1
Handy Guide to Creditable Foods
Iowa CACFP Home Program
May 2022
General Information
1. Creditable foods are used to meet Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) meal pattern requirements for participants ages
one and over. This information is now available in the CACFP Shopper free phone app in the Google Play Store and App Store.
2. The Handy Guide to Creditable Foods for the CACFP Home Program was established by the Iowa Department of Education,
Bureau of Nutrition and Health Services based on USDA guidance to help assure good nutrition for CACFP participants. This list
does not include all foods that may be creditable. Contact your Home Sponsor with questions regarding specific foods or
required quantities.
3. Non-creditable foods do not contribute toward meeting meal component requirements but may be served as extra foods. Non-
creditable foods may increase costs and contribute to excess calories.
4. The minimum required quantity of each food component must be served to contribute toward a reimbursable meal.
5. Final menus must document specific names of actual foods served. For example, record “apple slices” instead of “fruit”.
6. Foods must be of appropriate texture for participants’ eating abilities.
7. Food must not be used as a punishment or reward.
8. Follow the CACFP Infant Meal Pattern and Creditable Foods for Infants when preparing and serving meals to children under one
year of age.
9. Some brand names are included on lists but this does not imply product endorsement.
Religious Exemptions
1. Substitutions may be made to accommodate religious dietary restrictions within existing meal pattern requirements for
participants. Making accommodations is encouraged.
2. Substitutions must be recorded on menus.
3. Contact your Home Sponsor if accommodations are requested.
Water Availability in CACFP
1. Water is not a creditable food and must not be served instead of fluid milk or 100% juice.
2. Providers are required to offer drinking water to children throughout the day, including at meal times and upon children’s
request; water does not have to be available for children to self-serve. Offering water means asking children whether they
would like water at different times throughout the day. For very young children, this may require visual cues such as showing
the cup or pitcher while verbally offering the water. A good time to offer water more frequently might be during or after
physical activity, on hot summer days, or cold winter months when the air is drier because of indoor heating.
3. While drinking water must be made available to children during meal times, it does not have to be served alongside the meal.
Serving too much water to young children immediately before and during meal times may reduce the amount of food and milk
they can consume.
4. When both snack components are solid foods, it is recommended water also be served. Non-creditable high calorie, sweetened
beverages (juice drinks, soda, sports drinks, etc.) should be avoided due to cost and minimal nutritional value.
5. Water can be made available in a variety of ways such as: having cups available next to the kitchen sink, having water pitchers
and cups set out, or providing a water bottle for each participant. Water pitchers, water bottles, and cups (if not disposable)
need to be washed and sanitized each day.
6. Circumstances may arise in which safe water is not readily available in a child care home. In these instances, safe water from a
reliable source must be purchased/obtained for children to drink.
Rules for Supplying Foods (Children age 1 and above)
CACFP Requirements
Providers may not ask or require families to provide part or all of a meal or snack to be claimed for reimbursement.
a. Preferences – If a meal includes components brought from home, because the participant does not like them or
the family does not want the child to have food supplied by the provider, the meal cannot be claimed.
2
b. Medical Reasons – If a meal includes food brought from home because of a medical reason, the meal may be
claimed if the need is documented with a statement from a medical professional authorized to write
prescriptions in Iowa as indicated below:
• Disability – The provider is required to offer to supply the substitute food item(s). It is best practice to
obtain a Diet Modification Request Form
as documentation. The family may choose to provide the
substitution if they wish. The meal may be claimed if the provider supplies at least one component. The
meal does not have to meet meal pattern requirements to be claimed as long as the substitutions follow
what is prescribed.
• No Disability – Providers are encouraged, but not required, to provide food substitutions for
participants who have a medical need affecting their diet that is not considered a disability. The
substitutions must meet meal pattern requirements for the provider to claim the meal. The family may
choose to provide the substitution if they wish, and the provider may claim the meal if the provider
supplies all but one of the required meal components. It is best practice to obtain a
Diet Modification
Request Form as documentation.
If it is unclear whether the participant has a disability, seek clarification and accommodate the request in the
meantime. Meals can be claimed while seeking clarification. It is best practice to obtain a Diet Modification
Request Form as documentation.
c. Special Occasions – Families may request to bring a food item for a birthday or special occasion to share with all
participants. The meal or snack may be claimed if the food is creditable and can be incorporated into a
reimbursable meal or snack, required serving sizes are met, and the provider supplies the rest of the meal
requirements.
• It is best practice for providers to establish a written policy regarding foods from parents for special
occasions. For example, the policy may state foods must be purchased and in original food packages,
fresh fruits and/or vegetables not peeled or sliced, etc., and sufficient amount of food must be provided
for all children to be served.
d. Donated Foods – Foods obtained from the WIC Program may not be donated to the provider for children’s
meals, but a parent may bring WIC Foods for their own infant and/or child with special dietary needs.
Legend for Symbols Used in Document
CN = Child Nutrition Label
eq. = equivalent
g. = Grams
HM = Homemade
iu = international units
mcg = microgram
mg. = milligrams
oz. = Ounce
PFS = Product Formulation Statement
WGR = whole grain-rich
+ = If creditable, limit use since product may be high in sugar, salt and/or fat.
* = Examples of fillers, extenders, binders and cereal: alternate protein product, bamboo, bread crumbs, calcium phosphate, calcium
sulfate, carboxymethyl cellulose, carrageenan, cellulose, cellulose gum, cereals, chicory, collagen, cottonseed, dried milk or whey,
fibers, flour, fruits, gelatin, glucono delta-lactone, guar gum, inulin, isolated soy protein, legume flours, locust bean gum,
maltodextrin microcrystalline cellulose (MCC), meat or poultry byproducts (beef collagen; blood plasma; cheeks; egg; gelatin- snout;
skin; dried rendered bone; lard; MDM- mechanically deboned meat - chicken, turkey; organ meats - liver, brain, kidney, glands,
lungs, pancreas, heart, intestines; oxtail, poultry skin; tallow; thymus; tongue and tripe); milk, milk caseinate, modified corn/food
starch; monosodium glutamate (MSG); pectin, potassium bromate; psyllium husk; roots tubers (cassava, sweet potato); rusk; silicon
dioxide, sodium alginate; sodium algium; sodium aluminum phosphate; sodium ascorbate; sodium bicarbonate; sodium bromide;
sodium carbonate; sodium caseinate; sodium diacetate; sodium erythrobate; sodium phosphate; sodium pyrophosphate; soy flour;
soy protein, starch, tapioca dextrin; textured vegetable protein; transglutaminase; vegetable oil; vegetables; wheat gluten; whey
protein concentrate; xanthan gum.
3
Milk
1. Milk must be pasteurized fluid milk, fortified with vitamins A and D.
2. Participants must be served milk at breakfast, lunch, and supper. Serving milk at supper to an adult participant is optional.
3. Milk may be one of the two required components for snacks. For children, milk may not be credited for snacks when juice is
served as the other component.
4. The type of milk served to each age group must be recorded on menus to document what was served.
5. CACFP allows children one month to transition from breastmilk or formula to whole cow’s milk after the first birthday.
6. Unflavored whole milk must be served to children one to two years of age. One month is allowed for transition from whole milk
to low fat (1%) or fat free (skim) milk when a child turns two years old.
7. Unflavored low fat (1%) or fat free milk (skim) must be served to children two through five years of age.
8. Low fat (1%) or fat free (skim) milk must be served to participants age six years and older.
9. Flavored milk is allowed only for participants six years of age and older (or in Kindergarten), and must be fat free (skim) or low
fat (1%).
10. For adult participants only, 6 ounces or ¾ cup yogurt may be served to meet the equivalent of 8 ounces fluid milk once per day.
