Resources

For the Classroom

Alabama Foods: A to Z

Learn about the wide variety of fruits and vegetables that are grown right here in Alabama, from A to Z!

Hosting a Successful Taste Test

This guide, from the Iowa Food and Fitness Initiative, provides tips and tricks for having a successful taste test lesson!

Farm to Table Activities

Created by the National CACFP Sponsors Association, this handout provides activities and information about bringing healthy foods from the farm to your table! Included in this guide is a fact sheet and coloring pages in English and Spanish.

National Farm to School Month

October is National Farm to School Month! Check out this factsheet for ways to celebrate!

Fresh Fruit and Yogurt Parfait Recipe

Grab some local fruits and make these delicious fruit and yogurt parfaits! This recipe was created in collaboration with Childcare Resources.

Gardening in ECE Settings

Looking to start a fruit or vegetable garden at your center/home? Check out the Alabama Seasonal Produce Guide for guidance on the peak seasons for your favorite fruits and vegetables!

Alabama Produce seasons

This graphic shows the many vegetables that can be grown in Alabama, and the best times to grow them!

Alabama Fruits and Vegetables

Looking to start a fruit or veggie garden? Check out this guide for the harvest seasons of your favorite produce!

Dig In! Gardening Guide

Learn how to start gardening in your child care program with this helpful guide from Team Nutrition!

Local Food Purchasing

Double Up Food Bucks

Check out this flyer and learn about how you can purchase locally grown foods from farmer’s markets using EBT!

Harvest Calendar

This calendar from the Alabama Farm to School program shows the best months for purchasing fruits and vegetables from local farmers!

Farm to Preschool – Local Food and Learning

Looking to purchase locally while following the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) guidelines? Check out this factsheet for more information on bringing local foods into your program!

Local Food Purchasing for Family Child Care Providers

Looking to purchase fresh local foods to serve in your family child care program? Check out this resource from the National Farm to School Network for tips on getting started!

Local Procurement for Child Care Centers

Fresh local foods are the perfect addition to your center’s weekly menu! Check out this resource from the National Farm to School Network for tips on purchasing locally.

Family and Community Engagement

What is Farm to ECE? For Families

This resource created by the Alabama Farm to ECE Coalition is great for introducing families in your early childhood program to Farm to ECE.

What is Farm to ECE? Farmers & Food Producers

Looking to share about Farm to ECE with a farmer, gardener, or food producer? This handout shares the benefits of Farm to ECE for agriculture professionals!

Local Foods Served Here Poster

Share your commitment to buying local foods with your families and visitors with this “Local Foods Served Here” poster from Go NAPSACC!

Assessing Your Program

The Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care (Go NAPSACC) is a trusted online tool that helps early care and education (ECE) programs support children’s healthy eating and physical activity. Go NAPSACC can help ECE programs improve their menus, add more play into their daily schedules, and educate families about healthy eating and active play.

Participating Alabama ECE programs can receive:

– Access to Go NAPSACC’s easy-to-use online tools and an online library of helpful videos, activities, and parent handouts.

– One-on-one coaching and technical assistance from a Go NAPSACC Consultant.

– Resources to help reach your goals.

– Assessments of current practices to make improvements, including ideas for Farm to ECE and outdoor play & learning.

Acknowledgement: The Alabama Farm to ECE Coalition attributes the resources listed from the following organizations: National Farm to School Network, Alabama Department of Agriculture & Industries, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USDA, Alabama Cooperative Extension System, and the Iowa Food and Fitness Initiative.