Do you need inspiration to come up with great breakfast ideas for your new childcare menu? Here are a few that might spark some ideas

CACFP Breakfast Ideas for Childcare

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Do you need inspiration to come up with great breakfast ideas for your new childcare menu? Here are a few that might spark some ideas and make your Food Program for Daycare meal planning easier for the CACFP meal requirements.

Do you need inspiration to come up with great breakfast ideas for your new childcare menu? Here are a few that might spark some ideas and make your meal planning easier for the CACFP meal requirements.

Meal planning is an important part of running a home daycare. It takes up a fair amount of time, but once you have it done, it makes the days easier.

Check out this daycare food menu meal planning guide for more ideas on how to plan out your menus well. These resources are going to be a great help to you! And if you want to buy menus already planned out, check out Daycare Time Solutions for monthly menu plans, click on shop all and menu plans for menus that meet food program requirements. Or if you want a sheet with a sample week and shopping list to get you started, check out this planning pack.

There are tons of easy breakfast ideas kids love. And these adorable Christmas themed breakfast ideas for daycare are lots of fun for your holiday celebration! Or make a special taco bar with these Pancake Tacos, Sweet and Savory Ideas.

Daycare breakfast ideas

Breakfast menus for childcare programs on the CACFP should include:

As of October 2017, we are able to serve a meat or meat alternate in place of the grain up to three days per week so this increases our breakfast ideas for childcare.

Here are the meal pattern requirements and serving sizes.

The New CACFP Meal Requirements for Childcare Made Simple, snack ideas, lunch ideas, breakfast ideas

Daycare menus breakfast lunch and snack ideas

For all kinds of menu ideas, check these out:

CACFP Meal Pattern Meat/meat alternate 

And remember to check this out for how to navigate CN labels on processed foods.

  • Milk, sausage patty and apples
  • Milk, sausage patty and peaches
  • Milk, sausage patty and cucumber slices
  • Milk, cottage cheese and pears
  • Milk, cottage cheese and fruit cocktail
  • Milk, scrambled eggs and tomatoes
  • Milk, scrambled eggs and spinach
  • Milk, fried eggs and grapes
  • Milk, boiled eggs and cherries
  • Milk, yogurt and berries
  • Milk, pancake breakfast sandwich, and bananas

Check out these super cute pig yogurt bowls. Every kid would want this!

Pig yogurt bowl with bananas and a dish towel

Whole grain breakfast ideas

For ideas to meet the whole grain requirement, check this out. There’s even a free printable shopping/menu planning list by name brand for items that are creditable. 

(Serving a whole-grain cereal for breakfast will cover your whole-grain requirement for the day)

Daycare menu ideas-grain

  • Milk, cereal and carrot sticks
  • Milk, cereal and peaches
  • Milk, cereal and pears

(Some approved cereals include: Best choice: Bran Flakes, Corn Crisps, Happy O’s, Nutty Nuggets, Rice Crisps and Wheat Crisps, Great Value: Bran Flakes, Corn Flakes, Crunchy Oat Squares, Shredded Wheat, Toasted Corn, Toasted Rice, Toasted Wheat and Toasted Whole Grain Oats, Plain Mini Wheats, Plain Cheerios, Multi Grain Cheerios, Complete All-Bran, Fiber One, Shredded Wheat, Grape Nuts, Grape Nuts Flakes, Alpha Bits, Whole Grain Kix, Total, Plain Life, Wheat Chex, Rice Chex, Corn Chex, Wheaties) For more information on CACFP Approved Cereals for Daycare check this out.

(Serving whole grain hot cereals will cover your whole grain requirement for the day)

  • Milk, oatmeal and raisins

(Click here to see how to make your own flavored oatmeal to save you money)

child eating a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast at the table wearing a cowboy hat
  • Milk, cream of wheat and carrot sticks
  • Milk, cooked brown rice and berries
  • Milk, whole wheat biscuits and apples
  • Milk, whole wheat toast and peaches
  • Milk, whole wheat bagels and oranges
  • Milk, whole wheat English muffins and grapefruit
  • Milk, whole wheat pancakes and cherry tomatoes
  • Milk, whole wheat croissants and carrot sticks
  • Milk, whole wheat waffle and pineapple
  • Milk, whole wheat muffins and watermelon
  • Milk, whole wheat banana bread and kiwi

Childcare menu ideas

I hope you find lots of inspiration for your daycare menus breakfast, lunch, and snack and it helps make your job easier. Thanks for reading! 

Food Program for Daycare Provider Helps

CACFP Breakfast Ideas for Childcare

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10 Comments

  1. This was really useful information! Thanks for taking the time to use your knowledge! You guys are appreciated!
    One qui9ck thing: You aren’t able to serve sugared cereals unless they’re specifically recorded?

    1. For the food program, it has to be under a certain amount of sugar per serving. There is a formula you can use to find out if it qualifies. You don’t have to record it, but you can’t claim it if it’s over that amount. 21.2 grams our less per 100 grams of cereal. Thanks for reading!

    1. You can mix honey but with regular Cheerios. This brings down the sugar .
      A federal auditor told me this was allowed during our state audit.
      Be sure to note this in your records.