11. Milk must be served as a beverage or over cereal.
12. Milk is not credited when used in cooking (e.g., soup).
13. Families may request in writing non-dairy substitutes nutritionally equivalent to cow’s milk.
Creditable Milk
• A2 Milk
• Acidified milk (acidophilus), skim or 1%
• Breastmilk, no upper age limit
• Buttermilk, cultured milk or kefir, skim or 1%
• Cow’s milk, skim or 1%
• Goat’s milk, skim or 1%
• Lactose-free cow’s milk, skim or 1%
• Lactose-reduced cow’s milk, skim or 1%
• Milk substitutes, if family’s written request is on file and
nutrients are nutritionally equal to cow’s milk
1, 2, 3
.
Products meeting this requirement are:
o 8th Continent Soymilk (Original or Vanilla
2,3
)
o Great Value Original Soy Milk
o Kirkland Signature
TM
Organic Plain Soymilk
o Pacific Natural Ultra Soymilk (Plain or Vanilla
2,3
)
o PEARL Organic Soymilk (Smart Original, Smart Creamy
Vanilla
2,3
or Smart Chocolate
2,3
)
o Silk Original Soymilk
o Sunrich Naturals Soymilk (Plain, Original, Unsweetened or
Vanilla
2,3
)
o Westsoy ® Organic Plus (Plain or Vanilla
2,3
)
o Ripple Dairy Free Plain Protein Milk, Original, Chocolate,
Vanilla (8 oz. cartons only)
• Smoothies, only the milk portion credits, skim or 1%
• Ultra-high Temperature (UHT) shelf stable cow’s milk, skim or
1%
Creditable for Specific Age Groups
• Cocoa
2, 3
made only from fluid skim milk, for participants age
six and over
• Flavored skim or 1 % milk
2,3
, for participants age six and over
• Skim or 1% milk, for participants age two and over
• Whole milk, for children ages 12 through 23 months only
• Yogurt
4
, served instead of milk once a day for adult
participants only
1
Obtain documentation from a prescribing medical professional for other brands.
2
Contact your Home Sponsor if you have questions about a specific product.
3
Flavored milk may be served only to participants six years and over.
4
Yogurt may contain no more than 23 g. sugar per 6 oz. Creditable yogurt may be served frozen.
5
Serving this food is prohibited. It must not be served as an “extra” food.
Non-creditable Milk
• Almond milk
• Cocoa mix made with water
• Coconut milk
• Cream
• Cream sauce
• Cream soup
• Custard
• Dry milk
• Eggnog
• Evaporated milk
• Half and Half
• Ice cream and frozen yogurt
4
• Ice milk
• Imitation milk
• Pudding
• Pudding pops
• Raw milk (certified or uncertified)
5
• Reconstituted dry milk, only with State approval
• Rice milk
• Sherbet or sorbet
• Sour cream
• Soymilk, beverage or drink when not nutritionally equal to
cow’s milk
• Sweetened condensed milk
• Yogurt is creditable only as a meat alternate or milk substitute
for adult participants at one meal per day.
Non-creditable for Specific Age Groups
• Flavored milk for children under six years of age
• Skim or 1% milk for children under age two
• Whole and 2% milk for participants over age one
4
Meat/Meat Alternates
1. Meat/meat alternates may include lean meat, poultry, fish, cheese, eggs, nuts, seeds, nut or seed butters, cooked dry beans or
split peas, and yogurt. Meats must be state or federally inspected. Eggs must be federally inspected.
2. A combination of two meat/meat alternates may be served at the same meal to total the required serving size.
3. A meat/meat alternate must be served at lunch and supper, and may be served as one of the two required components at
snacks.
4. A meat/meat alternate may be served ounce for ounce in place of the grain component at breakfast no more than three times
per week.
5. At least ¼ ounce or ½ Tablespoon of cooked, lean meat or its equivalent must be served to credit as part of the required serving.
6. Cooked, dry beans or split peas may be credited as a vegetable or as a meat alternate, but one food item cannot count for both
components in the same meal.
7. Nuts or seeds may fulfill no more than 50% of the required meat/meat alternate serving size at lunch and supper.
8. Another meat or meat alternate should be provided with peanut butter or cheese when served at lunch and supper.
9. Only the meat portion in breaded products and meat sauces is credited toward meeting serving size requirements.
10. Child Nutrition (CN) labels or Product Formulation Statements (PFS) are required for processed combination products. See the
following pages for CN labels and PFS information.
11. Recipes must be maintained for homemade (HM) foods prepared from scratch.
12. Deep-fat fried foods (submerged in hot oil or other fat) cannot be prepared in the child care home and served as part of a
reimbursable meal. Purchased foods may be deep-fat fried. Purchased pre-fried foods baked at the child care home may be
served.
5
Creditable Meats/Alternates
• Bologna (no byproducts, cereals, binders or extenders*) +
• Canadian bacon and ham +
• Cheese, natural (e.g., Colby, Swiss, Cheddar, Monterrey Jack)
• Cheese food and cheese spread
1
+
• Cheese substitute +
• Cottage cheese, ricotta cheese
1
+
• Crab meat
• Crab meat, imitation
(4.4 oz. = 1.5 oz., 3 oz. = 1 oz., 1 oz. = 2.5 oz. meat)
• Dried split peas, beans, lentils, refried beans, soy beans
(canned or cooked from dry: ¼ c. = 1 oz. meat alternate)
• Eggs, whole only – fresh, frozen, dried or liquid (must be
federally inspected)
• Fish and shellfish, cooked (only the meat portion credits)
• Hot dogs (no byproducts, cereals, binders or extenders*) +
• Liver, kidney, tripe
• Peanuts, nuts, seeds, soy nuts
• Peanut, nut, soy or seed butter, regular (not reduced-fat)
• Sausage (fresh pork, fresh Italian, Vienna) +
• Soup, bean or split pea (½ cup = 1 oz. meat)
• Spare ribs (only lean meat portion credits) +
• Tahini (credited as a seed butter)
• Tempeh, seitan (1 oz. = 1 oz. meat)
• Tofu
2
• Turkey ham +
• Yogurt (dairy or soy)
3
, commercial only
Combination items are creditable only with a CN
label or Product Formulation Statement if not listed
in Food Buying Guide. Use recipes for homemade
items; a serving must contain at least ¼ oz.
meat/meat alternate. This list is not exhaustive.
• Beef patties
• Breaded items (fish, meat and poultry) +
• Burritos
• Canned pasta with meat +
• Corndogs +
• Egg rolls +
• Falafel
• Frozen Entrees +
• Hummus
• Lasagna +
• Macaroni and cheese +
• Meatballs
• Meat loaf
• Meat sauce
• Pizza +
• Pot pie +
• Quiche +
• Ravioli
• Salisbury Steak
• Soups
• Spaghetti with meat sauce
• Stews
1
A double portion must be served.
2
2.2 oz. or ¼ cup = 1 oz. meat (must contain > 5 g. protein per oz.).
3
No more than 23 g. sugar per 6 oz.
4
Serving this food is prohibited. It must not be served as an “extra” food.
5
Alternate protein products may be up to 100% non-meat protein.
Non-creditable Meats/Alternates
• Bacon, bacon-bits, imitation bacon products
• Canned cheese sauce
• Cheese product (Velveeta) or imitation cheese
• Cheese, jarred
• Chestnuts
• Coconut
• Cream cheese
• Deep-fat fried foods prepared at the child care home
• Egg substitutes, whites and yolks alone, uninspected
• Fish, home caught or home pickled
4
• Game: venison, squirrel, fish, etc. (credit only if USDA or State
inspected)
• Ham hocks, pigs’ feet, neck bones, tail bones
• Home canned meats
4
, home slaughtered meats
4
• Nutella
• Potted, pressed, or deviled canned meat (e.g., Spam)
• Powdered cheese, boxed macaroni and cheese
• Soup, commercial canned (except bean or split pea)
• Yogurt, HM
• Yogurt, covered fruits or nuts
• Yogurt, frozen
Creditable only with a CN label or Product
Formulation Statement.
