KidKare

Paper enrollment isn't just slow.
It's expensive.

When a Free-eligible child gets claimed at the Paid rate because their IEF is missing or delayed…
That's up to $4.16 lost per meal, per child (based on current CACFP center rates).

Now multiply that across your network. 📉

Our latest blog breaks down the reimbursement math most sponsors haven't run — and what a claim-connected enrollment workflow actually looks like.

🖥️ Want to see digital enrollment in action? Join our LIVE Food Program demo this Thursday, May 21 at 11 AM CST!

👉 Register here: https://www.kidkare.com/resource-hub/kidkare-product-demo/

eForms vs. Paper Enrollment: The Hidden Cost CACFP Sponsors Don’t Calculate - KidKare Paper CACFP enrollment costs more than staff time. Missing or expired forms can reduce reimbursement by $4.16 per meal. See what sponsors don't calculate.

💛🔥 Fire safety is one of the most important lessons we can share with young children — and it doesn't have to be scary!

Join us for a special Teach Me Tuesday session:
📖 No Dragons for Tea: Teaching Littles About Fire Safety
📅 Tuesday, May 12 | 7:00 PM CT

Guest fire instructor Jalex Leissler will walk us through fun, age-appropriate ways to introduce fire safety through the power of storytelling 🐉📚

🎁 GIVEAWAY ALERT! 🎁
25 lucky registrants will be randomly selected to receive a free copy of No Dragons for Tea: Fire Safety for Kids (and Dragons) — the charming picture book that inspired this session! Register for your chance to add this delightful resource to your classroom or family library! 🎉

🎓 Live attendees earn a certificate of completion!
📹 All registrants get the full recording!

Save your spot today 👇❤️
https://www.kidkare.com/resource-hub/teaching-littles-about-fire-safety/

🌱 Our team had an amazing time volunteering at Kids Are Us Academy last month.

We rolled up our sleeves and got to work:
🪴 Planting in the backyard
🧸 Organizing and cleaning the toy room

A huge thank you to owner and director Kimberli Helaire-Smith for welcoming us into her center. Her passion for the children she serves is truly inspiring. 💛

There's nothing like getting out of the office and into the community we're proud to support every day.

Providers, mark your calendars! 🗓️

National CACFP Association is hosting a FREE Provider Perk Party on Saturday, May 16 at 11:00 AM — and we think you should be there.

✅ Resources & tips
🎁 Giveaways
🤝 Connection with fellow providers

Register today ➡️ https://info.cacfp.org/ap/Events/Register/g4FYaN4fzCyCo

🎉 You show up for kids every day — now it’s our turn to show up for YOU!

Join us Saturday, May 16 at 11:00 am for the Provider Perk Party — a fun, FREE celebration packed with resources, tips and giveaways to make your program even stronger. 🌟

Connect, be appreciated, and walk away with simple tools you can use right away to support the children and families you serve. Don’t miss this chance to celebrate YOU! Register today at https://info.cacfp.org/ap/Events/Register/g4FYaN4fzCyCo

May 8 = Provider Appreciation Day 💛

To every provider logging meals, planning lessons, and pouring into the kids in your care — we see you.

We put together a list of ways sponsors, parents, and fellow providers can show appreciation this year (including a FREE virtual event with CEUs from National CACFP Association on May 16!)

Check it out 👇
https://www.kidkare.com/how-to-celebrate-the-providers-who-make-it-all-possible/

How to Celebrate the Providers Who Make It All Possible - KidKare Provider Appreciation Day is May 8, 2026. Discover meaningful ways for sponsors, parents, and communities to recognize childcare providers — plus free events and resources.

What a week in Las Vegas! 🎉

We're still buzzing from NCNC 2026 — and what a milestone it was. Huge thanks to the National CACFP Association for an unforgettable 40th Anniversary Conference. Forty years of championing child nutrition is something truly worth celebrating, and we were so honored to be part of it.

This year was extra special for us: we got to bring Parachute, our financial and childcare management software, to the CACFP community in a big way. 🪂 So many of you stopped by our booth, signed up for trials, and shared what's on your minds.

A lot of conversations came back to the same challenges:

1️⃣ Fixing errors after the fact instead of catching them early
2️⃣ Managing enrollment and claims across disconnected tools
3️⃣ Spending too much time on admin instead of supporting sites

For over 30 years, we've worked alongside CACFP sponsors to solve exactly these challenges — helping teams prevent claim errors, streamline enrollment, and reduce the manual work that slows programs down.

To every sponsor, provider, state agency partner, and friend who visited us: thank you. You ARE the community that makes this industry extraordinary. 💙

Here's to the next 40 years. 🎊

🤖✨ AI isn't just for grown-ups — and we're proving it TOMORROW!

Join us for Teach Me Tuesday: AI for Fun: Engaging Children & Families

📅 Tuesday, April 7 at 7:00 PM CT

Discover simple, fun, and age-appropriate ways to use AI to spark creativity with the kids and families you serve. Whether it's enhancing learning experiences, strengthening family engagement, or adding a little extra magic to your day — this session has you covered.

🎓 Attend live and earn a certificate of completion!
📹 Can't make it? Register and we'll send you the recording!

Save your spot now 👇
https://www.kidkare.com/resource-hub/ai-for-fun-engaging-children-families/

What's the first spring food your kiddos get excited about? 🌸👇

Fresh produce season means it's time to refresh those CACFP menus! 🥒🍈🫐 Our latest blog has a simple swap chart, portion check reminders, and meal planning tips to make seasonal updates easy.

Drop your favorite spring menu item in the comments! 💬

https://www.kidkare.com/your-60-second-cacfp-tip-refresh-your-menus-for-spring/

Your 60-Second CACFP Tip: Refresh Your Menus for Spring - KidKare Refresh your CACFP menus for spring in under 60 seconds. Learn how to swap seasonal produce into your meal plans using KidKare's menu tools, templates, and reports.

We asked the KidKare community to share their favorite CACFP-creditable recipes — and they delivered! 🥄

Introducing Stirring Up Goodness: The KidKare Community Cookbook — a free collection of kid-friendly, CACFP-friendly meals shared by providers during our Kid-Friendly, CACFP-Friendly Meals webinar.

Whether you need fresh meal ideas or just want to see what other providers are cooking up, this one's for you.

Download your free copy and bring some new flavor to your menu this week. Link in comments! 👇

Need some CACFP meal inspo? Check out today's creditable menu — featuring meals the kids will love.

👨‍🍳 Kid involvement tip: Let children help assemble their own wraps and measure out their cereal and raisins — hands-on food prep builds confidence and encourages trying new foods!

What are you serving today? Drop it below! 👇