The Early Childhood Nutrition Improvement Act: Expanding Access and Reducing Barriers

The Early Childhood Nutrition Improvement Act focuses on expanding meal access and streamlining administration. Introduced in the 119th Congress on April 10, 2025, this bill includes several key provisions that would significantly improve how nutrition programs operate.

Extended Meal Coverage for Children in Long-Day Care

One of the most important provisions allows reimbursement for additional meals for providers operating over 8 hours daily. Under current rules, providers can only be reimbursed for two meals and one snack, regardless of how long children are in care. The new legislation enables providers to serve up to three meals and one snack per day, ensuring children in long-day care receive adequate nutrition throughout their time in care.

As one provider noted in testimony supporting the bill: “Children in my care often arrive at 6:30 AM and don’t leave until 6:00 PM. That’s nearly 12 hours where I’m responsible for their nutrition, yet I can only get reimbursed for part of what they need to eat.”

Fairer Reimbursement Calculations

The bill shifts to “food away from home” calculation for family child care homes, which would reduce disparities between homes and centers. This technical but important change recognizes that family child care providers face many of the same costs as centers when providing meals.

Administrative Relief for Providers

The legislation includes several provisions to decrease administrative burden on providers:

• Streamlines annual eligibility for for-profit child care centers
• Requires review of CACFP Serious Deficiency process
• Establishes advisory committee for paperwork reduction

These changes address a major barrier to program participation. Many eligible providers currently opt out of Childhood Nutrition Programs due to overwhelming paperwork requirements, meaning fewer children receive the benefit of nutritious meals.

The Child Care Nutrition Enhancement Act: Financial Support for Quality Meals

While the Early Childhood Nutrition Improvement Act focuses on structural improvements, the Child Care Nutrition Enhancement Act addresses the financial challenges providers face in serving nutritious meals.

Increased Reimbursement Rates

The proposed legislation would significantly increase CACFP reimbursement rates for the first time in years. The bill provides an additional 10-cent reimbursement per meal and snack, which may seem modest but represents a meaningful increase given current rates:

• Current breakfast reimbursement: $0.59
• Current lunch/dinner reimbursement: $1.88
• Proposed breakfast reimbursement: $1.75
• Proposed lunch/dinner reimbursement: $3.22

These increases acknowledge that current CACFP reimbursement rates are insufficient to cover the actual cost of providing nutritious meals. Providers have long advocated for higher CACFP reimbursement rates to maintain program quality.

Family Day Care Home Improvements

The Child Care Nutrition Enhancement Act also eliminates tiering of family day care homes and allows providers to claim reimbursement for their own children’s meals. These changes would:

• Simplify the reimbursement structure
• Increase equity among different types of providers
• Remove a significant financial barrier for family child care providers

By addressing these financial challenges, the legislation aims to increase participation in nutrition programs and ensure more children have access to healthy meals.

How to Take Action: Supporting These Critical Bills

Effective child nutrition advocacy requires understanding the legislative process and building community support. Here are concrete steps you can take to support these important bills:

Contact Your Representatives

The most direct action you can take is contacting your U.S. Senators and Representatives:

• Find your representatives at Congress.gov
• Call, email, or use the Action Center tools on the National CACFP Association website
• Request that they co-sponsor the Early Childhood Nutrition Improvement Act and the Child Care Nutrition Enhancement Act
• Share personal stories about why these bills matter to you, your family, or your community

A personal message is more effective than a form letter. Explain how these bills would impact children in your community or, if you’re a provider, how they would help you serve children better.

Educate Others

Many people are unaware of how nutrition programs work or the challenges they face. By sharing information about these bills, you help build broader support:

• Explain the importance of early childhood nutrition to friends and family
• Share articles and resources on social media
• Discuss the issue at parent meetings, community gatherings, or professional events

The more people understand what’s at stake, the stronger the movement for change becomes.

Engage in Community Advocacy

Your participation in child nutrition advocacy can make a significant difference in getting these bills passed:

• Organize or attend community events focused on child nutrition
• Gather testimonials from local child care providers and families
• Meet with local representatives’ staff members in their district offices
• Write letters to the editor of local newspapers
• Share information on social media using relevant hashtags

Organizations across the country are engaging in child nutrition advocacy to support these important bills. Connect with local advocacy groups to amplify your voice.

The Early Childhood Nutrition Improvement Act and Child Care Nutrition Enhancement Act represent a critical opportunity to strengthen how we nourish young children in America. With childhood obesity rates rising and food insecurity affecting millions of families, these bills address urgent needs in our communities.

By contacting your representatives, engaging in community advocacy, utilizing available resources, and educating others, you can help ensure that these important bills become law. The result will be stronger nutrition programs that better serve children, support providers, and build healthier communities for generations to come.