June is National Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Month — and the timing could not be better. The growing season is hitting its stride, farmers market tables are filling up, and local produce is at its most colorful, flavorful, and affordable. For child care providers, it’s a natural moment to put more fresh produce on the menu and turn snack time into a chance for little ones to discover something new.

It also lines up neatly with how the CACFP meal pattern works. Vegetables and fruit are foundational components, and June gives you an easy, seasonal hook to plan around them. Here’s how to make the most of the month: sourcing local produce, choosing and handling it safely, and finding meal inspiration that credits in your program.

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🧺 Shop local: farmers markets and the farmers behind them

Sourcing produce close to home is one of the most rewarding ways to celebrate the month — and it’s something USDA actively encourages for child nutrition programs through Farm to Early Care and Education (Farm to ECE), sometimes called Farm to CACFP.

The benefits go well beyond fresher flavor:

• Kids are more willing to try new foods when they’ve met the farmer, helped pick out the produce, or watched something grow.
• Smaller purchasing volumes are a good fit for local farmers. A family child care home or center buying a few cases is often exactly the size of order a small producer can serve well.
• It builds community ties and supports your local food economy.

You don’t need a formal program to get started. A weekly trip to the farmers market, a relationship with a single nearby farm stand, a CSA share, or even a small garden bed all count. A few practical tips:

• Talk to the growers. Ask what’s peaking this week and what’s coming next. June often brings strawberries, berries, leafy greens, peas, zucchini, cucumbers, and early tomatoes, depending on your region.
• Ask about quantities and timing so you can plan menus around what will actually be available.
• Keep your receipts and records. If you’re claiming these foods for reimbursement, document your purchases the same way you would any other CACFP food cost.

The National CACFP Association’s Getting Started with Farm to ECE guidance walks through sourcing from farmers markets, farmers, CSAs, and gardens for both centers and family child care homes — a great first stop if you want a roadmap.

Local food is a year-round opportunity, not just a June one. For hands-on ways to bring it into your program — farm-themed activities, sensory play, and tips on starting a childcare garden — our Farm to School Month post is a great companion read.

🧼 Choose and handle produce with care

Fresh produce is wonderful, but because it’s often served raw or lightly cooked, safe selection and handling matter — especially for the young children in your care, who are among the groups most vulnerable to foodborne illness. The FDA offers clear, practical guidance worth keeping on hand:

At the market or store

• Pick produce that’s free of bruises, cuts, or damage — damaged spots can harbor bacteria.
• For anything pre-cut or bagged (salad greens, cut melon), choose only items kept refrigerated or on ice.
• Keep produce separate from raw meat, poultry, and seafood in your cart and bags. An insulated bag or cooler helps on warm June days.

Back at your site

• Use a separate cutting board for produce versus raw meats, and wash boards, utensils, and counters with hot, soapy water in between.
• Store perishable produce in a clean refrigerator at 40°F or below, and refrigerate anything pre-cut or peeled.
• Wash your hands with soap and warm water for 20 seconds before and after handling produce.
• Rinse under plain, cool running water — no soap, detergent, or commercial produce wash, which produce can absorb. Scrub firm items like melons and cucumbers with a clean produce brush.
• Wash produce even if you plan to peel it, so dirt and bacteria aren’t dragged inside by the knife. Wait to wash until just before use rather than before storing.
• Cut away any bruised or damaged areas, and dry produce with a clean cloth or paper towel.

A quick washing demonstration also makes a great hands-on lesson — children can help rinse and sort produce at a clean station (kept well away from any raw-meat prep), which builds both food-safety habits and excitement about eating it.

🎉 Make it a month-long celebration

You don’t need to overhaul your menu to mark National Fruits & Veggies Month. Pick one or two small goals — add a new fruit to snack each week, visit a farmers market with your families, or try one new USDA recipe — and build from there. The habits children form around fresh produce now can genuinely last a lifetime.

🔗 Helpful resources

• National Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Month / Have a Plant (Produce for Better Health Foundation): https://fruitsandveggies.org/
• USDA FNS — Vegetable and Fruit Requirements in the CACFP (Q&As):https://www.fns.usda.gov/cacfp/vegetable-fruit-requirements-qas
• USDA FNS — CACFP Breakfast Meal Pattern: https://www.fns.usda.gov/cacfp/nutrition-standards/breakfast-meal-pattern
• USDA Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs: https://foodbuyingguide.fns.usda.gov/
• Child Nutrition Recipe Box (standardized CACFP recipes): https://theicn.org/cnrb/
• USDA Team Nutrition — CACFP recipes & cooking videos: https://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/cacfp/cooking-video
• USDA FNS — “Let’s Make a Snack!” planner & 20 snack recipes: https://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/lets-make-snack
• National CACFP Association — Getting Started with Farm to ECE: https://www.cacfp.org/2023/02/28/getting-started-with-farm-to-early-care-and-education-ece/
• FDA — Selecting and Serving Produce Safely: https://www.fda.gov/food/buy-store-serve-safe-food/selecting-and-serving-produce-safely
• FDA — 7 Tips for Cleaning Fruits & Vegetables: https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/7-tips-cleaning-fruits-vegetables