Related Resources
Crediting Foods in Preschool Menus
The crediting guidance below applies to the meal patterns for preschoolers (ages 1-4) in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), School Breakfast Program (SBP), Seamless Summer Option (SSO) of the NSLP, and Afterschool Snack Program (ASP) of the NSLP.
General Crediting Guidance |
Crediting Commercial Processed Products
Crediting Foods Prepared on Site |
Meal Pattern Components for Preschoolers
General Crediting Guidance for Preschool Menus
- CACFP Training Tools (USDA)
- Crediting Handbook for the Child and Adult Care Food Program (USDA)
- Crediting Updates for Child Nutrition Programs: Be in the Know! Webinar Series (USDA)
- Food Buying Guide
- Noncreditable Foods for Preschoolers in the NSLP and SBP (CSDE)
- Meal Patterns for Preschoolers (Overview section)'
- Menu Planning for Child Nutrition Programs (CSDE)
- Nutrition Standards for CACFP Meals and Snacks (USDA)
- Resources for the Preschool Meal Patterns (CSDE): Resources and websites to assist sponsors with meeting the preschool meal pattern and crediting requirements
- USDA Memo CACFP 08-2017: Questions and Answers on the Updated Meal Pattern Requirements for the Child and Adult Care Food Program
- USDA Memo SP 08-2019, CACFP 02-2019 and SFSP 02-2019: Update of Food Crediting in the Child Nutrition Programs
Crediting Commercial Processed Products in Preschool Menus
School food authorities (SFAs) must obtain appropriate documentation to indicate that commercial products credit toward the preschool meal patterns. For example, to credit a commercial breaded chicken patty as the meat/meat alternates component for ages 3-4 at lunch, the manufacturer’s documentation must indicate that one serving of the product contains 1½ ounces of cooked chicken.Allowable documentation includes:
- the original Child Nutrition (CN) label from the product carton or a photocopy or photograph of the CN label shown attached to the original product carton; or
- a product formulation statement (PFS) signed by an official of the manufacturer stating the amount of each meal pattern component contained in one serving of the product.
These are the only acceptable records for documenting a commercial product’s meal pattern contribution. Without this documentation, SFAs cannot credit commercial products toward the preschool meal patterns.
- Child Nutrition (CN) Labels
- CN Authorized Manufacturers and Labels (USDA website)
- CN Labeling (USDA website)
- CN Labeling Program (CSDE)
- Presentation: CN Labels and Product Formulation Statements (USDA)
- USDA Memo SP 11-2015v2, CACFP 10-2015 and SFSP 13-2015: CN Labels Copied with a Watermark Acceptable Documentation
- USDA Memo SP 27-2015, CACFP 09-2015 and SFSP 12-2015: Administrative Review Process Regarding the Child Nutrition (CN) Label, Watermarked CN Label and Manufacturer's Product Formulation Statement
- Product Formulation Statements
- Presentation: CN Labels and Product Formulation Statements (USDA)
- Product Formulation Statements (USDA’s Food Manufacturers/Industry webpage)
- Tips for Evaluating a Manufacturer's PFS (USDA)
- Using Product Formulation Statements in the CACFP (CSDE)
- USDA Product Formulation Statements (USDA’s Food Manufacturers/Industry webpage)
- Grain Servings (through September 30, 2021): Product Formulation Statement for Documenting Grains/Breads Servings in the Child and Adult Care Food Program, Summer Food Service Program, and NSLP Afterschool Snacks (USDA)
- Completed Sample: Product Formulation Statement for Documenting Grains/Breads Servings (USDA)
- Grain Ounce Equivalents (effective October 1, 2021): Product Formulation Statement for Documenting Grains in the Child Nutrition Programs (USDA)
