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Three Family-Style Meal Ideas Kids Love (Perfect for CACFP!)
April 30th, 2025Amelia Starr, MPH, RDN, LD, Nutrition Coordinator
Offering family style meals in a child care setting is more than just a way to share food—it's an opportunity to build healthy habits, independence, and a sense of community. When aligned with the guidelines of the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), family style meals help children practice portioning food, develop fine motor skills, and explore a variety of nutritious foods in a supportive environment.
Taco Bar
Kids love building their own tacos, and you can offer several vegetable choices for color and nutrition:
Meat/Meat Alternate: Seasoned ground turkey, fish or black beans
Grain: Whole wheat tortillas
Vegetable: Lettuce, diced tomatoes, shredded carrots, black olives, and avocado
Fruit: Orange slices
Milk: Unflavored whole and 1% or fat-free milk
Taco bar at Half Pint Learning Center & Childcare.
Fruit & Veggie Rainbows
Celebrate the transition to warmer weather by arranging ready-to-eat fruits and vegetables in the shape and pattern of a rainbow on a serving tray.
Be sure there are enough fruits and vegetables for each child to select the minimum portion size: ½ cup fruit and 1/2 cup vegetables for each 1–5-year-old child and ¾ cup fruit and ¾ cup vegetables for each 6–12-year-old child at snack.
St. Patrick’s Day Fruits & Veggies from Danielle Pascoe.
Build-Your-Own Sandwiches
Simply set out creditable sandwich ingredients and let the construction fun begin!
Meat/Meat Alternate: Turkey slices, cheese, hummus
Grain: Whole grain bread or buns
Vegetable: Cucumber slices, tomato slices
Fruit: Banana halves or mixed berries
Milk: Unflavored whole and 1% or fat-free milk
Ingredients for children to create their sandwiches.
Why is family style so important, especially in CACFP?
Let’s explore why family style meals are beneficial and make mealtime a meaningful part of a child’s day.
Nutrition & Healthy Habits:
Family style meals help start, encourage, and maintain excellent nutrition and healthy habits in children.
Encourages trying new foods - Children see peers and adults enjoying a variety of foods, which can reduce pickiness.
Promotes intuitive eating - Children serve themselves (with provider’s help), learning to listen to their own hunger and satiety cues.
Builds positive food relationship - Sharing meals and food in a relaxed setting helps make mealtime enjoyable and low-pressure.
Social & Emotional Development:
Family style meals promote social and emotional development by fostering positive social interactions, communication, and shared experiences. These meals encourage children to communicate, share, and learn from others at the table, while strengthening social skills and building relationships.
Teaches manners and social skills - Children learn to say "please" and "thank you", and practice taking turns and passing food.
Boosts confidence and independence - Pouring milk, using utensils, and making food choices help children feel capable and valued.
Fosters cooperation and patience - Waiting to be served or helping others encourages teamwork and empathy.
Educational Opportunities:
By involving children in the process of setting the table, serving themselves, and talking about food, they develop fine motor skills as well as math and language comprehension.
Support fine motor skills - Scooping, pouring, and using serving utensils are great for physical development.
Introduces math and language - Talking about food quantities, colors, and textures during meals turns mealtime into a learning experience.
CACFP Compliance Perks:
Meets food program requirements - Each required meal component is passed around the table and there is enough for each child to select the full minimum portion size.
Demonstrates a CACFP best practice - Children develop lifelong healthy habits and positive relationships with food and peers.
Supports adult role-modeling - Caregivers are encouraged to eat with the children, modeling healthy eating and positive mealtime conversations.
In Summary
Whatever nutritious foods you decide to offer for family style meals and snacks, you will be instilling healthy and nutritious eating habits, social and emotional development, and educational opportunities all while remaining compliant with CACFP guidelines. For further guidance, read more tips for family style meals here.
Questions? Reach out! We love working with providers and are dedicated to supporting you.