NUTRITION
FIRST NEWS
December 2012
"Does it make sense for me to
join the CACFP?"
Here are some facts that may help you when you consider joining the Child and
Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)
Fact #1: The program means better nutrition for healthy bodies and growing
minds. By reimbursing food costs, the program lets you buy higher quality food
while charging competitive rates. Program meals meet nutritional standards,
boosting dietary iron and foods high in vitamins A and C, and help set healthy
eating habits that last a lifetime.
Fact #2: When you join the program, you gain access to a full range of nutrition
education services. Nutrition information, training, and support - all these can
help keep food costs down and assure higher quality meals. Nutrition education will also benefit your own family.
Fact #3: Both lower and higher-income child care providers can boost their cash benefits by joining the CACFP. (Ask
your rep for a sample chart which shows this).
Fact #4: "If I join the food programs I could pay more in taxes." True. But you will pay these higher taxes out of the
reimbursements received from the Food Program and have money left over. For every $1000 you receive from the
Food Program, you will keep about $600 - $700 after taxes. Therefore, you are always better off financially by
participating on the Food Program. Providers on the Food Program can still deduct the cost of food served to the
children for whom they are receiving reimbursements. The only difference between a provider not on the Food
Program and one who is, is that the one on the Food Program has more money in her pocket at the end of the year.
Fact #5: Paper work - is there too much of it? Participating on the Food Program does mean some extra time filling
out paperwork. The real question is whether you are being paid a reasonable amount to do this extra work. Example: If
you cared for four children, served one breakfast, one lunch, and one snack per child per day, and spent an average of
three hours a week on Food Program paperwork, how much would you be earning per hour for this work? If you received
the lower Tier 2 reimbursement rate from the Food Program, you would be earning $13.93 per hour, and $29.06 per hour
if you received the higher Tier 1 rate. Can you think of any other job that will pay you this much and still allow you to be
at home and care for children?
For more details about the bottom-line benefits, please refer to: Family Child Care Tax Workbook and Family Child Care
Record Keeping Guide from Redleaf Press at www.resourcesforchildcaring.org or call 800-423-8309. Details from both
were used extensively in preparation of this article.
A Treat for the Birds
You will need:
•
peanut butter,
•
pine cones,
•
birdseed,
•
a dull knife (for spreading)
•
string
Remove enough peanut butter from the jar to spread
on the cones you have (you won’t want pine pitch in
your peanut butter supply!) and place on a plate.
Put bird seed in a bowl. Spread a pine cone with
peanut butter, roll it in the bird seed, tie a string on its
stem and you have a great treat to hang outside for
the wild birds.
•
It's December, so remember that we need a holiday note for your December menu if
you care for children (without their parent being present) on Christmas Day - and
January 1st for the January menu. You can make a copy of the holiday note found
at our website (www.mycommunityaction.org), or call us to send you some blank
holiday note forms, or just use a piece of scratch paper on which you list each child,
their in and out times, and the parent signature.
•
Regarding the form for infant feeding acknowledgment that the parent signs: Please
write in the brand of formula you are willing to provide on the space in the center of
the form (as a child care provider, you are required to offer a formula - whichever
brand you choose). Also, please have the parent choose one or two of the options
above their signature, even if the child is drinking bottled breast milk.
•
Unfortunately, Nutrition First does not determine the mailing date of your
reimbursement checks. The State of Oregon tries to send our check on the 3rd Friday
of the month, or the following Monday. We cannot release the reimbursement checks
until Oregon Department of Education deposits ours.
•
Please remember that if you are claiming your own children, foster children, or
children who live in your home, they need to be listed first on the meal count log.
•
Shelly Campbell, a certified home provider, is participating in a food cooperative which
allows her less expensive and healthier foods. She gave us the web address to publish
if you are interested: http://salemfoodcoop.org/.
Check it out!
•
One last reminder - During lunch and dinner meals, two different fruits and/or
vegetables need to be offered. So instead of mixed vegetables, please write cauliflower
and broccoli, for example. Thanks!
•
And we hope your holidays are merry!
Fruity Nutters
2 cups raw cashews
1 cup raw almonds
1 cup raw walnuts
1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup dried blueberries
1 cup dried cranberries
5 oz. brown rice syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup arrowroot powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
3/4 cup dried apricots,
chopped
Coarsely chop nuts and dried apricots. Add to pumpkin seeds, blueberries and cranberries in a medium bowl and set
aside. Dissolve the arrowroot in 1/3 cup of cool brown rice syrup in a small bowl; stir until smooth and set aside. In a
small saucepan, combine the remaining syrup, vanilla, and sea salt; stir until just to the boiling point and promptly reduce
or remove from heat.