- Completed Sample: Product Formulation Statement for Documenting Grains in the Child Nutrition Programs (USDA)
- Meat/Meat Alternates: Product Formulation Statement (Product Analysis) for Meat/Meat Alternate (M/MA) Products in Child Nutrition Programs (USDA)
- Vegetables/Fruits: Product Formulation Statement for Documenting Vegetables and Fruits in the Child and Adult Care Food Program, Summer Food Service Program, and NSLP Afterschool Snacks (USDA
- Completed Sample: Vegetables
- Completed Sample: Fruits
- Grain Servings (through September 30, 2021): Product Formulation Statement for Documenting Grains/Breads Servings in the Child and Adult Care Food Program, Summer Food Service Program, and NSLP Afterschool Snacks (USDA)
- Documentation for Processed Foods
- Accepting Processed Product Documentation in the NSLP and SBP(CSDE)
- CSDE Operational Memo No. 10-15: Guidance for Accepting Processed Product Documentation for Meal Pattern Requirements
- Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs (USDA)
- USDA Memo TA-2010 (v.3): Guidance for Accepting Processed Product Documentation for Meal Pattern Requirements
- Yield Study Form for Child Nutrition Programs (CSDE)
Crediting Foods Prepared on Site in Preschool Menus
To credit foods prepared on site toward the preschool meal patterns, SFAs must maintain standardized recipes that document the crediting information per serving. For example, to credit macaroni and cheese as 1½ ounces of the meat/meat alternates component and ½ ounce equivalent of the grains component for ages 3-4 at lunch, the SFA's recipe must indicate that each serving contains 1½ ounces of cheese and ¼ cup of whole-grain or enriched pasta.
- Food Buying Guide
- Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs (USDA)
- Webinar: Food Buying Guide Goes Digital (USDA)
- Portion Control
- Basics at a Glance: recipe abbreviations, measurement conversions, portioning tools, and steamtable pan capacity (ICN)
- No Time to Train: How Foods Are Portioned (ICN)
- No Time to Train: Portioning Matters (ICN)
- On the Road to Professional Food Preparation eLearning: Portion Control (ICN)
- Standardized Recipes
- Basic Culinary Math for School Nutrition Professionals (ICN)
- Basics at a Glance: recipe abbreviations, measurement conversions, portioning tools, and steamtable pan capacity (ICN)
- Manager’s Corner: Standardized Recipes (ICN)
- Measuring Success with Standardized Recipes (ICN)
- No Time to Train: Identifying the Parts of a USDA Quantity Recipe (ICN)
- On the Road to Professional Food Preparation eLearning: Recipe Adjustments (ICN)
- Recipes for Child Nutrition Programs (CSDE's Menu Planning for Child Nutrition Programs webpage)
- Standardized Recipe Form for School Nutrition Programs (CSDE)
- What’s Standard about Standardized Recipes? (SNA)
- Why Use Standardized Recipes? Fact Sheet (ICN)
- Weights and Measures
Meal Pattern Components for Preschoolers
Milk | Meat/Meat Alternates | Vegetables | Fruits | Grains
Milk Component for Preschoolers
Milk must be pasteurized, meet all state and local requirements, and contain vitamins A and D at levels specified by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The preschool meal patterns require unflavored whole milk for age 1; and unflavored low-fat milk or unflavored fat-free milk for ages 2-4. Flavored milk is not allowed for preschoolers.
All milk served in public schools must also meet the state beverage requirements for milk under Section 10-221q of the Connecticut General Statutes. This includes milk sold as part of reimbursable meals and ASP snacks, and milk sold to preschoolers separately from reimbursable meals. For a list of milk that complies with the federal and state requirements, see list 16 on the CSDE's List of Acceptable Foods and Beverages webpage.
