Meal Disallowance Policies for Day Care Homes

Management Bulletin
Purpose: Policy, Action Required
To: Child and Adult Care Food Program, Sponsors of Day Care Homes Number: USDA-CACFP-04-2009

Attention: Food Program Manager

Date: June 2009

Subject: Meal Disallowance Policies for Day Care Homes

Reference: United States Department of Agriculture Policy Memo CACFP 05-2009

This Management Bulletin (MB) transmits guidance from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) regarding meal disallowances in day care homes that participate in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP).

The USDA reaffirms that:

  • Family day care homes claiming CACFP reimbursement must comply with all program requirements, including meal pattern requirements, immediately upon commencing participation in the program.

  • Some sponsoring organizations have established ‘grace periods’ for new day care homes that are not meeting meal pattern or other requirements in the early months of participation. CACFP regulations do not provide for claiming grace periods to new homes that fail to serve reimbursable meals.

  • Although errors, such as serving meals with missing components, may not rise to the level of serious deficiency for new homes, the ineligible meals must always be disallowed. Training, early monitoring, and technical assistance are important to ensure that new providers are able to serve reimbursable meals that meet meal pattern requirements.

If you have any questions regarding this MB, please contact your Program Specialist. A contact list of CACFP Specialists is available on the Child and Adult Food Care Program Contact List or in the Download Forms section of the Child Nutrition Information & Payment System (CNIPS) as Form ID CACFP 01. You may also contact the CACFP Office Technician by email at CACFPinfo@dss.ca.gov to be directed to your specialist.


This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
Esta institución es un proveedor que ofrece igualdad de oportunidades.

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CDSS Child and Adult Care Food Program
744 P Street, MS 9-13-290
Sacramento, CA 95814
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