Child Care Advanced Skills Meal Quality Forum - VIRTUAL

Child Care Meal Quality Forums

The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) is offering six Meal Quality (MQ) Forums in 2023. The forums highlight ways to enhance the nutrition environment of early child care programs through improved food preparation and service using the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) meal patterns for children. The forums highlight healthy meal planning, food purchasing, food preparation, culinary skills, recipe development, and kitchen safety. Participants will be exposed to culinary techniques to assist with the creation of meals to bolster health and wellness. All attendees will receive a toolkit with a variety of resources that they can immediately utilize in child care centers and homes.

Advanced Virtual Forum

The Advanced MQ Forums are intended for experienced cooks who have more advanced culinary, menu planning, and meal service skills. Participants are not required to complete the Introductory MQ Forum to register for the Advanced MQ Forum. There will be two in-person advanced forums and one virtual advanced forum offered.

CACFP Meal Patterns and Recipes: This session will provide a brief overview on the CACFP meal patterns; present key techniques to reading, standardizing, and crediting recipes; showcase how to incorporate cultural food profiles into menus; and highlight the USDA online Food Buying Guide tools that will help to simplify menu planning and crediting. All attendees will receive a toolkit with resources to help them prepare a variety of nutritious meals that meet the CACFP meal patterns..

Kitchen Time and Reflection: Calling all cooks! This interactive session will provide guidance on food safety and working safely in the kitchen and will guide participants virtually through a hands-on cooking class where participants can prepare a USDA-developed standardized recipe from scratch, with an emphasis on working smarter, not harder, in the kitchen. All attendees will receive a toolkit with produce safety resources and tools to assist with the culinary skills activities.

Registration Type: The quantity will show as "1". Each person must register independently.

Fees: This forum is free to attend. Space is limited to the first 30 registrants. All attendees will receive a certificate of completion and a toolkit filled with sample menus, recipes, a chef’s knife, and other resources.

Time: The forum will begin promptly at 9:00am, and will end at 12:00pm.

Confirmation: After completing the registration process, a confirmation notice will be issued by email.    

Contact Information: For help with registration or information regarding the forum program agenda, the Zoom platform (for virtual training sessions), sending a replacement, or canceling, please contact Maria Lazaro by email at mlazaro@wested.org or by phone at 805-465-4464 or 800-770-6339.

For questions about the content in the MQ Forums, contact Madison Fellenz, CDSS Nutrition Education Consultant, by email at Madison.Fellenz@dss.ca.gov.