Family Nutrition Bureau

Child and Adult Care Food Program FAQs

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1.   What is the Child and Adult Care Food Program?
2.   Who can participate in the Child & Adult Care Food Program?
3.   How do I become a home child care provider?
4.   How do I become a licensed child care provider?
5.   What are the meal reimbursement rates for Center and Home Day Care providers?
6.   What are the meal pattern requirements for the food program?
7.   What foods are non-creditable and non-reimburseable?   [ PDF file]
8.   How can I locate my local CACFP Home Sponsor?   [ PDF file]
9.   What are the Income Eligibility Guidelines?   [ PDF file]

1. What is the Child and Adult Care Food Program?

The Child and Adult Care Food Program is a federally funded program managed by the New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department, Family Nutrition Bureau, that provides cash reimbursement to approved providers who care for children. This reimbursement is for the nutritious meals served to the children by the provider. The CACFP is a nutrition program geared to teach children good nutrition habits for life. When a child learns good eating habits they will follow these good habits into adulthood. Click here for more information.

2. Who can participate in the Child & Adult Care Food Program?

• Anyone who is approved to care for children in their home and provides them with meals and snacks.
• Child care centers with a 501C(3) designation.
• Child care centers operated by a governmental organization.
• Proprietary centers that meet eligibility requirements.

3. How do I become a home child care provider?

To participate as a family day care home provider in the Child & Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), you  must sign up  with a CACFP Sponsoring Organization. Contact the Sponsoring Organization(s) in your area for information on how to sign up. If you have any further questions, please contact the Family Nutrition Bureau in Santa Fe at 827-7608, in Albuquerque at 841-4856, or our toll free number 1-800-EAT-COOL (1-800-328-2665).

4. How do I become a licensed child care provider?

To become a licensed child care provider you must be registered with the Children, Youth & Families Department Child Care Services Bureau. Click here to see the pre-licensing procedures.

5. What are the meal reimbursement rates for a home child care provider?

Complete rate information is provided in the tables below.

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Child & Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) Rates for Reimbursement
(Per Meal Rates in Whole or Fractions of U.S. Dollars)
Effective from July 1, 2008 - June 30, 2009

Cash-in-Lieu - $.2075

1 These rates do not include the value of commodities (or cash-in-lieu of commodities) which institutions receive as additional assistance for each lunch or supper served to participants under the program. A notice announcing the value of commodities and cash-in-lieu of commodities is published separately in the Federal Register.

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