Child Enrollment & Income Eligibility Form

1-12 YEAR OLDS

USDA recently revised the CACFP meal patterns to ensure children and infants have access to healthy, balanced meals throughout the day. Under the updated child and adult meal patterns, meals served will include a greater variety of vegetables and fruit, more whole grains, and less added sugar and saturated fat. The changes to the infant meal pattern support breastfeeding and the consumption of vegetables and fruit without added sugars.

Our Daily Bread of Tennessee is here to assist you during the transition to the new meal patter requirements! With the help of the USDA, TeamNutrition and the National CACFP Sponsors Association, we have created the following resources to help you better understand the meal pattern and how to best implement them at your child care site.

More Tools:

TOOLS:

Using Ounce Equivalents for Grains in the Child and Adult Care Food Program

Grains are an important part of meals in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). To make sure children and adults get enough grains at CACFP meals and snacks, required amounts for the grains component are listed in the meal pattern as ounce equivalents (oz. eq.). Ounce equivalents tell you the amount of grain in a portion of food.

Updated CACFP Meal Pattern (Infants)

The most up-to-date CACFP Meal Pattern requirements for infants (0-11 months.) CACFP centers and day care homes must comply with the updated meal patterns by October 1, 2017.

CACFP: Best Practices

USDA highly encourages centers and day care homes to implement these best practices in order to ensure children are getting the optimal benefit from the meals they receive

Identifying Whole Grain Rich Foods

Identifying whole grain-rich is as easy as one, two, three! This tool will show you how to quickly read a food label to determine whole grain rich content.

Grain-Based Desserts in the CACFP

Kids need the vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients in foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy, and lean protein foods.

Choosing Yogurts

Choose yogurts that are lower in added sugars. This tool will help you identity and purchase credible yogurts that meet maximum sugar content levels.

Calculating Sugar in Yogurts

Here are two ways to tell if a yogurt meets the sugar requirement.

Choosing Cereals

Choose breakfast cereals that are lower in added sugars. This tool will help you identity and purchase credible cereals that meet maximum sugar content levels.

Calculating Sugar in Cereals

Here are three ways to tell if a cereal meets the sugar limit.

Methods for Healthy Cooking

How a food is cooked can make a difference in how healthy it is. Try some of the cooking methods featured instead of deep-fat frying. Cooking with oils instead of butter or lard can be better for heart health.

Updated CACFP Meal Pattern (Children)

The most up-to-date CACFP Meal Pattern requirements for children ages 1-12. CACFP centers and day care homes must comply with the updated meal patterns by October 1, 2017.

Offer Versus Serve in the CACFP

This allows children and adults to decline some of the food offered in a reimbursable breakfast, lunch, or supper. This may not be used at snacks or in other CACFP settings. This can help reduce food waste and give children and adults more choices.

Serving Meat and Meat Alternates at Breakfast

Breakfasts includes milk, vegetables and/or fruits, and grains. You can also serve meat and/or meat alternates instead of grains at breakfast up to 3 times per week. Here’s how to include meat or meat alternates.

Serving Milk

This tool can be used to specify which milk type should be served to each age-group.