Number of children participating in USDA's Child and Adult Care Food Program has grown

USDA’s Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) provides increased access to healthy meals throughout the day to children at child care centers, family day care homes, shelters, and afterschool care programs. In fiscal 2014, over 3.6 million children in child care centers and family day care homes received nutritious meals and snacks through CACFP, up from 2.7 million children in fiscal 2000. Over the last 15 years, child care centers’ participation in CACFP has steadily increased, while fewer CACFP meals are being served in family day care homes. In January 2015, USDA proposed new nutrition standards for CACFP meals—the first change to meal standards since the program’s inception in 1968. The proposed standards require CACFP meals to include a larger variety of fruits and vegetables, more whole grains, and less sugar and fat. This chart appears in the Child Nutrition Programs topic page on the ERS website, updated April 15, 2015.

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