- Milk Requirements
- Comparison of Meal Pattern Requirements for the Milk Component in School Nutrition Programs (CSDE)
- CSDE Operational Memorandum No. 06-19: Summary of Federal and State Milk Requirements for the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), School Breakfast Program (SBP), Seamless Summer Option (SSO) of the NSLP, Afterschool Snack Program (ASP) of the NSLP, and Special Milk Program (SMP)
- CSDE Operational Memo No. 09-11: USDA Requirements for Milk Substitutes for Nondisabled Students
- Food Buying Guide (Section 5: Milk)
- Serving Milk in the CACFP: Handouts, training slides, and webinars in English and Spanish (USDA)
- USDA Memo CACFP 17-2016: Nutrition Requirements for Fluid Milk and Fluid Milk Substitutions in the CACFP, Q&As
- USDA Memo SP 18-2018 and CACFP 13-2018: Child Nutrition Programs Flexibilities for School Year 2018-2019
- Milk in Smoothies
- Crediting Smoothies for Preschoolers in the NSLP and SBP (CSDE)
- USDA Memo SP 40-2019, CACFP 17-2019 and SFSP 17-2019: Smoothies Offered in the Child Nutrition Programs
- Milk Substitutes
- Allowable Milk Substitutes for Children without Disabilities in School Nutrition Programs (CSDE)
- USDA Memo SP 07-2010, CACFP 04-2010 and SFSP 05-2010: Questions and Answers: Fluid Milk Substitutions
Meat/Meat Alternates Component for Preschoolers
The required servings for the meat/meat alternates component refer to the edible portion of cooked lean meat, poultry, or fish, e.g., cooked lean meat without bone, breading, binders, fillers, or other ingredients. Different types of meat and meat alternates require different amounts to credit as 1 ounce of the meat/meat alternates component. A 1-ounce serving of the meat/meat alternates component equals 1 ounce of lean meat, poultry, or fish (without binders, fillers, extenders, and liquids); 1 ounce of cheese (low-fat recommended); 2 ounces of cottage or ricotta cheese, cheese food/spread, or cheese substitute (low-fat recommended); ¼ cup of cooked beans and peas (legumes); ½ large egg; 2 tablespoons of nut or seed butters; 1 ounce of nuts or seeds; 1 ounce of commercial tofu (containing at least 5 grams of protein in 2.2 ounces); 1 ounce of tempeh; 3 ounces of surimi; ½ cup of yogurt or soy yogurt (containing no more than 3.83 grams of sugar per ounce); and 1 ounce of alternate protein products (APPs).
The minimum creditable amount is ¼ ounce. If a food item provides less than the full-required meal pattern serving, the preschool menu must include the additional amount from other meat/meat alternates. The meat/meat alternates component at lunch must be served in a main dish, or in a main dish and only one other food item.
- Alternate Protein Products (APPs)
- Breakfast
- Serving Meat and Meat Alternates at Breakfast: Handouts, training slides, and webinars in English and Spanish (USDA)
- Commercial Products
- Crediting Commercial Meat/Meat Alternate Products in the NSLP and SBP (CSDE)
- Crediting Deli Meats in the NSLP and SBP (CSDE)
- USDA Memo SP 01-2016, SFSP 01-2016 and CACFP 01-2016: Procuring Local Meat, Poultry, Game, and Eggs for Child Nutrition Programs
- Dried Meats
- USDA Memo SP 21-2019, CACFP 08-2019 and SFSP 07-2019: Crediting Shelf-Stable, Dried and Semi-Dried Meat, Poultry, and Seafood Products in the Child Nutrition Programs
- USDA Webinar: Moving Forward: Update on Food Crediting in Child Nutrition Programs with Guidance for Dried Meat Products (April 24, 2019)
- Food Buying Guide (Section 1: Meat/Meat Alternates)
- Legumes
- Crediting Legumes in the NSLP and SBP (CSDE)
- USDA Memo SP 26-2019, CACFP 13-2019 and SFSP 12-2019: Crediting Pasta Products Made of Vegetable Flour in the Child Nutrition Programs
- More resources: see "Legumes (Beans/Peas)" in the CSDE'S Resource List for Menu Planning and Food Production in Child Nutrition Programs
- Nuts and Seeds
- Tempeh and Surimi
- USDA Memo SP 25-2019, CACFP 12-2019 and SFSP 11-2019: Crediting Tempeh in the Child Nutrition Programs
- USDA Memo SP 24-2019, CACFP 11-2019 and SFSP10-2019: Crediting Surimi Seafood in the Child Nutrition Programs
- USDA Webinar: Additional Meat/Meat Alternates Options for CNPs: Crediting Tempeh and Surimi (May 8, 2019)
- Tofu and Tofu Products
- Crediting Tofu and Tofu Products ;in the NSLP and SBP (CSDE)
- USDA Memo SP 53-2016 and CACFP 21-2016: Crediting Tofu and Soy Yogurt Products in the School Meal Programs and the CACFP
- Yogurt
- Calculating Sugar Limits for Yogurt in the CACFP (English and Spanish) (USDA)
- Choose Yogurts that are Lower in Sugar: Handouts, training slides, and webinars in English and Spanish (USDA)
- Crediting Yogurt for Preschoolers in the NSLP and SBP (CSDE)
Vegetables Component for Preschoolers
The vegetables component includes fresh, frozen, and canned vegetables; and pasteurized full-strength vegetable juice. Legumes (cooked dry beans and peas) credit as either vegetables or meat/meat alternates, but not both in the same meal or ASP snack. Vegetables may substitute for the fruits components at any lunch, but the two servings must be different vegetables.