• Jerky (any type) +
• Lunch meat, deli meat, cold cuts, packaged sandwich meats +
• Meat analogs
5
(veggie burgers, breakfast links, textured
vegetable protein crumbles)
• Pepperoni +
• Salami +
• Sausage (Chorizo, Polish, Summer) +
• Snack meat sticks (any type) +
• Soy cheese
+
• Turkey bacon +
6
Vegetables
1. Most vegetables are creditable. Serve a variety for optimal nutrition.
2. Vegetables must be served as a required meal component at lunch and supper.
3. A vegetable may be used to fulfill the fruit component when two different vegetables are served for lunch or supper.
4. One vegetable or one fruit or portions of each must be served for breakfast.
5. A vegetable and a fruit can be served for the two required components at snack.
6. Juice may be served only one time per day.
7. Juice may not be served for snack if milk is the only other required component served.
8. Juice may be served at lunch or supper.
9. At least ⅛ cup (2 Tablespoons) of vegetable must be served to credit as part of the minimum serving size requirement. If only ⅛
cup of vegetable is served, the second vegetable (or fruit) serving must fulfill the rest of the total required amount of both
components combined.
10. All juice must be full strength (100%) juice and pasteurized. Juices labeled “juice,” “full strength juice,” “100% juice,” “single
strength juice,” “juice from concentrate” or “reconstituted juice” are full strength. Juices naturally high in or fortified with
vitamin C are recommended.
11. Vegetable and fruit juice blends are creditable as either a fruit or a vegetable depending on the first ingredient.
12. Two forms of the same food (e.g., cooked cabbage and coleslaw) are not creditable in the same meal.
13. Combinations such as mixed vegetables, peas and carrots, stew vegetables and casserole vegetables credit as one vegetable
when the amount of each vegetable is not known.
14. Cooked, dry beans or split peas may be credited as a vegetable or as a meat alternate, but the food item cannot count for both
components in the same meal.
15. Vegetables combined with other foods in mixed dishes must be recognizable in order to be creditable.
Creditable Vegetables
• Avocado
• Carrots
• Dried split peas, beans, lentils, baked beans, refried beans, soy
beans (canned or cooked from dry)
• Coleslaw
1
(only the vegetable credits)
• Dehydrated vegetables (measure when re-hydrated)
• Edamame (green soy beans)
• Hominy
• Kale
2
• Leafy vegetables
2
• Mixed vegetables (credits as one vegetable)
• Mixed vegetables in HM casseroles, stews
1
• Mushrooms
• Mustard greens
• Pasta, made with 100% vegetables or vegetable flour
• Pizza sauce
1
• Potatoes
• Potato skins
• Salsa, all vegetable including spices
• Smoothies, vegetable (puree = juice)
• Soup, tomato or vegetable (If commercial, 1 c. soup = ¼ c.
vegetable)
• Spaghetti sauce
1
• Tomato paste – 1 Tablespoons = ¼ c. vegetable
• Tomato puree – 2 Tablespoons = ¼ c. vegetable
• Tomato sauce – 4 Tablespoons or ¼ c. = ¼ c. vegetable
• Tomato juice
• Vegetable juice blend (e.g., V-8 juice)
1
The minimum serving size to contribute toward meeting meal pattern requirements is ⅛ c. (2 Tablespoons)
2
1 cup leafy vegetable = ½ cup vegetable
3
Serving this food is prohibited. It must not be served as an “extra” food.
4
Creditable only with CN label or Product Formulation Statement.
Non-creditable Vegetables
• Chili sauce
• Corn chips (credit as grain if whole grain or enriched)
• Dry spice mixes
• Freeze-dried vegetable snacks
• Home canned vegetables
3
• Ketchup, condiments and seasonings
• Pickle relish
• Potato chips, potato sticks
• Raw sprouts
3
• Salsa, commercial with non-vegetable ingredients
• Tomato-based sauce on canned pasta and commercial pizza
4
• Vegetable straws, crisps, or chips
7
Fruits
1. Most fruits are creditable. Serve a variety for optimal nutrition.
2. Fruits must be served as a required meal component at lunch and supper.
3. The entire fruit component may be replaced by serving a second vegetable at lunch or supper.
4. A fruit or vegetable or portions of each must be served at breakfast.
5. A fruit and vegetable can be served for the two required components at snack.
6. Juice may be served only one time per day.
7. Juice may not be served at snack if milk is the only other required component served.
8. Juice may be served at lunch or supper.
9. At least ⅛ cup (2 Tablespoons) of fruit must be served to credit as the minimum serving size requirement. If only ⅛ cup of fruit is
served, the vegetable serving must fulfill the rest of the total required amount of both components combined.
10. All juice must be full strength (100%) juice and pasteurized. Juices labeled “juice,” “full strength juice,” “100% juice,” “single
strength juice,” “juice from concentrate” or “reconstituted juice” are full strength. Juices naturally high in or fortified with
vitamin C are recommended.
11. Fruit and vegetable juice blends are creditable as either a fruit or a vegetable depending on the first ingredient.
12. Two forms of the same food (e.g., applesauce and apple slices) are not creditable in the same meal.
13. Combinations such as fruit cocktail, fruit salad, or mixed fruit credit as one fruit serving when the amount of each fruit is not
known.
14. Fruits combined with other foods in mixed dishes must be recognizable in order to be creditable.
Creditable Fruits
• Apple cider, must be pasteurized
• Coconut, fresh, frozen or dried
1,2
• Cranberry sauce made with whole cranberries (not jellied)
2
• Dried fruit (e.g., apricots, cherries, dates, figs, prunes, raisins,
cranberries)
3
• Frozen juice bars or popsicles made with 100% fruit and/or
juice
• Fruit cocktail, credits as one fruit
• Fruit puree, 100% fruit
• Fruit sauce
2
, HM
• Fruit in gelatin or pudding
2
(only the fruit credits)
• Fruit in dessert pies, crisps and cobblers
2
(only the fruit credits)
• Juice, 100% full strength
• Juice, 100% with coconut water
• Juice blends, 100% full strength
• Juice concentrates, reconstituted to equal 100% juice
• Kiwi fruit
• Smoothies (fruit puree = juice)
1
⅛ cup dried coconut = ¼ cup fruit
2
The minimum serving size to contribute toward meeting meal pattern requirements is ⅛ cup (2 Tablespoons).
3
¼ cup dried fruit = ½ cup fruit
4
Serving this food is prohibited. It must not be served as an “extra” food.
5
Creditable only with CN label or Product Formulation Statement (PFS).
Non-creditable Fruits
• Apple butter
• Banana chips, commercial
• Barbecue sauce
• Caffeinated drinks
• Coconut (dried, flaked)
• Frozen fruit flavored bars (less than 100% juice)
• Fruit “drink” (less than 100% juice)
• Fruit flavored syrup or powder
• Fruit in cookies, breads, muffins and grain bars
• Fruit in commercial fruited yogurt
• Fruit snacks, leather, rollups, shapes and freeze dried
• Fruit flavored ice cream
• Fruit flavored water
• Gummy fruit candy
•
Home canned fruits
4
• Honey, syrup, jam, jelly, preserves
• Jellied cranberries, canned
• Jell-O, gelatin
• Juice cocktails (less than 100% juice)
• Juice drinks
• Kool-Aid
• Lemon pie filling
• Lemonade
• Orangeade
• Popsicles (less than 100% juice)
• Pudding with fruit, commercial
• Punch (less than 100% juice)
• Sherbet, sorbet, commercial
5
• Syrup from canned fruit
• Toaster pastry filling
8
Grains
1. Creditable grains must list whole grain, enriched flour/meal, bran, or germ as the first ingredient. Cereals must be whole
grain, enriched, or fortified. Use the CACFP Shopper free phone app and carefully read ingredient labels to determine if grain
products are creditable.
