What You Need To Know:

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 CACFP is here to assist you during the transition to the new meal pattern 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.

Training Sessions:

march, 2024

Meal Pattern Food Chart:

1-12 YEAR OLDS

  1.    (1) year olds, serve unflavored, whole | (2) year olds, serve 1% or skim.
  2.    Juice is limited to one time per day.
  3.    At least one serving per day must be whole grain-rich.
  4.    Meat/alternates may replace a grain up to (3) times per week.
  5.    Breakfast cereals must contain no more than 6 grams of total sugar per dry ounce (no           more than 21.2 grams sugar per 100 grams of dry ounce cereal).
  6.    Yogurt may contain no more than 23 grams of total sugar per 6 ounces.

INFANTS (0-11 MONTHS)

*A serving of this component is required when the infant is developmentally ready to accept it. Once the component has been introduced, it becomes a required part of the infant’s meal plan.

  1.    Fruit and vegetable juices are NOT reimbursable on the infant meal pattern.
  2.    Breakfast cereals must contain no more than 6 grams of total sugar per dry ounce (no           more than 21.2 grams sugar per 100 grams of dry ounce cereal).
  3.    Yogurt may contain no more than 23 grams of total sugar per 6 ounces.
  • Breast Milk is recommended; however, Iron-Fortifified Infant Formula is also acceptable. Parents may provide this.
  • Breast Feeding on site is both encouraged and reimbursable as a complete meal.
  • When a parent provides BM or IFIF the provider must supply all the other required meal components to be reimbursed.
  • Fruit and Vegetable juices may NOT be served to infants.
  • Honey, nuts, seeds, or nut butters are not acceptable foods for infants.
  • Cow’s milk must not be served to infants under 12 months unless medical documentation is on file.
  • Solid foods should be introduced gradually around 6 months & have a consistency that is developmentally appropriate.

ADULTS

*A serving of this component is required when the infant is developmentally ready to accept it. Once the component has been introduced, it becomes a required part of the infant’s meal plan.

  1.   Juice is limited to one time per day.
  2.   At least one serving per day must be whole grain-rich.
  3.   Meat/alternates may replace a grain up to (3) times per week.
  4.   Breakfast cereals must contain NO more than 6 grams of total sugar per dry ounce (no more than 21.2 grams sugar per 100 grams of dry ounce cereal).
  5.   Yogurt may contain no more than 23 grams of total sugar per 6 ounces./li>
  6.   6 oz. or ½ cup of yogurt may be served in place of an 8 fl oz serving of milk once per day. Yogurt must not be served as a meat alternate in the same meal & must contain no more than 23 grams of sugar per 6 oz.
  • Breakfast Notes: 2oz eq of meat/meat alternates may be served in place of 2 oz eq of grains up to 3 times per week.
  • Lunch/Supper Notes: ½ cup of a second, different vegetable may be served in place of fruit.
  • Supper Notes: Fluid milk is optional at dinner ONLY. Water is a great choice if milk is not served.

Grain Ounce Equivalent Calculator:

Step 1

(Sample Label)

Step 2
Units per serving size

Step 3
Weight of serving (in grams)



Results
1-5 Year Olds

6-12 Year Olds

Adult Meals

Adult Snacks

More Tools:

TOOLS:

Commonly Used Whole Grains

This handout provides several examples of popular whole grains as well as a few items that are commonly mistaken for whole grains. On the back of the handout, it describes the Rule of Three and lists whole grains, brans, germs, enriched grains, as well as non-creditable grains.

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.

Serving Adult Participants in the USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program

This tool can be used to gain an undertanding of the Adult CACFP Meal Pattern Requirements.

Sirviendo a los participantes adultos en el Programa de Alimentos para el Cuidado de Niños y Adultos del USDA (Spanish)

This tool can be used to gain an undertanding of the Adult CACFP Meal Pattern Requirements.