Online Course Catalog
Getting Everyone on the Same Plate: Teaching Teachers About the Child and Adult Care Food Program (VTAOE-503)
This training is all about the Child and Adult Care Food Program or CACFP. The course covers topics such as what the CACFP program is and what it does, who is eligible to sponsor or offer the CACFP and which children are eligible to participate or receive meals through the program. In addition, the course covers CACFP meal patterns, how to accommodate children with disabilities that affect the diet and recordkeeping requirements that are important for everyone involved with the CACFP to be aware of – even teachers!
A CACFP Meal Pattern Guide (VTAOE-505)
A CACFP Meal Pattern Guide is a 1 hour online course with 11 activities. Participants will learn about tools to guide them to determine if a food is creditable to the CACFP meal pattern, and how much they need to serve for each age group to be in compliance. The CACFP Meal Service Training Grant (MSTG), United States Department of Agriculture, provides the funding for this online training course.
A CACFP Infant Meal Pattern Guide (VTAOE-506)
A CACFP Infant Meal Pattern Guide is a 1 hour online course with 7 activities. Participants will learn about tools to guide them to determine if an infant food is creditable to the CACFP infant meal pattern, and what and how much they need to serve to be in compliance. The CACFP Meal Service Training Grant (MSTG), United States Department of Agriculture, provides the funding for this online training course.
Family Style Meal Service – Building Better, Healthier, Menus and Eating Habits (VTAOE-514)
Family style meal service has the opportunity to teach children so much more than just how to eat. Learn the benefits of family style meal service, best practices to incorporate it into your meal service option, and what you must do to maintain CACFP Compliance. In addition, participants will learn best practices for conversations starters around the meal table, how to encourage staff to role model positive eating behaviors, and what equipment is need for family style meal service success.
All Aboard The Whole Grain Express! (VTAOE-515)
With a destination of great nutrition and better lifestyles, learning how to incorporate whole grains into your CACFP menu can be a journey. In this one-hour session, participants will punch their ticket and board the whole grain express train, learning about where whole grains come from, how to incorporate them into their menu, and best practices for the preparation methods.
Basic Scratch Cooking Skills for Child Nutrition Programs (VTAOE-569)
Basic Scratch Cooking Skills for Child Nutrition Programs is a 1-hour training course designed to provide anyone with cooking responsibilities in Child Nutrition Programs with the basic skills they need to begin preparing food. This training covers important topics including the benefits of cooking from scratch, basic knife types and knife cuts, different kinds of cooking methods, and a brief overview of developing standardized recipes and using cycle menus.
Menu Building Basics: Utilizing CN Labels and USDA Recipes to Build a Cycle Menu (VTAOE-522)
In this course, participants will learn to recognize the 6 key indicators for a CN Label is, what a product formulation statement is, and how to use them to build a cycle menu. In addition, participants will explore the vast resources of USDA Standardized recipes, and will learn how to scale these recipes and products to fit their production needs. Lastly, participants will understand the basics of record retention and what documentation would be needed to support food production records, if required by their state.
Food Safety Essentials (VTAOE-555)
Spend the next hour with us learning about basic food safety and sanitation principles! We’ll review why food safety is an integral part of your operations, the dangers of foodborne illness, and how to apply these lessons to your day-to-day tasks and activities. This course will also cover motivating employees to follow food safety processes and protocols. Feeding children and adults is a noble profession - don’t let a food safety slip mar the reputation of your program!
Milk Substitutions: Serving Creditable Milk Alternatives in Child Nutrition Programs (VTAOE-571)
This is a 1-hour training course designed to provide child nutrition program operators with the information they need to accommodate participants’ dietary needs as it pertains to fluid milk consumption. This training covers important topics including creditable milk types per age group and meal service, methods for accommodating special dietary requests and disabilities, and allowable fluid milk substitutions.
Managing Diets for Children with Food Allergies in Child Nutrition Programs (VTAOE-580)
This training provides an overview of food allergies, an explanation of regulations for labeling food allergens, and a description of best practices for food allergy plans. Participants will practice finding common allergens on ingredient lists and identify practices that will keep children with food allergies from coming into contact with food that could trigger a reaction.
Meal Counting, Claiming and Documentation for Centers (VTAOE-604)
Submitting a claim for CACFP reimbursement requires detailed recordkeeping and preparation prior to the submission. This course reviews requirements related to point of service meal counts, attendance documentation, the edit check process, consolidation, and claim submission.
Maintaining a Nonprofit Food Service Program (VTAOE-610)
All CACFP institutions must maintain a nonprofit food service program. This course includes two lessons that cover the evaluation of program revenue and expenses, financial recordkeeping and controls, and expectations with operating a nonprofit CACFP.
Crediting Foods in CACFP (VTAOE-605)
This course goes into detail on crediting foods in the CACFP. The course discusses Child Nutrition labels, Product Formulation Statements, and standardized recipes.
Internal Controls (CORE-850)
In this course, participants will learn the purposes, components and principles of internal controls. Participants will demonstrate how to document, assess and monitor internal controls as well as identify common program areas where internal controls are essential.
Standardized Recipe Basics for Child Nutrition Programs 2026 (VTAOE-323)
This course is designed to build capacity among child nutrition professionals to standardize recipes. It provides a basic overview of standardized recipes, reasons that child nutrition professionals need to use standardized recipes, and an explanation of how to standardize a recipe. Participants will understand the key elements of standardizing recipes and the benefits to using them in their child nutrition program.
Purchase Smarter, Not Harder (VTAOE-564)
This lesson provides information about different purchasing options available to CACFP institutions that will not only help minimize the workload and cost of planning and implementing an effective food program but also make sure that the food program is still able to offer high-quality, nutritious foods.
Management Plans (CORE-840)
This course will discuss the definition, purpose and components of a management plan. Participants will learn how to evaluate, monitor, revise and submit the management plan. Participants will also discuss the CACFP performance standard and share best practices.
Financial Viability (CORE-800)
“Financial Viability” will provide an overview of the CACFP Performance Standards and focus on the requirements specific to financial viability. Participants will learn various ways to demonstrate and evaluate financial viability as well as identify the appropriate records to maintain.
CACFP Budgets (CORE-870)
This course will discuss the importance of the CACFP budget and how it relates to the management plan and the CACFP performance standards. Participants will obtain an overview of the federal cost principles and how they relate to the CACFP budget. Participants will also learn the key steps for creating a CACFP budget and receive best practices for developing and monitoring a CACFP budget.
Crediting Grains Using Ounce Equivalents (VTAOE-003)
Grains are an important part of meals and snacks served in the CACFP. To ensure participants in your program receive enough grains during meals and snacks, the required minimum serving size for the grains component is listed in the meal patterns charts in ounce equivalents. Ounce equivalents tell you the amount of grain in a portion of food.
CACFP New Sponsor Training 2026 (VTAOE-120)
The CACFP New Sponsor Training is designed to provide initial training for those who are new to the CACFP or for participating sponsors with new staff. The training includes important topics such as Civil Rights, Meal Service Planning, Recordkeeping, Financial Management, Documentation, and Responsibilities, Maintaining a Nonprofit Food Service Program and Program Oversight.