benefits of family style meal service, best practices to incorporate it into your meal service option, and what you must do to maintain CACFP Compliance. In addition, participants will learn best practices for conversation starters around the meal table, how to encourage staff to role model positive eating behaviors, and what equipment is needed for family style meal service success.
2025-2026 CACFP Infant Meal Pattern Guide (CDSS-506)
One of the hardest parts of planning a CACFP menu is understanding if a food is creditable or not and how much you need to serve. In this brief overview, participants will learn about tools to guide them to determine if an infant food is creditable to the CACFP meal pattern, and how much they need to serve to be in compliance.
2025-2026 A CACFP Meal Pattern Guide (CDSS-505)
One of the hardest parts of planning a CACFP menu is understanding if a food is creditable or not and how much you need to serve. In this brief overview, participants will learn about tools to guide them to determine if a food is creditable to the CACFP meal pattern, and how much they need to serve to be in compliance.
2025-2026 Meal Counting, Claiming, and Documentation for Day Care Homes (CDSS-211 Program 5)
CACFP Annual Training for Homes is a 1 hour comprehensive online course designed to provide annual required training for day care homes participating in the CACFP.
2025-2026 Procurement for CACFP Operators (CDSS-181)
All CACFP operators must procure all goods and services through competitive practices while following all applicable federal regulations as set forth in Title 2, Code of Federal Regulations (2 CFR), sections 200.318–326 and Title 7, Code of Federal Regulations (7 CFR), sections 226.6(i), 226.21 and 226.22. This course will define procurement and will provide an overview of the types of procurement methods, strategies for local purchasing, and purchasing from a Food Service Management Company. Lastly, participants will understand the federal requirement that all CACFP Operators must develop and maintain two procurement documents: Written procurement procedures and a written code of conduct.
2025-2026 Sponsoring Organization Hearing Official Training (CDSS-160)
This course is designed for returning Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) staff and will review the regulations and procedures of the CACFP to assist CACFP Operators with regulatory compliance.
