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CACFP Reimbursement Rates 2025–26 for Day Care Homes

Current USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program rates for family day care homes, effective July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026 (contiguous United States). Rates are adjusted every July.

MealTier ITier II
Breakfast$1.70$0.61
Lunch or Supper$3.22$1.94
Snack$0.96$0.26

Source: USDA Food and Nutrition Service rate notice for July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026, as published by state agencies (e.g., Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education; Georgia DECAL). Alaska and Hawaii rates are higher; centers use a different rate schedule (free / reduced / paid).

Try it: put your enrollment and meals into the CACFP Reimbursement Calculator to turn these rates into your monthly number.

Tier I vs Tier II — which one are you?

Tier I homes receive the higher rates. A home qualifies as Tier I if it sits in a low-income area (based on local elementary school free/reduced lunch data or census data) or the provider's own household income is at or below 185% of the federal poverty guidelines. Tier II homes can still be reimbursed at Tier I rates for meals served to children whose family income qualifies — your sponsoring organization determines each child's status confidentially. In practice, a large share of family child care homes receive Tier I rates for most of their meals.

What can be claimed

  • Up to 2 meals + 1 snack, or 1 meal + 2 snacks, per child per day
  • Meals must meet the CACFP meal pattern for the child's age (components and portions)
  • Daily attendance and meal-count records are required — sponsors provide the tools
  • Your own children's meals may be claimable if your household income qualifies

How to enroll

  1. Hold a current state child care license, registration or approval.
  2. Find a sponsoring organization in your area — they are free to join and handle your claims.
  3. Complete sponsor training on meal patterns and record-keeping.
  4. Serve, record, and submit a monthly claim. Reimbursement follows per meal claimed.

Not on the food program yet? For a 6-child home at Tier I, enrollment is typically worth $700–$900 a month — see your own number in the calculator, then read how the same meals also reduce your taxes in the tax deductions guide.

Disclaimer: HomeDaycareTools.com provides free calculators and general information for planning purposes only. Nothing on this site is tax, legal or financial advice. Tax rules, CACFP rates and licensing rules change — confirm your figures with IRS Publication 587, your CACFP sponsoring organization, your state licensing agency, or a qualified tax professional before filing or signing anything.