2. At least one serving of grains per day must be whole grain-rich (WGR) across all eating occasions. WGR means the product must
contain at least 50% whole grains and the remaining grain ingredients are creditable.
3. Menus must be labeled clearly identifying WGR foods to document they were served. Keep label information or recipes on file
for WGR items to document requirements were met.
4. A grain item must be served for lunch and supper, and may be one of the two required components at snack.
5. Meat and meat alternates may be served ounce for ounce in place of the grain component a maximum of three times per week
at breakfast.
6. At least ¼ ounce equivalent (oz. eq.) of a grain item must be served to credit toward the required serving size.
7. Breakfast cereals must contain no more than six (6) g. of sugar per dry oz.
8. Grain-based desserts are not creditable as the grain component at any meal or snack. The fruit in cobblers, crisps, and pies is
creditable toward the fruit requirement if the minimum required portion is served (2 Tablespoons). An additional fruit or
vegetable must be served to fulfill the remainder of the required portion.
9. Instructions to credit commercial grain products, grain foods made from purchased mixes and from scratch (HM, homemade)
are on the page “Determining Portion Sizes for Grain Products”.
10. Ounce equivalents must be used to determine the serving size of grain food items. A serving must provide one oz. eq. or 16
grams (g.) of grain. Use the “Grains Serving Size Chart” to find out how much to serve.
9
Creditable Grains
All must list whole grain, bran, germ, or enriched
flour/meal as the first ingredient, or be fortified.
• Animal crackers +
• Appleways (Darlington) sweet crackers +
• Bagels
• Belvita (breakfast biscuits, soft baked) +
• Biscuits +
• Boston brown bread
• Breading or batter on meats HM +
• Bread sticks, hard or soft
• Bread stuffing
• Cereal, dry or cooked
• Cheetos +
• Chips, grain based +
• Chow Mein noodles +
• Cornbread and corn muffins +
• Couscous
• Crackers, savory +
• Crepes
• Croissants +
• Croutons
1
+
• Dumplings
• Egg roll skins, won ton wrappers
• English muffins
• Fry bread +
• Graham Crackers +
• Grains (e.g., barley, millet, oats, quinoa, rice, wheat)
• Granola cereal +
• Grits (hominy)
• Hushpuppies +
• Kasha (buckwheat)
• Macaroni, noodles, spaghetti and other pasta shapes
• Muffins +
• Pancakes
• Pie crust or shell in main dish pie or quiche +
• Pita bread
• Pizza crust
• Popcorn (3 cups = 1 oz. eq.)
• Popovers
• Pretzels, soft and hard
• Puff pastry in main dish +
• Quick breads including banana, carrot, pumpkin, zucchini
breads +
• Rice cakes
1
• Scones +
• Snack crackers +
• Sun Chips +
• Taco or tortilla shells +
• Tortillas (corn or wheat)
• Waffles
Non-creditable Grains
Foods with sugar listed before grains on the ingredient
list.
Sweet flavored or coated items (made with sprinkles,
cocoa, chocolate, caramel, toffee, glaze, icing, frosting,
candy pieces, jam, sweetened fruit puree, custard,
flavored chips, and marshmallows).
• Belvita sandwich cookies
• Bread pudding
• Brownies
• Cake, cupcakes
• Caramel corn
• Cereal bars, commercial and HM
• Chips, grain based (if not whole grain or enriched)
• Churros
• Cinnamon rolls
• Coffee cake
• Commercial breading or batter on meat products
2
+
• Cookies (wafer, sandwich, and bars)
• Cream puff shells
• Crisp and cobbler crust
• Doritos
3
• Doughnuts
• Fig or fruit bars
• Fritos
3
• Gingerbread
• Grain-based desserts
• Grain fruit bars, granola bars
• Grains included in smoothies
• Ice cream cones
• Jiffy brand mixes
• Nut, legume (bean), or seed flour
• Pastries
• Pie crust for dessert pies
• Pop tarts, toaster pastries
• Potatoes (credit as a vegetable)
• Potato chips, potato sticks
• Rice pudding
• Sopapillas
• Sweet biscotti
• Sweet croissants
• Sweet pita chips
• Sweet rice cakes
• Sweet rolls, buns
• Sweet scones
• Tapioca
• Turnover crust
• Vanilla wafers (plain cookies)
1
Serving size probably not reasonable.
2
Creditable only with CN label or Product Formation Statement.
3
Creditable products may be available for school food service.
10
Grains
1
Serving Size Chart
Grain products are divided into seven groups (A – G) according to the serving size needed to provide 16 grams (g.) of
creditable grain per ounce equivalent (oz. eq.). When other ingredients such as water, fat, sugar, fruit, or nuts are
added, a larger serving is needed to provide the required amount of grain. Use the CACFP Shopper free phone app, the
page labeled “Determining Portion Sizes for Grain Products,” or the Team Nutrition Worksheet
Using Ounce Equivalents
for Grains in the CACFP to determine portion sizes, using ounce equivalents, for different grain products. All items must
be whole-grain or enriched or made with enriched or whole-grain meal and/or flour, bran, or germ.
Group A
1 oz. eq. = 22 g. or 0.8 oz.
½ oz. eq. = 11 g. or 0.4 oz.
• Bread type coating
• Bread sticks (hard)
2
• Chow Mein noodles
1,2,3
• Crackers, savory (saltines or soda crackers and snack crackers)
• Croutons
1,2
• Pretzels (hard)
1,2
• Rice cakes, plain
3
• Stuffing, bread portion (dry)
Group B
1 oz. eq. = 28 g. or 1 oz.
½ oz. eq. = 14 g. or 0.5 oz.
• Bagels
2
• Batter type coating
3
• Biscuits
3
• Breads (white, whole wheat, French, Italian, pumpernickel)
• Buns (hamburger and hot dog)
• Crackers, sweet (graham – all shapes, animal crackers)
3
• Egg roll skins
• English muffins
• Pita bread (white, whole wheat)
• Pizza crust
• Popcorn (3 cups = 1 oz. eq.)
2
• Pretzels (soft)
• Rolls (white, whole wheat)
• Tortillas (wheat or corn)
• Tortilla chips (wheat or corn)
1,2,3
• Taco Shells
1,2,3
1
Must be whole-grain or enriched or made with enriched or whole-grain meal and/or flour, bran, or germ.
2
Hard, dry foods may cause choking.
3
Some foods may contain more sugar, salt, and/or fat than others. This should be a consideration when deciding how often to serve.
4
Breakfast cereals are traditionally served as a breakfast menu item but may be served in other meals.
5
Breakfast cereals must contain no more than 6 g. sugar per dry ounce (no more than 21 g. sucrose and other sugars per 100 g. of dry cereals).
Group C
1 oz. eq. = 34 g. or 1.2 oz.
½ oz. eq. = 17 g. or 0.6 oz.
• Cornbread
25
• Corn muffins
25
• Croissants
3
• Pancakes or crepes
3
• Pie crust for meat/meat alternate pies
3
• Waffles
3
Group D
1 oz. eq. = 55 g. or 2 oz.
½ oz. eq. = 28 g. or 1 oz.
• Muffins (except corn, and those considered to be grain-based
desserts, see the prior page describing Non-creditable Grains)
3
• Quick breads (e.g., banana, pumpkin, zucchini)
25
Group E
1 oz. eq. = 69 g. or 2.4 oz.
½ oz. eq. = 35 g. or 1.2 oz.
• French toast
25
Group F
1 oz. eq. = ½ cup cooked or 1 oz. (28 g.) dry
½ oz. eq. = ¼ cup cooked or 0.5 oz. (14 g.) dry
• Breakfast cereals (cooked)
4,5
• Bulgur or cracked wheat
• Cereal Grains (barley, quinoa, etc.)
