Adapted from Kurt Messner, Acting Regional Administrator, USDA Food and Nutrition Service:
For the first time ever, the United States Department of Agriculture is updating the nutrition standards for subsidized meals served at adult care centers — and encouraging members of the public to comment.
The federal Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) ensures that nutritious meals are served at enrolled centers and allows providers to provide affordable care to low-income families. The USDA wants to hear public comments on proposed changes to the meals, which will include more variety of vegetables and fruits, more whole grains, and less sugar and fat.
Each day, CACFP provides meals and snacks to children in their regular day care, children residing in emergency shelters, youth participating in afterschool programs, and participants in adult day care programs. In Connecticut, 1,158 child care centers and homes and 12 adult day care centers participate in the CACFP, serving meals to 21,154 children and 627 adults.
Mandated by the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, the proposed meal pattern updates are designed to work in concert with USDA’s school meals standards, now implemented in schools across the country. Since the program began in 1968, nutrition-related health problems have shifted from malnutrition to the overconsumption of calories, saturated fat, added fats, added sugar and sodium, as well as the under-consumption of fiber and other nutrients.
A web-based portal makes it easy for all citizens to provide comments. Visit https://federalregister.gov/a/2015 – 00446 to review the proposal and offer comments. All comments received will be considered carefully in finalizing the rule before it is implemented.
To be assured of consideration, comments must be received on or before April 15, 2015.
