These tools are organized to assist child care centers and those working in the early childhood community with planning for Farm to Early Care and Education initiatives and be successful with 10 Cents a Meal. They are centered around the main objectives of the program:
- Procure Michigan-grown fruits, vegetables and legumes
- Prepare and menu Michigan-grown fruits, vegetables and legumes
- Promote and market Michigan-grown fruits, vegetables and legumes and
- Plan educational activities that promote one or more of the following goals: promote healthy food activities, have clear educational objectives, involve parents or the community, and/or connect to a school’s farm to school procurement activities.
Resources for procuring Michigan-grown fruits, vegetables and legumes
Local Food for Little Eaters Created by MSU Center for Regional Food Systems, this tool offers guidance on local produce purchasing for those participating in the Child and Adult Care Food Program
Local Food for Little Eaters: A Migrant & Seasonal Head Start Guide to Local Food Purchasing Created by MSU Center for Regional Food Systems, this tool offers guidance for Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Programs for increasing local food purchasing.
Local Food Purchasing Webinars Check out these farm to ECE local food purchasing webinars put together by MSU Center for Regional Food Systems as a part of their Farm to ECE Mini-Webinar Series. There are four webinars specific to local purchasing, an introduction to local purchasing, one on working with farmers, one on working with food food hubs, and one on working with broad line distributors.
Farm to Early Care Sourcing Strategies Created by Georgia Organics and available through the National Farm to School Network this resources offers up ECE specific tips and best practices for sourcing local ingredients. While the ECE purchasers were Georgia based this document contains tips that are transferable to others outside of the state.
Local Food Decision Tree Created by North Carolina State Extension this decision tree is one tool from their larger Farm to Early Care and Education Local Food Purchasing Guide. This decision tree helps ECE providers determine the best option for local food procurement for their own ECE operation.
Find Food and Farms Directory Search for local Michigan farms near you with Taste the Local Difference's directory. Also check out their Institutional Sales Directory geared towards food service providers.
Michigan Farmers Market Directory Find your nearest farmers market using the Michigan Farmers Market Association's interactive map.
USDA Local Food Directories The USDA's searchable directories for locating farmers markets, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA's), Food Hubs, and On-farm Markets.
Local Food Available Online (not all inclusive of online ordering options) Sprout BC (Battle Creek Region), Southeast Market (Grand Rapids), Market Wagon (available across most of southern Michigan), Argus Farm Stop (Ann Arbor), UP Food Exchange Online Market (Upper Peninsula) Michigan Farm to Freezer (Statewide)
Resources for preparing and serving Michigan-grown fruits, vegetables and legumes
Webinar on Seasonal Menu Planning for the ECE community hosted by MSU Center for Regional Food Systems as a part of their Farm to ECE Mini-Webinar Series
Cultivate Michigan Recipe Book Find inspiration and recipes for using Michigan-grown produce in this recipe book from Cultivate Michigan. Recipes use the featured foods highlighted on the Cultivate Michigan website, marketing materials for the featured foods are also available.
Harvest of the Month (Groundwork) Find recipes for home cooks for featured Michigan-grown produce items
Michigan Harvest of the Month (MFF) The Michigan Fitness Foundation has a database of seasonal recipes that make use of many Michigan-grown produce items. Some recipes are even designed to be made in "15 Minutes or Less" or with "5 Items or Less"
Child Nutrition Recipe Box These CACFP approved recipes hosted by the Institute of Child Nutrition on the Child Nutrition Recipe Box website can be adapted to feature Michigan-grown fruits, vegetables, and legumes.
CACFP Main Dish Recipes Similarly these USDA CACFP recipes can utilize Michigan-grown fruits, vegetables, and legumes for use by CACFP programs participating in 10 Cents a Meal.
Resources for promoting and marketing
Cultivate Michigan Marketing Materials Access marketing materials downloadable including posters, facts, etc for Cultivate Michigan's featured foods.
Harvest of the Month (Groundwork) Check out promotion materials for Michigan-grown foods, also includes recipes.
Resources for planning educational activities
Farm to Early Care and Education Curricula Aggregated by the National Farm to School Network this is a collection of FREE curricula available for farm to ECE practitioners covering topics such as gardening, cultural foods, and nutrition
Webinar on Farm to ECE Lesson Plans hosted by MSU Center for Regional Food Systems as a part of their Farm to ECE Mini-Webinar Series
Webinar on Taste Tests for Farm to ECE Practitioners hosted by MSU Center for Regional Food Systems as a part of their Farm to ECE Mini-Webinar Series
Webinar on Early Childhood Gardens for Experiential Learning hosted by MSU Center for Regional Food Systems as a part of their Farm to ECE Mini-Webinar Series
Webinar on Engaging Families in Farm to ECE hosted by MSU Center for Regional Food Systems as a part of their Farm to ECE Mini-Webinar Series
Kids Gardening Offers resources such as lesson plans and activity ideas for gardening with kids.
Additional resources
MI Farm to ECE Network Meeting This meeting covers a step-by-step walk though of the 10 Cents a Meal application, an overview of what counts as local food purchasing through the 10 Cents a Meal grant, and information about how ECEs can connect with local growers and resources/directories you can use to locate farmers and local food sources near you.
Farm to ECE Self Assessment Created by the National Farm to School Network and the Association of State Public Health Nutritionists
Go NAP SACC Go NAP SACC is a set of validated tools that help you assess your progress in practice, policy, and environment at your child care site. Included in Go NAP SACC are Farm to ECE modules.
Michigan Farm to Education Resources
13 Moons Curriculum
These recipes and video lessons have developed by the Inter-Tribal Council of Michigan, Inc.
Seed Recipe
Zaagibigaa Giizis is the 3rd Moon in the 13 Moons of Anishinaabe Nutrition. This short video celebrates miinikaan, seed. Learn to make your own snack with this easy recipe and find out more about our amazing seed relative.
Bean Sprouts
We may have moved from the cold of winter but you can still grow healthy greens at home without soil. Here is an activity to accompany lessons from the White Earth Land Recovery Project’s 13 Moons of Anishinaabe Nutrition Curriculum. See how!
Strawberry Moon
June is also known as Odemini-Giizis or the Strawberry Moon in many Anishinaabe communities here are teachings from WELRP’s 13 Moons of Anishinaabe Nutrition Curriculum and a simple wild rice, nuts, and berries recipe to try at home.
Berry Moon Smoothies
The Berry Moon is the 6th moon in the Anishinaabe calendar. In this video, we share more teachings on the benefits of berries and how to make your own infused water and non-dairy fruit smoothies.