• Grits (hominy)
• Macaroni (all shapes)
• Noodles (all varieties)
• Pasta (all shapes)
• Ravioli (noodle only)
• Rice (enriched white or brown)
Group G
1 oz. eq. = 1 cup or 1 oz. flakes or rounds
1 oz. eq. = 1¼ cups or 1 oz. puffed cereal
1 oz. eq. = ¼ cup or 1 oz. granola
• Ready to eat breakfast cereal (cold dry)
26,27
11
How Much to Serve?
Common Grain Foods
Grain serving sizes are based on ounce equivalents (oz. eq.)
Serving Size
for 1-5 year
olds
(1/2 oz. eq.)
Practical
Measure for 1-5
year olds
Serving Size for 6
year olds to
Adults
(1 oz. eq.)
Practical
Measure for 6
year olds to
Adults
Animal crackers – store brand (Aldi)
5 crackers
.5 oz.
¼ cup
10 crackers
1 oz.
½ cup
Bagel, 3.2 oz. – store brand (HyVee)
⅙ bagel
(.5 oz.)
¼ bagel
⅓ bagel
(1 oz.)
½ bagel
Bagel (mini) – 1 oz. store brand (HyVee)
.5 oz.
½ bagel
1 oz.
1 bagel
Bread, 1 oz. 100% whole wheat – store brand (HyVee)
.5 oz.
½ slice
1 oz.
1 slice
Cereal, Cheerios (Fareway)
.5 oz. dry
½ cup
1 oz. dry
1 cup
Cheez-It snack crackers – national brand (HyVee)
10 crackers
¼ cup
20 crackers
½ cup
Chicken in a Biskit crackers – national brand (HyVee)
5 crackers
(.4 oz.)
¼ cup (heaping)
9 crackers
(.8 oz.)
½ cup (heaping)
English muffin – national brand (HyVee)
.5 oz.
¼ muffin
1 oz.
½ muffin
Fish crackers (6.6 oz.) – national brand (Aldi)
20 (.4 oz.)
¼ cup
40 (.8 oz.)
½ cup
Graham crackers – national brand (Fareway)
.5 oz.
1 sheet
1 oz.
2 sheets
Graham crackers – store brand (Aldi)
.5 oz.
1 sheet
1 oz.
2 sheets
Oatmeal, cooked – store brand (Fareway)
.5 oz. dry
¼ cup (cooked)
1 oz. dry
½ cup (cooked)
Oyster crackers – store brand (Fareway)
.4 oz.
¼ cup
55
⅓ cup
Pretzels, large ring – store brand (HyVee)
.4 oz.
4 pretzels
.8 oz.
8 pretzels
Pretzels, stick – store brand (HyVee)
13 (.4 oz.)
n/a
26 (1 oz.)
n/a
Rice crisps, small – national Brand (HyVee)
.4 oz.
6 crisps
.8 oz.
12 crisps
Rice cakes, large – national brand (HyVee)
.4 oz.
2 cakes
.8 oz.
3 cakes
Ritz snack crackers – national brand (Fareway)
.4 oz.
3 crackers
.8 oz.
7 crackers
Saltines – national brand (Fareway)
.4 oz.
4 crackers
.8 oz.
8 crackers
Saltines – store brand (Aldi)
.4 oz.
4 crackers
.8 oz.
8 crackers
Snack crackers – store brand (HyVee)
.4 oz.
4 crackers
.8 oz.
8 crackers
Sun Chips (HyVee)
.5 oz.
8 chips
1 oz.
15 chips
Teddy Grahams – national brand (Fareway)
9 (.5 oz.)
¼ cup
17 (1 oz.)
⅓ cup
Tortilla, small (28 g – 8” diameter) (Trader Joe)
.5 oz.
½ tortilla
1 oz.
1 tortilla
Tortilla Chips, whole grain only – store brand (Aldi)
4 chips
½ cup
7 chips
1 cup
Triscuits – national brand (HyVee)
.4 oz.
3 crackers
.8 oz.
5 crackers
Wheat Thins – national brand (HyVee)
.4 oz.
6 crackers
.8 oz.
12 crackers
12
Vegetables and Fruits Description Yield
Carrot sticks
4” x ½”
6 sticks = ½ cup
Carrot sticks
4” x ½”
3 sticks = ¼ cup
Baby Carrots
1 pound
10 – ¼ cup servings
Cauliflower
1 medium head
6 cups flowerets
Celery sticks
4” x ¾”
6 sticks = ½ cup
Celery sticks
4” x ¾”
3 sticks = ¼ cup
Cucumber sticks
3” x ¾”
6 sticks = ½ cup
Cucumber sticks
3” x ¾”
3 sticks = ¼ cup
Radishes
Small
7 radishes = ¼ cup
Lettuce (½ cup = ¼ cup vegetable)
1 pound bag
1 pound bag
Lettuce
Iceberg only
14 – ½ cup servings
Lettuce
Salad mix (mostly iceberg)
13 – ½ cup servings
Lettuce
Salad mix (mixed lettuce)
12 – ½ cup servings
Tomatoes
Cherry
5 halves = ¼ cup
Tomatoes
Slices
2 slices = ¼ cup
Apples
125 – 138 count
½ apple = ½ cup
Bananas
Regular – small/medium
½ banana = ¼ cup
Oranges
138 count
1 orange = ½ cup
Juice (concentrate)
12 oz. can concentrate
12 – ½ cup servings
8 – ¾ cup servings
Juice
64 oz. bottle
16 – ½ cup servings
10 – ¾ cup servings
Juice
46 oz. can
11 – ½ cup servings
7 – ¾ cup servings
Raisins, dried cherries, dried cranberries, etc.
(⅛ cup = ¼ cup fruit)
Pound
25 – ⅛ cup fruit servings
12.5 – ¼ cup fruit servings
13
Creditable Breakfast Cereals
1. Breakfast cereal is a grain component.
a. Breakfast cereal may be served to all CACFP participants over age one.
b. Ready-to-eat cereal credits at snack for infants 6-11 months of age only. Hot cereals such as oatmeal
and farina, are not creditable for infants.
c. Breakfast cereal may be ready-to-eat or hot-cooked.
d. Keep labels on file to document cereals served meet CACFP requirements.
2. Cereals must be whole grain, enriched or fortified.
a. Whole grain cereals will list one or more whole grains first on the ingredient label.
b. Enriched cereals will list enriched grain first on the ingredient label.
c. Fortified cereals will list added vitamins and minerals on the ingredient label and Nutrition Facts label.
d. Grits may from hominy are creditable and considered whole grain-rich.
3. Breakfast cereals must contain no more than 6 grams of sugar per dry ounce.
a. All cereals approved by the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program are creditable. Many other
cereals are creditable.
b. Use one of the following methods to determine if a cereal meets the sugar limit:
• The CACFP Shopper free phone app,
• Any State agency’s WIC-approved cereal list,
• Cereals approved for the WIC program on grocery store shelves, or
• The chart below from the Team Nutrition training worksheet, “Choose Breakfast Cereals That Are
Lower in Added Sugars.”
Sugar Limits in Cereal
14
Whole Grain-Rich Requirement
1. One of the grain items served per day
must
be whole grain-rich.
a. If snack is the only meal served, and a grain is served, it must be whole grain-rich.
b. Label whole grain-rich foods on menus with the letters “WGR”.
c. The whole grain-rich (WGR) requirement does not apply to infant meals.
d. Two or more whole grain-rich (WGR) foods are recommended per day.
2. Use
one
of the options below to identify whole grain-rich food items:
a. The product is labeled “whole wheat” and has a Standard of Identity issued by the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA).
b. The product is on any State agency’s Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)-approved whole grain foods
list. This is different than the WIC cereal list.
c. The product includes one of the following FDA approved whole-grain health claims on its packaging:
• “Diets rich in whole grain foods and other plant foods and low in total fat, saturated fat, and
cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease and some cancers.”