Whisk in the dissolved arrowroot - as soon as the mixture thickens, remove it from heat. Don't allow the arrowroot
mixture to get too hot (above 175 degrees) or it will break down and thin the mixture.
Pour over the chopped fruits and nuts and stir well. Spread mixture into a parchment or waxed paper lined baking dish
- the mixture should be roughly 1 1/2 to 2 inches thick. Cover with parchment paper or plastic wrap and place in the
refrigerator to cool. Once cool, cut into bars and enjoy.
It's fun to wrap each bar individually in parchment paper and tie with string so that each one is a fun little "gift"
package to unwrap. Place them in the freezer - they will keep for many months this way and hold their shape. When
frozen, they are less sticky and have a great crunch.
You can find these ingredients at Fred Meyer natural foods section, Trader Joe's, or any health food store.
Thanks to provider Brenda Ross
Shepard's Pie
1 1/2 pounds potatoes
4 Tbsp margarine
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cups mixed vegetables (your choice)
1 1/2 pounds hamburger
1/2 cup beef broth
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Salt, pepper, other seasoning of choice
Peel and boil potatoes until tender. While
potatoes are cooking, melt margarine in large
frying pan. Sauté onions in margarine over
medium heat for 10 minutes or until tender. Add
vegetables. In a large pan, add ground beef and
cook until no longer pink. Drain grease. Add vegetable mixture, salt and pepper and Worcestershire sauce. Then add
beef broth and cook, uncovered, over low heat for 10 minutes, adding more beef broth if necessary to keep moist.
Mash potatoes with remaining margarine and season to taste. Place beef and vegetables in baking dish. distribute
mashed potatoes on top. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 30 minutes or
until bubbling and brown. Broil for the last few minutes if necessary, to
brown. Makes 11 servings for 3-5 year olds, meat and vegetable.
Credit to Potpourri Nov 2012
Fun to Make Sweet Potato Balls
16 oz. can sweet potatoes or yams
8 oz. can crushed pineapple
1 cup corn flakes
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drain
sweet potatoes or yams and mash with a
fork. Drain pineapple well and add to
sweet potatoes. Put corn flakes in a
plastic bag; press out air and crush with a
rolling pin. Put corn flake crumbs in a bowl. Roll potato mixture into
balls the size of walnuts. Roll the balls in the corn flake crumbs and
place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20
minutes. Kids love this one, and they can have fun making them.
Peanut Butter Oatmeal
The classic combination of peanut butter and bananas shines in this
quick and nutritious breakfast.
1/2 cup dry oatmeal
1 Tbsp peanut butter
1 banana, sliced
1 tsp sugar
Cook oatmeal as directed. Add peanut
butter, banana, and sugar. Mix together
well. Serves two. Claim as
fruit/vegetable and grain.
Nutrition First
News Staff
Susan Maxwell
Kathy Derr
Carmen Romero
Natasha Schippers
Laura Daberkow
Sally Youell
Director/Editor
Program Mgr.
Program Rep.
Program Rep.
Support Spec.
Artwork/Layout
Nutrition First
PO Box 2316
Salem, OR 97308-2316
503-581-7563 or 1-800-288-6368
Nutrition First USDA Child Care
Food Program is a program of the
Mid-Willamette Valley
Community Action Agency
Mid-Willamette Valley Community Action Agency, Inc.
2475 Center St. NE
Salem, OR 97301
NON-PROFIT
US POSTAGE PAID
SALEM, OR
PERMIT #508
In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution
is prohibited from discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability.
To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington,
D.C. 20250-9410 or call, toll free (866) 632-9992 (Voice). TDD users can contact USDA through local relay or the Federal relay at
(800) 877-8339 (TDD) or (866) 377-8642 (relay voice users). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
MWVCAA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
"Good nutrition is the right of all children."
MENU WINNERS
The menu winners for November are
Ginnie Gibbons & Maria Rios, both of Salem.
Keep those menus coming in on time -- you might be next!
Remember -- to enter, menus need to be in an envelope with your name and address on the outside.
Thanks and Good Luck!!
Looking For More Training?
Child care providers can now access information on trainings that are happening all over the state of Oregon. The on-line training
calendar at www.oregonchildcaretraining.org will let you search by county, as well as by training category and date. Check it out!