Freedom251 › Early Childhood Education Software
KidKare
by KidKare
What KidKare is
KidKare is software for organizations running the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). It automates menus, attendance, and claims for independent childcare centers filing directly with their state. The single-location center product advertises more than 250 edit checks to flag errors before submission. Users can create, schedule, and reuse menus while the system calculates grain ounce equivalents and serving requirements. Attendance and meal counts can be entered from any device, with in/out tracking, check-in temperatures, and allergy alerts. Digital forms handle state-tailored enrollment and income eligibility in English and Spanish, with electronic submission and timestamps. KidKare says its Food Program is compliant in all 50 states. Cloud-stored records include retention for CACFP requirements covering three or more current years. Android, iOS, web, and API access are listed. The Food Program plan costs $129 a month; Parachute + Food Program costs $163.99 a month, and a 30-day trial is offered.
Who it suits
KidKare suits CACFP sponsors, single-location childcare centers, family childcare providers, and state agencies. It is especially relevant to centers filing claims directly with their state.
What it does well
- 250+ pre-submission edit checks
- Menu scheduling and reuse
- Attendance from any device
- English and Spanish digital forms
- Available on Android, iOS, and web
What to know first
- No free plan
- Food Program costs 129.00 USD monthly
- API rates vary by network size
- Separate Parachute plan costs more
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| KidKare Food Program | Unlimited users | On request |
| Food Program | $1,199 Yearly · KidKare Food Program for single-location childcare centers filing claims directly with their state · Save $349 with yearly plan | $1,199 a year |
| Parachute + Food Program | $1,479 Yearly · Parachute plus KidKare Food Program · Save $477 with yearly plan | $1,479 a year |
As kidkare.com lists them, read 20 Sept 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Verdict
KidKare brings CACFP menus, attendance, claims, forms, and records into one system with state-focused features. Its listed plans are paid, but a 30-day trial and broad platform availability provide ways to evaluate the service.
Facts from KidKare's own pages
- API
- KidKare API is offered at state, sponsor, and site levels, with custom rates based on network size. · kidkare.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Attendance
- Attendance and meal counts can be recorded from any device, with in/out time tracking, temperature recording at check-in, and allergy alerts. · kidkare.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Attendance and check-in
- Yes · kidkare.com, 20 Sept 2026
- Billing and payments
- Yes · kidkare.com, 20 Sept 2026
- Claim checks
- The single-location center product advertises 250+ edit checks to flag errors before claim submission. · kidkare.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Company history
- The company says it was founded in the early 1990s by Tom and Linda Clark. · kidkare.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Compliance
- KidKare says its Food Program software is compliant in all 50 states and that enrollment forms and reports follow state-specific requirements. · kidkare.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Digital forms
- eForms support state-tailored enrollment and income eligibility in English and Spanish, with digital submission and timestamps. · kidkare.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Enrollment management
- Yes · kidkare.com, 20 Sept 2026
- Family communication
- Yes · kidkare.com, 20 Sept 2026
- Free plan
- No · kidkare.com, 20 Sept 2026
- Headquarters
- Richardson, Texas, United States · kidkare.com, 28 Sept 2026
- Menu planning
- Users can create, schedule, and reuse menus, and the software calculates grain ounce equivalents and serving requirements. · kidkare.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Parachute trial
- The page offers a 30-day free trial for Parachute. · kidkare.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- KidKare automates CACFP menus, attendance, and claims for independent childcare centers filing directly with the state. · kidkare.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Security and records
- The sponsor product describes cloud-stored records with built-in retention to meet CACFP requirements for maintaining records for 3+ current years. · kidkare.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Support
- KidKare lists a Knowledge Hub, chat feature, support tickets, live webinars, and onboarding resources. · kidkare.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Who it serves
- KidKare says its tools serve CACFP sponsors, single-location childcare centers, family childcare providers, and state agencies. · kidkare.com, 12 Oct 2026
Where KidKare stands on Freedom251
- Early Childhood Education Software#37 of 86