OR
• “Diets rich in whole grain foods and other plant foods, and low in saturated fat and cholesterol,
may help reduce the risk of heart disease.”
d. The product meets the Rule of Three:
• The first grain ingredient (or second after water) must be a whole grain.
• The next two grain ingredients (if any) must be creditable (whole grain, enriched grain, bran, or
germ.
o All ingredients in flour blends must be creditable.
o Any grain derivatives (byproducts of grains) may be disregarded.
o Any non-creditable grain ingredients labeled as two (2) percent or less of product weight
are considered insignificant and may also be disregarded.
• For ready-to-eat cereals, the first grain ingredient must be a whole grain and the product must
be fortified.
Note: Refer to the “Grain Ingredients Chart” for a list of grain ingredients that are creditable, non-
creditable or can be disregarded.
e. The first ingredient in ready-to-eat breakfast cereals must be a whole grain. If there are additional grain
ingredients, the product must be fortified.
f. The product meets the whole grain-rich criteria under the National School Lunch Program.
g. Proper documentation from a manufacturer or a recipe demonstrates whole grains are the primary grain
ingredient by weight.
Note: The CACFP Shopper free phone app includes a feature to help you identify whole grain-rich foods
using the criteria described above.
3. Grain-based desserts are not creditable.
a. Grain-based desserts are identified on the Non-creditable Grains list.
b. Fruit in pies, crisps and cobblers can credit if the fruit serving size requirement is met.
c. Pancakes and waffles served with sweet toppings such as syrup, jam or honey are creditable. Limiting
sweet toppings is recommended.
d. Grain-based desserts may be served as extra food items but increase food costs.
4. Keep documents on file to show whole grain-rich requirements were met. Documents include
labels, recipes, Child Nutrition (CN) labels, or Product Formulation Statements (PFS).
15
Grain Ingredients Chart
Creditable Grains
Creditable Grains
Non-Creditable Grains
Enriched grains
Whole Grains (continued)
Grits
• Enriched bromated flour
Rye
• Barley grits
• Enriched cornmeal or corn flour
• Rye berries
• Corn grits
• Enriched durum flour
• Rye flakes (flaked rye)
• Durham grits
• Enriched durum wheat flour
• Rye groats
• Soy grits
• Enriched rice or rice flour
• Sprouted whole rye
Flours – not enriched
• Enriched rye flour
• Whole rye
• Bromated flour
• Enriched wheat flour
• Whole rye flakes
• Durum flour
• Enriched white flour
• Whole rye flour
• Malted barley flour
• Grains with added nutrients or
Wheat
• Rice flour
“enriched” in front of the name
• Bromated whole wheat flour
• Wheat flour
Bran
• Bulgur
• White flour
• Corn bran
• Cracked wheat
Other flours
• Oat bran
• Crushed wheat
• Almond flour
• Rice bran
• Entire wheat flour
• Bean flour (any)
• Rye bran
• Graham flour
• Coconut flour
• Wheat bran
• Sprouted wheat berries
• Garbanzo bean flour
Germ
• Sprouted whole wheat
• Nut flour (any)
• Wheat germ
• Stone ground whole wheat flour
• Potato flour
Whole Grains (examples listed below)
• Toasted crushed whole wheat
• Rice flour
Barley
• Wheat berries
• Seed flour
• Dehulled barley
• Wheat groats
• Soy flour
• Dehulled barley flour
• Wheat flakes (flaked wheat)
Other
• Whole barley
• White whole wheat flour
• Barley malt
• Whole barley flakes
• Whole bulgur
• Corn
• Whole barley flour
• Whole durum flour
• Corn fiber
• Whole grain barley
• Whole grain wheat
• Degerminated cornmeal
• Whole grain barley flour
• Whole grain wheat flakes
• Farina
Corn
• Whole grain wheat flour
• Oat fiber
• Corn treated with lime
• Whole wheat flour
• Semolina
• Corn masa/masa flour
• Whole wheat pasta
• Grits (hominy)
• Whole wheat pastry flour
Grains ingredients to disregard:
• Popcorn
• Whole wheat flakes
• Any ingredient in amount less than 2%
• Whole corn
Other whole grains
• Grain derivatives
• Whole grain corn
• Amaranth
o Cellulose fiber
• Whole grain corn flour
• Amaranth flour
o Corn dextrin
• Whole grain cornmeal
• Buckwheat
o Corn starch
• Whole grain ground corn
• Buckwheat flour
o Gluten
Oats
• Buckwheat groats
o Modified food starch
• Instant oatmeal
• Millet
o Potato starch
• Oat groats
• Millet flour
o Rice starch
• Oatmeal
• Quinoa
o Tapioca starch
• Old fashioned oats
• Sorghum (milo)
o Wheat dextrin
• Quick cooking oats
• Sorghum flour
o Wheat gluten
• Rolled oats
• Spelt berries
o Wheat starch
• Steel cut oats
• Sprouted buckwheat
• Whole grain oats
• Sprouted einkorn
• Whole grain oat flour
• Sprouted spelt
• Whole oats
• Teff
Rice
• Teff flour
• Brown/wild rice
• Triticale
• Brown/wild rice flour
• Triticale flour
• Sprouted brown rice
• Whole einkorn berries
• Whole rice
• Whole grain einkorn flour
• Whole grain spelt flour
16
Determining Portion Sizes for Grain Products
Choose one or more of these easy methods to determine the portion size for grain products made from a mix,
purchase or homemade from scratch:
a. Weigh a portion of the final product on a scale – digital preferred.
• Compare the weight to the required weight on the “Grains Serving Size Chart.”
• If the serving is too large or too small, the serving size should be adjusted and reweighted to achieve
the required portion size based on the children’s age(s) served. Larger, but not smaller portions may
be served.
b. Use the CACFP Shopper phone app, select “Grains,” then “Determine Grain Serving Size.”
c. Use the Team Nutrition Training Worksheet: Using Ounce Equivalents for Grain in the CACFP.
1. Commercially purchased:
a. Method 1 – Refer to the Nutrition Facts label to determine the weight of a serving and compare to the
required weight on the “Grains Serving Size Chart”. If the Nutrition Facts label serving size is larger or
smaller than the required serving size, divide the required weight listed on “Grains Serving Size Chart” by
the Nutrition Facts label serving weight to determine the serving sizes needed.
b. Method 2 – A Product Formulation Statement (PFS) may be obtained from the manufacturer. The
statement must be signed by an authorized company representative (not a salesperson).
Documentation must indicate how much grain (by weight) or how many oz. equivalents are in a portion.
c. Method 3 – A serving may be weighed on a scale (digital preferred) and compared to the required
weight on the “Grains Serving Size Chart”. If the serving is too large or too small, the serving size should
be adjusted and reweighed to achieve the required portion size based on the children’s age(s) served.
Larger, but not smaller portions may be served.
Example: Savory Crackers
1. A Nutrition Facts label serving is 6 crackers, weighing 28 grams (g.).
2. Crackers are in Group A on the “Grains Serving Size Chart”. The required
serving size is 22 g. for school aged children (ages 6-12), and 11 g. for
children ages 1-5.
3. The Nutrition Facts label serving size (28 g.) is larger than required for
school aged children (22 g.), and children ages 1-5 (11 g.).
• 22 ÷ 28 = .78 servings x 6 crackers = 4.68 crackers for school aged
children (round up to 5 crackers).
• 11 ÷ 28 = .39 servings x 6 crackers = 2.34 crackers for children ages 1-
5 (round up to 3 crackers).
17
2. Homemade from scratch:
a. Method 1 – A serving of the final product may be weighed on a scale (digital preferred) and compared to the
required weight on the “Grains Serving Size Chart”. If the serving is too large or too small, the serving size
should be adjusted and reweighed to achieve the required portion size based on the children’s age(s)
served. Larger, but not smaller portions may be served.
b. Method 2 – The total weight of creditable flour, meal, bran or germ in the recipe may be calculated to
determine the number of oz. equivalents the recipe provides. Follow these directions:
• Add together the weight of each grain item in the recipe using the following chart.
