Introducing healthy, delicious, local food benefits children, early learning programs, and farmers. Early learning programs can purchase directly from a producer, order from a distributor, purchase local products from a grocery store or co-op, or buy products from food hubs or farmers’ markets. Programs may also choose to grow their own food in a garden and use produce in meals or for education.
Local Procurement
Local Procurement Resources
Tool for food purchasing and preparation amounts by serving
Rooted and Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems’ guide featuring one breakfast, lunch, and snack recipe for each of the four seasons. All recipes are scaled for 8 and 25 servings, include serving sizes for different age groups, and note CACFP crediting information. Also available in Spanish
National Farm to School Network’s local food purchasing resource spreadsheet
This guide is full of useful tools to help you start procuring local foods. Explore the menu analysis worksheet to help you identify simple, sustainable areas in your current menu planning to substitute or add local foods
This resource from the Maryland department of agriculture translates farm measurements to pounds to assist with your purchasing
This video series by the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning Nutrition Services Division showcases a variety of topics including Knife Skills, CACFP Snacks, Enhancing Meal Appeal, Using Seasonal Produce, and Using Spices and Herbs. These can be used during training sessions and in professional development meetings.
by the Center for Environmental Farming Systems
by the National Farm to School Network. Also available in Spanish
by the National Farm to School Network. Also available in Spanish
From the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Cooking Up Healthy Options with Plants (CHOP) Program. These training videos teach basic knife skills and culinary techniques
40 recipes from different cultures and regions available in English and Spanish
Outlines guidelines for using your garden’s harvest in school meals and snacks
tool to search for local farms
Contains general information, activities, promotion and education materials, tools, recipes, and nutrition facts for over 40 Washington grown products
resources to help find local farms
Contains resources to help with formal procurement, including solicitation templates, an example purchase order agreement, and fresh sheet ordering tools
Aligning Farm to ECE with CACFP
Learn more about CACFP meal pattern standards as well as guidance and resources
National Farm to School Networkâs webinar, including indigenous foods in CACFP
Provides step-by-step instructions for purchasing from a variety of local food sources. The Spanish version is intended for Migrant and Seasonal Head Start (MSHS) programs.
Also available in Spanish
Encourages use of local food to CACFP operations with answers to common questions
Helpful resources related to CACFP in Farm to ECE programs