Short answer: Every CACFP staff member has to be trained before they take on any program duties, and again at least once every program year after that — October 1 through September 30 — with a dated, signed record proving it happened. Keep that record on site for at least three years.
Reviewers check the proof of that more than almost anything else, because “we trained everyone” and “we can prove we trained everyone” aren’t the same thing. This guide covers what counts as CACFP staff training, who needs which topics, what the documentation actually has to show, and where to get it done for free. Everything here reflects TDA’s own training guidance on SquareMeals.org and federal CACFP rule as of September 2026 — confirm anything time-sensitive with TDA before your next review.
When does CACFP staff training actually have to happen?
[Rule] Federal CACFP rule requires key program staff to be trained before Program operations begin, and at least once a year after that (7 CFR 226.16(d)(2)–(3)). Texas ties the annual half to the CACFP program year, October 1 through September 30, so “once a year” has a real deadline rather than a floating twelve months.
[In practice] The trip-up isn’t the annual cycle — most centers get that one on the calendar. It’s new hires. Someone starts taking meal counts in week two because they’re needed, and the training happens “whenever we get to it.” TDA doesn’t grant a grace period for that; the requirement is duties first only after training, not training eventually.
[Our take] Fold training into onboarding paperwork itself — the same stack as the I-9 and the handbook acknowledgment — so it physically can’t be skipped, and put the annual refresh on the calendar for October, right at the start of the program year, before anyone’s thinking about a review.
Who needs to be trained, and on what?
[Rule] Training scope isn’t one-size-fits-all. Federal rule sets the floor — meal patterns, meal counts, claims submission and review, and recordkeeping, scaled to each person’s experience and duties (7 CFR 226.16(d)(2)–(3)). TDA’s own training catalog adds to that for anyone with financial or eligibility responsibilities, with separate budget and financial-management courses built for CACFP sponsors.
[In practice] This is where “we did training” and “we did the right training” split. A kitchen hire who’s never seen a point-of-service meal count needs that walked through directly, not folded into a general staff meeting. If you want the mechanics of that specific piece, we cover it in CACFP Compliance: How to Take Accurate Point-of-Service Meal Counts.
What does TDA actually want to see on paper?
TDA’s summary of common review findings lists training as a repeat problem — not centers skipping it, but centers doing it and keeping no proof. In the Texas reviews we sampled, monitoring and training produced seven findings on their own. The fix costs almost nothing: a training log showing the date, the location, the topics covered, who attended, and their signatures. We keep a free training log template you can copy and start using today — no need to build one from scratch.
How long do you have to keep it?
[Rule] Federal rule sets the retention window at three years from the date you submit your final claim for the fiscal year (7 CFR 226.10(d)) — the same clock that runs on your meal count and claims records. TDA applies that same window to your training documentation, so a training log slots into whatever retention system you’re already running rather than needing its own.
Free training, so this doesn’t cost you anything
You don’t have to build this from scratch, whichever state you’re in.
In Texas: TDA’s CACFP Training page covers most of it for free — Civil Rights Training (required everywhere), ICN’s self-paced courses on meal patterns and food safety, and TDA’s own Quick Bites webinars.
Outside Texas: ICN’s course catalog covers the same core topics free and self-paced, no matter what state you’re in. Civil Rights Training and any additional required trainings are set by your own state agency, so check with them for what’s mandatory in your program year.
New to CACFP and still working through your application? That’s a different, one-time training — see How Long Is the CACFP Application Training? (Texas-specific; check with your state agency if you’re elsewhere).
Frequently asked questions
Is this the same as the training new applicants take before approval?
No. The Introductory Class for new CEs is a one-time training tied to getting your application approved. What’s covered here is the ongoing annual CACFP staff training requirement once you’re already operating.
Does every staff member need identical training?
No — scope depends on role. Everyone touching food service operations needs the operational basics; anyone with financial or eligibility responsibilities needs training on those topics too.
What actually happens if training isn’t documented?
It shows up as a finding at your next Administrative Review, the same as a missing meal count or an incomplete menu record. Treat the log like any other required CACFP record, not paperwork on the side.
Do part-time or seasonal staff need training too?
Yes. Anyone performing CACFP duties needs training appropriate to their role before they start, regardless of hours.
Before your next training cycle
If you want a second pair of eyes on your training log before a review — or you’re building one from scratch — that’s the kind of thing we help Texas centers get in order. Book a free 30-minute assessment or reach out through our contact page.
Katie Ivy helps Texas child care centers get and keep their own CACFP contracts at CACFP Solutions in Austin. About the team →