Weights of Common Grain Projects
Grain Product
Weight of 1 cup (grams)
All Bran®
30 g.
Bran Buds®
30 g.
Cheerios®
28 g.
Corn Chex®
31 g.
Corn Flakes®
28 g.
Rice Chex®
27 g.
Rice Krispies®
28 g.
Wheaties®
27 g.
Cake flour
1
111 g.
Cornmeal (regular)
122 g.
All-purpose (AP) flour
28
125 g.
Bread flour
28
137 g.
Wheat germ
115 g.
Whole wheat flour
28
120 g.
Oats (uncooked)
80 g.
• Divide the total grain weight by 16 g. (the amount of grain required to provide one oz. eq.). The
result is the number of oz. equivalents in the recipe.
• Divide the number of oz. equivalents in the recipe by the yield (number of servings in the recipe).
The result is the number of oz. equivalents per portion.
1
Unsifted flour, spooned into a measuring cup.
18
Example: Moist and Easy Cornbread (Credit: Paula Deen)
The grains in this recipe include:
1 cup cornmeal
¾ cup all-purpose (AP) flour
1. The total weight of the grains in this recipe is:
1 cup cornmeal 122.00 grams
AP flour 125 x .75 = 93.75 grams
Total grain 215.75 grams
2. One grain serving = 16 grams of grain.
3. 215.75 ÷ 16 = 13.48 oz. equivalents per recipe.
4. Divide 13.4 by the recipe yield (6 servings).
a. 13.4 ÷ 6 = 2.2
b. When cut into 6, each piece of cornbread provides 2.2 oz. equivalents of grain.
5. Meal pattern requirements:
a. 1 oz. eq. grain is required for school aged children ages 6-12
• A half piece of cornbread provides 1.1 oz. equivalent and fulfills the requirement for school aged children.
• Recommendation: Cut into 12 pieces, serve 1 piece per child.
b. ½ oz. eq. of grain is required for children ages 1-5
• A quarter piece of cornbread provides .5 oz. equivalents and fulfills the requirement for children ages 1-5.
• Recommendation: Cut into 12 pieces, serve ½ piece per child
Example: Moist & Easy Cornbread*
19
Fluid Milk and Non-Dairy Beverages
1. Fluid Milk Requirements
a. 1-2 year olds – unflavored whole milk only
b. 2-5 year olds – unflavored fat-free (skim) or low-fat (1%)
c. 6 years and older
• Unflavored - fat-free (skim) or low-fat (1%)
• flavored - fat-free (skim) or low-fat (1%)
d. Adults
• Unflavored - fat-free (skim) or low-fat (1%)
• flavored - fat-free (skim) or low-fat (1%)
• 6 oz. yogurt (any fat level) may substitute for 8 oz. fluid milk one time per day
e. Lactose-free and lactose-reduced cow’s milk, non-dairy beverages nutritionally equivalent to cow’s milk,
and breastmilk may be served as the milk component to children over age one without obtaining a
statement from a prescribing medical professional. A statement must be on file for other exceptions to
these requirements.
2. Non-dairy Beverages
a. Cow's milk has naturally occurring vitamins and minerals, and is the most nutritious milk option. Non-
dairy beverages may be served, in lieu of fluid cow’s milk, to participants with medical or other special
dietary needs if they are nutritionally equivalent to cow’s milk according to the nutritional standards in
the chart below.
USDA Criteria for Required Nutrient Levels to Qualify as Non-Dairy Beverage Substitute
Nutrient
Required Amount Per Cup
Percent Daily Value
Calcium
276 mg.
28%
Protein
8 g.
8 g.
Vitamin A
500 iu
10%
Vitamin D
100 iu
25%
Magnesium
24 mg.
6%
Phosphorus
222 mg
23%
Potassium
349 mg.
10%
Riboflavin
.44 mg.
26%
Vitamin B12
1.1 mcg.
19%
b. Products currently meeting requirements are listed in the creditable milk section and “Non-Dairy
Beverages Meeting USDA Substitution Criteria for Milk.” Contact your Home Sponsor if you have
questions about products not listed. Non-dairy beverages do not have a fat level restriction and must be
unflavored for participants under age six.
c. Families may request a creditable milk substitute in writing without submitting a statement from a
prescribing medical professional. If the Diet Modification Request Form
is not used, the request must
identify the medical or other special dietary need. Providers may offer to supply the non-dairy beverage
substitution at their expense. If a provider does not agree to supply the substitution, the family has the
option of providing it. The meal is reimbursable if the provider supplies the rest of the required
components.
d. If a non-dairy beverage is not nutritionally equivalent to cow’s milk, the meal cannot be claimed, unless
the substitution is due to a documented disability. To claim meals including a non-creditable milk
substitute, a statement or the Diet Modification Request Form must be on file from a prescribing
medical professional listing the non-dairy beverage to serve. If the information from the medical
authority is unclear or incomplete regarding what to serve and whether the participant has a disability
affecting their diet, seek clarification and accommodate the request as a disability in the meantime.
20
Non-Dairy Beverages Meeting USDA Substitution Criteria for Milk
Note: CACFP non-dairy milk substitute beverages served to children under age 6 must be unflavored. All fat levels are acceptable. This chart is not inclusive.
Manufacturers may change formulas at any time. Check with the manufacturer for the most current nutrition information to verify products contain the
nutrients in the required amounts listed. Nutrition Facts labels do not always provide information on each nutrient listed.
Product
Picture
Product
Name
WESTSOY®
Organic Plus
Plain & Vanilla
Soymilk
Sunrich Naturals
Original, Vanilla,
Unsweetened
Vanilla Soymilk
Silk Original
Soymilk
8th Continent
Original or Vanilla
Soymilk
Pacific Natural
Ultra Soymilk
Original or
Vanilla
PEARL Organic
Soymilk-Smart
Original, Smart
Creamy Vanilla,
or Smart
Chocolate
Great Value
Original Soy
Milk
Kirkland
Signature™
Organic Plain
Soymilk
Ripple Dairy
Free Plant
Protein Milk
Original,
Chocolate,
Vanilla
Possible
Vendors
Wholesale
Food Suppliers
Wholesale Food
Suppliers
Retail Grocers
Retail Grocers
Wholesale Food
Suppliers
Wholesale Food
Suppliers
Retail Grocers
Costco
Sysco, US
Foods, HyVee,
Costco
Container
Size
32 oz. or 64 oz.
8 oz. or 32 oz.
carton
Quart, Half
Gallon, Twin
Pack, or
Three Pack
Half gallon or 8
oz. carton (12 or
40/case)
8.25 oz. carton
(24/case) or 32
oz. carton
8.25 oz. boxes
(24/case)
64 oz. carton
32 oz. container or
12-pack
8 oz. carton
Shelf
Stable
No
Yes
No
No
Yes
Yes, 1 year
unopened
No
Yes
Yes – 8 oz.
No – 48 oz.
Storage
Tips
Refrigerate
12 month shelf
life
Refrigerate
Refrigerate, use
in 7-10 days.
8 oz. has
refrigerated shelf
life of 30 days.
Refrigerate after
opening
Refrigerate after
opening
Refrigerate
Refrigerate, use
within 7-10 days
after opening.
