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December 2023

Stay connected: Check out our current staff directory here.

Food Program Staff Directory

Your Monthly News & Updates

National Days in December

December 6: National Gazpacho Day

Read “Gazpacho for Nacho,” (Kyle, 2014) and enjoy some gazpacho!

Recipe

Not familiar with gazpacho? “Originating from southern Spain, gazpacho is traditionally made from a mixture of pureed tomatoes and other ingredients such as cucumber, sweet bell peppers, onions, garlic and olive oil.” Source: (https://www.allrecipes.com)

According to the Crediting Handbook for the Child and Adult Care Food Program, homemade soup may be creditable. It “must contain at least an 1/8 cup (2T) of visible vegetable per serving. Document meal pattern contribution with a standardized recipe.”

Food Program Anniversaries in December

10 years: Karen Grund

20 years: Tabitha Garner

25 years: Tiffiny Marek-Tilton

Congratulations on your commitment to serving nutritious meals and snacks to the children in your care!

Welcome to our New Providers!

Theresa in Milwaukee

Kirstin in Milwaukee

Tasha in Pulaski

Ask the Food Program

Question:

“I took the quiz about milk in last month’s issue of Provider Connection. The first question “Must be served at all mealtimes” was true, but I thought milk was optional at snack times?”

Answer:

Mealtimes for CACFP are Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner. Milk of the proper fat content must be served at each mealtime.

A creditable snack combines two or more foods from different categories. Milk of the proper fat content may be offered as one of the two foods, but it is not a required beverage.

Resource: Serving Milk

https://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/serving-milk-cacfp

https://fns-prod.azureedge.us/sites/default/files/resource-files/CACFP_Worksheet_Serving_Milk_SP.pdf

Components and Crediting

Recall and Advisory: WanaBana Apple Cinnamon Fruit Puree Pouches

“On November 2, 2023, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a notice to advise parents and caregivers not to buy or feed certain WanaBana USA products to toddlers or young children, because the products may contain elevated levels of lead. WanaBana apple cinnamon fruit puree pouches, all lot codes and expiration dates, are affected. The company also initiated a voluntary recall of these products. These products are sold nationally and are available through multiple retailers, including Sam’s Club, Amazon, and Dollar Tree.

Consumers should stop using the product and return it to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers can email the company at support@wanabanafruits.com.”

FDA reports that short term exposure to lead may result in:

Headache
Abdominal pain/colic
Vomiting
Anemia

Longer term exposure to lead could result in these additional symptoms:

Irritability
Lethargy
Fatigue
Muscle aches or prickling/burning
Occasional abdominal discomfort
Constipation

Monitoring and Oversight

Wisconsin WIC Program

Current WIC Income eligibility can be found here.

You are required to provide current Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program information to all parent of children in care.

Post it where all parents can see it or give one to each family.

WIC promotes and maintains the health and well-being of nutritionally at risk pregnant, breastfeeding, and postpartum women and infants and children. It provides nutrition, education, breastfeeding education/support, supplemental nutritious foods and referral to other health and nutrition services.

Do You Know Tom Copeland?

Tom Copeland has been a trainer, author, and advocate for the business of family child care for more than 40 years. His Family Child Care Resource Directory covers everything from marketing and money management to recordkeeping.

Check out Civitas Strategies Early Start (formerly Tom Copeland’s Taking Care of Business blog) today!

Licensed Providers Caring for 5-Year-Olds

Do you care for two or more children under the age of 2 years old? Wisconsin licensing rules allow you to claim a 5-year-old who is enrolled in school and is in care no more than three hours per day, up to a maximum group size of eight. Be sure to complete and submit the School-Age Verification for Child 5 Years Form so you can be paid correctly.

What is a Household Contact?

By federal regulation, the WECA Food Program is required to complete household contacts for some centers participating on our program. If your center is chosen for a household contact, each family will be asked to complete and submit information about their child’s days and hours of attendance and the meals received in your child care home during a targeted interval. Completing this information carefully and timely helps to ensure the integrity and quality of the Food Program.

Download Your 2023 Food Program Earnings!

Preparing for tax time? Download your Food Program earnings. Log into CACFP.Net. Under My CACFP Info, select Checks Received.

Report Your Closures

If you will be closed for vacation or due to illness, it is your responsibility to notify your Area Coordinator before 7 a.m. Reporting closures in the Child Care Portal does not satisfy this Food Program requirement. If you will be providing transportation to or from school, you must also notify your Area Coordinator of the times you will be away and unavailable for Home Visits.

WECA Closed Dates

WECA offices will be closed from Dec. 22, 2023 through Jan. 1, 2024. Contact your Area Coordinator if you need assistance during this time.

Regular hours and operations will resume on Jan. 2, 2024.