spoonFULL, formerly CCSA’s Meal Services Program, provides high-quality and affordable nutritious meals and snacks per day to children enrolled in participating child care centers, keeping children healthy, helping teachers focus on teaching and saving providers money. Learn more about how your program can participate.
Program Overview
For more than 30 years, CCSA has offered catered meals following U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) guidelines with ample portion sizes that meet or exceed Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) standards.
spoonFULL buys food in bulk, allowing child care centers to purchase nutritional meals and snacks at an affordable rate, without having to maintain expensive kitchens. The program also allows directors to focus more of their attention on quality care instead of on shopping, menu planning and cooking.
Program Menus
Prioritizing fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains while limiting salt, sugar, fat and preservatives makes spoonFULL unique. Meals are crafted with care with local products whenever possible (including locally sourced meat, dairy, fruits and vegetables). The meal preparation team uses only canola and olive oil in cooking and uses nutritious brown rice, whole-grain breads and whole wheat macaroni whenever possible. In addition, we will accommodate special diets and food allergies with appropriate substitutions. The menus vary by the season and new foods are introduced to children in tasty and appealing ways. Our meals are fresh, unique, liked and local.
View this month’s menu below:
spoonFULL Testimonials
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Having the variety in the menus CCSA creates has given our children exposure to some foods they might not ever had an opportunity to try. Parents have been surprised by some of the foods that their children eat here but not at home. Our children really enjoy trying so many new things!
— Director of participating center
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Child Care Services Association’s Meal Services Program provides good nutritious and diverse meals that complement the daily learning and physical development of our diverse population.
— Director of participating center
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After going for a physical, one of our students found out he was overweight. At the mother’s request, we gave her a menu from CCSA’s meal program so the physician could review the meals we typically receive. The mother called very excited that the physician thought the menus were extremely nutritious and she didn’t need to supplement anything. He told her that she could use our menu as a guide when preparing meals at home.
— Director of participating center
How to Participate
To participate in spoonFULL, centers must maintain at least a 3-star license or be working toward a 3-star license through one of CCSA’s local quality improvement projects. This program is primarily available to child care centers in Durham, Orange and Wake counties. Download the brochure to learn more about eligibility and participation.
CCSA’s Meal Services Responds During COVID-19 with Durham FEAST
Food Insecurity in Children Ages Birth to Five
An Analysis of Childhood Food Insecurity in Wake, Durham and Orange Counties
As Child Care Services Association (CCSA) looks to grow and keep up with the demand of our meal services program, spoonFULL, there is a need for better data on food insecurity among children birth to five in the Triangle as well as an understanding of the causes and effects of food insecurity on early learners. This report outlines the concept and realities of food insecurity, the findings and methodology of mapping food insecurity in the Triangle and the implications these results have for CCSA. This report was created by students in the Department of Public Policy at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2019.
spoonFULL News
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It’s CACFP Week: Create the Nutritious and Delicious Meal, Summer Squash Salad!
While most fruits and vegetables are available year-round, taking advantage of local foods in season maximizes nutrition and always taste best. With this Summer Squash Salad from our spoonFULL kitchens, you can take advantage of the variety of squashes available throughout the summer months and experiment to find your favorites. -
It’s CACFP Week: Create the Nutritious and Delicious Meal, Black Bean and Cheese Enchilada Casserole!
This week is Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) Week! Try this Black Bean and Cheese Enchilada Casserole recipe from our spoonFULL kitchens! -
March is National Nutrition Month®
Including children in cooking activities while they are home is a great opportunity to start building healthy habits. They can help with simple tasks like washing produce, tearing lettuces, scooping ingredients and stirring mixes.