Shelf-stable
Cartons – 12
mo., Store 60-
80° F, Chill
before serving
Website
for More
Information
http://www.w
estsoymilk.co
m/products/or
ganic-plus/
https://www.sun
opta.com/plant-
based-
beverages/soymil
k/
https://silk.co
m/products/o
riginal-
soymilk
https://www.8th
continent.com/
https://www.pa
cificfoods.com/
our-
products/plant-
based-
beverages/ultra-
soy-original/
https://kikkoman
usa.com/homeco
oks/category-
family/pearl-
organic-soymilk/
https://www.w
almart.com/ip/
Great-Value-
Original-
Soymilk-1.89-
l/19500254
https://www.costc
o.com/Kirkland-
Signature%e2%84
%a2-Organic-Plain-
Soy-milk-32-oz.-
Container-12-
pack.product.1001
29024.html
www.ripplefoo
dservice.com
www.ripplefoo
ds.com
The Bureau of Nutrition and Health Services does not endorse specific products. Call 515-281-5356 if you have questions. Updated 12/2021.
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
21
Creditable Yogurts
1. Yogurt may be served as a meat/meat alternate.
a. Yogurt may be Greek or regular and any fat level (whole, reduced-fat, or fat-free).
b. Liquid drinkable yogurts, homemade yogurt, and frozen yogurt products are not creditable.
c. Adults may substitute 6 oz. of a creditable yogurt for 8 oz. of fluid milk one time each day. Yogurt cannot
be served as a meat/meat alternate at the same meal.
d. Keep labels on file to document yogurt served meets CACFP requirements.
2. To be creditable, yogurt must:
a. be commercially prepared,
b. ready to serve,
c. plain or flavored,
d. sweetened or unsweetened, and
e. contain no more than 23 g. of sugar per 6 oz. serving.
3. Options to determine if a yogurt is creditable:
a. Use the CACFP Shopper free phone app.
b. Use the chart below from the Team Nutrition training worksheet, “Choosing Yogurts that are Lower in
Added Sugars.”
Sugar Limits in Yogurt
22
Home Recipes
Home providers are encouraged to use and maintain recipes (in a file or computer) to document use of creditable foods.
Recipes should be tried, adapted, and retried several times to produce the same results every time (provider’s
standardized recipe).
1. A provider’s “standardized” recipe should include the following information:
a. Recipe name
b. Ingredients (name, form, and amount by weight or volume)
c. Preparation instructions, including cooking temperature and time
d. Yield (number of servings the recipe makes)
e. Serving size of one portion by volume, weight, and/or pieces
• For liquids or soft foods, measure the total volume in cups or ounces and divide by the yield to
determine serving size.
• For pieces, divide the yield by the number of pans to determine the number of pieces to cut
from the pan; the serving size will be a fraction of a pan = 1 piece.
f. Pan size and number of pans needed, when applicable
g. How a serving contributes toward CACFP meal pattern component requirements by age group.
2. Family Child Care Home Recipes
Providers are also encouraged to use recipes developed to meet CACFP meal pattern requirements.
a. Institute of Child Nutrition, Child Nutrition Recipe Box: Recipes for Family Child Care
• https://theicn.org/cnrb/recipes-cacfp-homes/
b. USDA “Multicultural Child Care Recipes” (Spanish and English)
• https://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/recipes-cacfp
c. USDA “Recipes for Healthy Kids: Cookbook for Homes"
• http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/recipes-healthy-kids-cookbook-homes
• Following is a winning recipe from “Recipes for Healthy Kids,” page 9.
Recipe: Porcupine Sliders
Ingredients
⅛ cup Brown rice, long grain, regular, dry
1 tsp Canola oil
1½ Tbsp Fresh onion, peeled, diced
¼ cup Fresh celery, diced
1½ tsp Fresh garlic, minced
1 lb Raw ground turkey, lean
1 Egg, beaten
5 Tbsp Dried cranberries, chopped
¾ cup Fresh baby spinach, chopped
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp Salt
½ tsp Ground black pepper
1 dash Ground white pepper
6 (1 oz each) Mini whole wheat rolls (small dinner roll size)
Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Makes six sliders
1 slider provides 2 oz. equivalent meat/meat alternate, and 1 oz. equivalent grains.
23
Directions (Preparation Instructions)
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Combine brown rice and ½ cup water in a small pot and bring to a boil. Turn heat down to low. Cover and cook
until water is absorbed, about 30-40 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Cover and refrigerate until completely cooled. A
rice cooker may be used with the same quantity of brown rice and water.
3. Heat canola oil in a small skillet. Add onions, celery, and garlic. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes or until
tender. Remove from heat. Cover and refrigerate until completely cooled.
4. In a medium mixing bowl, combine turkey, egg, cranberries, spinach, Worcestershire sauce, salt, peppers, brown
rice, and sautéed vegetables. Mix well. Shape into 6 patties.
5. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly coat with nonstick cooking spray. Place patties evenly
spaced on baking sheet.
6. Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes at 350°F to an internal temperature of 165°F or higher for at least 15 seconds
(use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature). Do not overcook. Remove from oven and serve on
a mini whole-wheat roll. Serve immediately.
7. May be served with onion, lettuce, tomatoes, ketchup, and mustard.
24
Child Nutrition (CN) Labels
Processed foods include multiple ingredients and may contribute more than one required CACFP meal component.
Ingredient and Nutrition Fact labels generally do not provide enough information to determine how much of each
component a serving contributes.
1. What is a CN label?
a. The CN Labeling is a voluntary federal program for Child Nutrition Programs.
b. CN labels tell how certain processed food products credit toward meeting meal pattern requirements.
c. CN labels include:
• The CN logo with distinct border
• The meal pattern contribution statement
• A unique six-digit product identification number in the upper right-hand corner
• The USDA/FNS authorization statement
• The month and year of the approval at the end of the authorization statement
d. CN labels may be available for some processed combination foods, such as main dish products
contributing at least ½ oz. meat/meat alternate. Examples include, but are not limited to, beef patties,
cheese or meat pizzas, meat or cheese and bean burritos, egg rolls, breaded fish, and chicken nuggets.
e. If a CN label is not available, a Product Formulation Statement may be requested from the
manufacturer, or serve a double portion of breaded meat products, or serve an additional meat
alternate, or remove the breading after cooking and weigh the cooked meat portion (must be all meat
with no binders, fillers, or extenders) to determine the required serving size.
2. How to obtain CN labeled products:
a. CN labels are usually not found on product labels in grocery stores, but are more common through large
food distributors selling to schools.
b. CN labels may be on products sold by bulk retailers such as Sam’s Club and Costco.
c. Remove the label from the product carton, take a picture, or make a copy.
d. A list of CN labeled products can be found on the USDA Child Nutrition (CN) Label Verification Report
.
3. How to use CN labels:
a. Maintain a current file of CN labels for processed combination entrees served.
b. Check the label each time an item is served and obtain a new CN label when products change.
c. Read CN labels carefully to determine how much must be served to meet meal pattern requirements
for each age group.
25
Product Formulation Statements (PFS)
Processed foods include multiple ingredients and may contribute more than one required CACFP meal component.
Ingredient and Nutrition Fact labels generally do not provide enough information to determine how much of each
component a serving contributes.
1. What is a PFS?
A PFS is a written statement from a food manufacturer documenting how much of each meal component a
serving of the product contributes. PFS must be signed by a company official, not a sales representative.
2. When is a PFS needed?
A PFS is needed for processed combination foods when served to meet CACFP meal component requirements,
and the product is not listed in the Food Buying Guide, or CN labeled.
3. How to obtain PFS:
a. PFS are not found on product labels or in grocery stores.
b. Find the company contact information on the product label or online.
c. Check online to see if a PFS is posted for the product you want to serve. If so, print and keep the PFS on
file.
d. If a PFS is not available online, contact the company and request a PFS for the product:
• Request the information be provided in writing and signed by a company official.
• The company can complete a PFS on the USDA Food Buying Guide Interactive Tool
(Product
Formulation Statement Workbook).
4. How to use PFS:
a. Maintain a current file of PFS for processed combination entrees served as needed.
b. Check the label each time an item is served and obtain a new PFS when products change.
c. Read PFS labels carefully to determine how much must be served to meet meal pattern requirements
for each age group.
d. Product Formulation Statement (PFS) example:
