Why Choose

Child Care Choices?

 

 

Back to Food Program
Child Care Choices has been promoting quality child care and nutrition services since 1977. To make your participation as easy as possible, Child Care Choices offers:

Convenient Menu Planning & Recording Options

We offer a variety of options to help make menu planning and claiming as easy and flexible as possible. Our menu planning options include: creating your own menus, using our Menu Collection Cards, using our Menus to Go, or using the online option offered through C-K Kids. C-K Kids a nationally acclaimed software program produced by Tom Copeland and Redleaf Institute.

One of the easiest ways to submit your food program claim is to use this on-line claiming program. The complete CK-Kids software is offered to you at no cost  and includes:  menu planning, menu recording, accounting, calendar keeper, reports, forms, and certificate maker.  CK Kids is very easy to use.  To get started using CK Kids or to view a trial version of the program, click on the logo below.  You will also need to contact our office at 800-288-8549 or 320-251-5081 ext. 15, 21, or 28.  for a login and password!

The C-K Kids program has all of the required information for the Child & Adult Care Food Program including:

  • Built-in CACFP approved meals, foods, ingredients for infants and non-infants. 

  • Create new foods & meals, pre-planned menus, cycle menus. 

  • Easy click for attendance and meal count.  Food program and accounting are connected, which saves you a lot of time! 

  • Web-based: no more forms and no need to back-up data. 

  • Ability to electronically submit claim to sponsor. 

  • Split shift options. 

  • Over 50 reports!

The Business component includes:

  • billing and expenses

  • time-space percentages of related expenses

  • figures deductions for mileage, meal allowances, and expenses

  • IRS tax forms

  • email reports and invoices to parents

  • prints certificates and graphs to use in your child care setting

  • more!

 

You may also choose to use one of our other menu recording and claiming options:

 

Bubble Menu Forms

Time saving menus, using numbers for recording the food items and children’s attendance

 

Written Menu Forms

Easy to record foods served and children's attendance.

 

Direct Deposit

 

We offer either direct deposit of your reimbursement check into your bank account or a check mailed to you.

 

Website

 

At www.childcarechoices.net you will find many great resources as you operate your child care business. You will find information such as insurance resources, qualified tax preparers, average child care rates, licensing rules, training opportunities, grants, nutrition information, recipes, activities, what’s in the media, and many great links to other fantastic resources.

 

Knowledgeable, Friendly, Professional Staff

 

Both our office staff and field staff are very knowledgeable and can answer not only your food program questions but can also offer you other important resources to help you with your child care business. Another great advantage of participating with Child Care Choices is that our field staff live in or near the communities that they serve. Our field staff will visit with you in your home and take time to help you fully understand the Food Program as you get started. We also make every effort to provide you with the best customer service possible.

 

Education & Training

 

Study-at-home CACFP training units are presented in your home, to complete at your convenience! Additional optional workshops and home education nutrition units are developed by our full time Nutrition Educator and offered to you at no cost. We also offer annual conferences and training sessions on a variety of topics to make your work more interesting and rewarding. Conference discounts are offered to providers enrolled in Child Care Choices’ Food Program.

 

Newsletters

 

We send newsletters to our providers six times a year with recipes, cooking tips, sanitation advice, monthly children’s activities and more.

 

Other Services

 

We also have a resource library so we can provide you with up to date information on many topics including: Liability Insurance, Tax Preparation, Family Child Care Recordkeeping, Curriculums, Policies and Contracts and more.

 

 

We would love to share more about the benefits of Child Care Choices and the Food Program for you and the children you care for. Please contact us to set up a meeting by calling us at 320-251-5081 ext. 12 or 21 or 800-288-8549 ext. 12 or 21.