Food Program Anniversaries in October 

10 years: Ambria Reed, Melanie Johnson 

15 years: Norma Hedwig 

20 years: Yolanda Gonzalez, Lisa Henderson 

25 years: Lyndsi Ebert 

30 years: Karen Lagerstrom 

We applaud your commitment to serving nutritious meals and snacks to the children in your care!  

Check Your Email! 2027 Annual Provider Training Launch 

On Oct. 1, 2026, the Food Program will launch annual provider training for the 2026-2027 fiscal year. Provider Training will be available from Oct. 1 through Oct. 31.  

Participating providers will be emailed using the email address on file on Oct. 1st, 2026, with an invitation to the 2027 Mandatory Provider Training. The email will include login information for Talent LMS.  

DPI mandates that providers complete training annually to remain in good standing. Failure to complete annual training will result in providers being made Seriously Deficient. 

Components and Crediting 

Ask the Food Program

Question:

My Whole Grain-rich components ‘dropped out' of my claim! I am careful to check the box whenever I serve a Whole Grain-rich component. What happened? 

Answer:

Thank you for that question!



Thanks to one of our providers, the Food Program discovered that foods in the ‘Grain’ category must be selected from the drop-down menu FIRST, and then the WG box must be checked. If done in reverse order, the WG box will deselect and may result in deductions during processing of your claim.

So: SELECT, then CLICK!

NOTE: Food Program has made certain grain items automatically Whole Grain-rich. See those with (WG) highlighted in this image.

When one of the automatic WGs is clicked, the WG box is automatically checked:

Clicking the WG box after will de-select WG.

Recipe(s) to Try!  

USDA's Recipes for Healthy Kids: Cookbook for Child Care Centers offers this meat-free recipe for Spanish Chickpea Stew! Be sure to reduce the recipe – unless you intend to make 25 or 50 servings!  

• https://fna-bwbufwdzbabpezgc.z01.azurefd.us/sites/default/files/resource-files/SpanishChickpeaStewCACFPCenterRecipe.pdf 

Try this recipe for Spiced Oatmeal from USDA. Oatmeal is a Whole Grain-rich grain! 

• https://fna-bwbufwdzbabpezgc.z01.azurefd.us/sites/default/files/resource-files/Spiced Oatmeal 6 Servings.pdf 

What Does 'Exempt Formula' Mean?  

During Child Enrollment for an infant (birth to 12 months of age) an electronic Parent Provider Formula Agreement will automatically be part of the electronic enrollment process. Providers must select a brand of iron-fortified infant formula they offer to infant children in care at no additional cost to families.  

In the image below, the child's Parent Provider Formula Agreement (PFA) shows the use of an Exempt Formula. When the Food Program discovers an Exempt Formula is being offered or served, the provider will be contacted for more information. A Medical Statement or Child Health Report upholding the use of that formula for that infant must be submitted and approved by the Food Program. Without documentation that the use of that Exempt Formula is medically necessary for that child, meals and snacks must be disallowed throughout that child's infancy.  

What is an Exempt Formula? "An exempt infant formula is an infant formula intended for commercial or charitable distribution that is represented and labeled for use by infants who have inborn errors of metabolism or low birth weight, or who otherwise have unusual medical or dietary problems." (Source: https://www.fda.gov/food/infant-formula-guidance-documents-regulatory-information/exempt-infant-formulas-marketed-united-states-manufacturer-and-category) 

Think of this as an infant Special Diet. The Food Program must have further information to verify whether there is a medical reason that requires a change from the CACFP Infant Meal Pattern. Without that documentation and approval, the CACFP Meal Patterns must be followed.  

Combination Foods  

Homemade Combination Foods 

Whenever you serve one of your own recipes that combines two or more foods, be sure to enter each component on your menus. We don't know your recipes! Be sure to serve the appropriate serving size by age for each component being served to each child in care. 

Commercial Combination Foods  

Commercial combination foods are only creditable when the actual content is known and documented by the product's manufacturer. If you serve any commercial combination food, you must keep one of these on file for review during Home Visits. 

• A Child Nutrition (CN) label for that product, which will be found on the packaging for that product IF it meets the CACFP requirements OR 
• A Product Formulation Statement, which you may request by contacting the manufacturer. 

A CN label shows the item's contribution to the USDA meal pattern requirements. Read labels carefully: Some products might only meet one requirement. A CN label does not indicate that a product is healthy. Commercial combination foods are often high in sodium, fat, and calories, and they can be expensive. Note that many commercially available combination food items do not have CN labels!  

• A Child Nutrition (CN) label for that product OR  
• A Product Formulation Statement, which you may request by contacting the manufacturer. 

A Menu Review completed by each Area Coordinator in advance of each Home Visit identifies the Combination Foods a provider served since the last Home Visit. Store bought Combination Foods being served, those on hand, and whether they have a CN label or PFS are listed on the Product Review Log that is completed at each Home Visit.  

When your Area Coordinator observes Commercial Combination foods being served, they will verify that adequate portions were served per the information on the CN label or PFS. If no CN label or PFS is on file, disallowance must occur.  

Source: CACFP Training Spotlight: Crediting Documentation for Processed Food Items https://dpi.wi.gov/media/24243/download?inline 

Monitoring and Oversight

Will You Provide Large Family Child Care? Did You Receive Your Updated Child Care License? 

Whenever you have updates to your childcare license (e.g., address, name change, capacity, age range of children in care, hours of operation and/or days of operation) you MUST submit a copy of the updated regulation. Email a copy to foodprogram@wisconsinearlychildhood.org. Be sure to post the  most current regulation on your wall.  

While certified providers are not eligible to operate large family child care programs, these providers should submit updated copies of their regulations to WECA at foodprogram@wisconsinearlychildhood.org whenever there is a change.  

Will You Be Out, On a Field Trip, or On Vacation?  

Call or email your Area Coordinator before 7 a.m. to report any dates or times you will be closed or away from your child care during your business hours. If your Area Coordinator shows up for a visit during a scheduled meal or snack service and you are gone, that meal will be deducted. This is a federal regulation.  



Reporting your closures in WI CCPP does not satisfy this reporting requirement. 

Civil Rights: Your Responsibilities and Mandates   

Be sure you: 

• Enroll all children in care onto CACFP regardless of age or protected class. This includes infant children, drop-in children, and children with disabilities. 
• Offer a brand of iron-fortified infant formula and infant foods to all infants in care at no additional cost to families, giving parents the option to supply component(s) only if they choose. 
• Offer meals and snacks to all children in care and meal substitutions to children with disabilities. 
• Post the ‘Building for the Future’ flyer: https://dpi.wi.gov/media/14305/download?inline  
• Include the current Non-Discrimination Statement whenever you reference participation on CACFP or the Food Program, whether in your written policies, on your website, or anywhere you market your child care business: https://dpi.wi.gov/media/17330/download?inline 

Use the full statement, or when space does not permit, include the words, 'This institution is an equal opportunity provider' in font the same size as the document in which it appears.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

The Provider Connection is published by the WECA Food Program.

Any Questions: Call 608-240-9880 or visit our website.

Explore more of what WECA has to offer:

Center for Policy, Research and Engagement | Food Program | Pre-Licensing

REWARD | TEACH | WEESSN | Career Development | Conference | Membership