The USDA has officially released the 2026–2027 CACFP reimbursement rates, effective July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027. Rates increased across all meal types and program categories.
And yes — the new rates have already been updated in KidKare, retroactive to July 1, 2026.
Centers and Afterschool Programs
| Meal Type | Free | Change | Reduced | Change | Paid | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | $2.54 | +8¢ | $2.24 | +8¢ | $0.42 | +2¢ |
| Lunch/Supper | $4.76 | +16¢ | $4.36 | +16¢ | $0.45 | +1¢ |
| Snack | $1.30 | +4¢ | $0.65 | +2¢ | $0.12 | +1¢ |
Rates do not include the value of USDA Foods or cash-in-lieu of USDA Foods.
| Meal Type | Tier I | Change | Tier II | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | $1.74 | +4¢ | $0.62 | +1¢ |
| Lunch/Supper | $3.31 | +9¢ | $1.99 | +5¢ |
| Snack | $0.98 | +2¢ | $0.27 | +1¢ |
| Home Count | Monthly Rate | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Initial 50 homes | $157 | +$7 |
| Next 150 homes | $119 | +$4 |
| Next 800 homes | $93 | +$4 |
| Each additional home | $82 | +$3 |
Rates for Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands are higher. See the full rate breakdown from the National CACFP Association or the Federal Register document for all regions and the complete payment chart.
(Source: Federal Register, Document 2026-15071, published July 27, 2026)
The rates are already in KidKare. The federal CACFP reimbursement rates for PY 2026–2027 have been updated in KidKare, retroactive to July 1, 2026. There’s nothing you need to do to activate the new rates — they’re already reflected in your account.
You can process July claims in KidKare as usual. We’ve already updated the rates — claims for meals served on or after July 1, 2026 will automatically use the new reimbursement amounts.
Building your FY2027 budget? Make sure your revenue projections reflect these updated numbers. If you’re preparing your organization’s annual CACFP budget for the October 1 submission, check out our guide to preparing your FY2027 CACFP budget for a full breakdown of what’s changed this year.
You can view the current reimbursement rates directly in KidKare at any time:
For sponsors: From the menu, click Administration, then select View Reimbursement Rates. Choose your state type (48 Contiguous, Alaska, or Hawaii) and the year to view. Full walkthrough →
Updated rates are just one piece of the picture. If you’re managing CACFP across multiple sites — or even a single center — KidKare is built to handle the work that surrounds every claim.
All your core CACFP operations, in one place. Food lists, menu creation and distribution, enrollment records, CACFP expense verification, receipt capture, labor tracking, and claims processing — no more juggling spreadsheets, paper files, and inboxes.
250+ edit checks that protect your reimbursement. Issues are flagged at the site level before they ever reach your office or the state. That means fewer disallowed meals, fewer month-end corrections, and more defensible claims. And with Beacon, our claims readiness command center, you can see claim issues and reimbursement at risk across your entire network in one place — plus surface growth opportunities, so you’re not just fixing problems, you’re finding room to grow.
300+ reports to access your data when you need it. Meal counts, attendance, claims history, participation trends — pull what you need from any device, whether you’re at your desk or in the field.
Empower your field review staff. Give your monitors the tools to conduct site reviews with documentation that’s already organized and accessible online. Monitors complete site reviews up to 60% faster when everything is built to hold up.
KidKare is backed by 30+ years in CACFP and 85,000+ users across all 50 states.
For sponsors and centers: Book a discovery call →
2026–2027 CACFP Reimbursement Rates — National CACFP Association — Full rate tables for all regions
Federal Register: CACFP Reimbursement Rates PY 2026–2027 — The official USDA document
USDA CACFP Reimbursement Rates Page — Official rates by program type
View Reimbursement Rates in KidKare (Sponsors) — Step-by-step guide
Preparing Your CACFP Budget for FY2027 (KidKare Blog) — What sponsors need to know before October 1