All vegetables credit based on volume except raw leafy greens, which credit as half the volume served, e.g., 1 cup of leafy greens credits as ½ cup of the vegetables component. A serving of cooked vegetables must be drained.
The minimum creditable amount is ⅛ cup. If a food item provides less than the full-required meal pattern serving, the preschool menu must include the additional amount from other vegetables.
Juice credits as the vegetables or fruits component at only one preschool meal or ASP snack per day. The juice limit includes all fruit and vegetable juice, frozen pops made from 100 percent juice, pureed fruits and vegetables in smoothies, and juice from canned fruit in 100 percent juice. The USDA recommends serving whole fruits (fresh, frozen, canned, and dried) more often than juice.
The USDA’s CACFP Best Practices recommends making at least one of the two required snack components a vegetable or fruit; and providing at least one serving per week of dark green vegetables, red and orange vegetables, beans and peas (legumes), starchy vegetables, and other vegetables. For more information, see Vegetable Subgroups in the CACFP.
Creditable vegetables include fresh, frozen, and canned. A serving of canned vegetables must be drained. Legumes (cooked dry beans and peas) credit as either vegetables or meat/meat alternates, but not both in the same meal. All vegetables credit based on volume except raw leafy greens, which credit as half the volume served, e.g., 1 cup of leafy greens credits as ½ cup of the vegetables component. To credit toward the vegetables component, a menu item must provide a minimum of ⅛ cup of vegetables. The rest of the minimum daily serving must be met with additional vegetables. The USDA’s CACFP Best Practices recommends at least one serving per week of dark green vegetables, red and orange vegetables, beans and peas (legumes), starchy vegetables, and other vegetables. Juice credits as the vegetables or fruits component at only one preschool meal or ASP snack per day. The juice limit includes all fruit and vegetable juice, frozen pops made from 100 percent juice, pureed fruits and vegetables in smoothies, and juice from canned fruit in 100 percent juice.
- Food Buying Guide (Section 2: Vegetables)
- General Guidance
- Serving Vegetables in the CACFP (USDA)
- Start with Half a Cup: Fresh Vegetable Portioning Guide for Schools
- USDA Memo CACFP 09-2017: Vegetable and Fruit Requirements in the Child and Adult Care Food Program; Questions and Answers
- Juice
- Legumes
- Crediting Legumes in the NSLP and SBP (CSDE)
- USDA Memo SP 26-2019, CACFP 13-2019 and SFSP 12-2019: Crediting Pasta Products Made of Vegetable Flour in the Child Nutrition Programs
- Soup
- Vegetable Subgroups
- All about the Vegetable Group (USDA's Choose MyPlate)
- Vegetable Subgroups in the CACFP (CSDE)
- Vegetables in Smoothies
- Crediting Smoothies for Preschoolers in the NSLP and SBP (CSDE)
- USDA Memo SP 40-2019, CACFP 17-2019 and SFSP 17-2019: Smoothies Offered in the Child Nutrition Programs
Fruits Component for Preschoolers
The fruits component includes fresh, frozen, dried, and canned fruit (packed in water, full-strength juice, or light syrup); and pasteurized full-strength fruit juice. A serving of canned fruit may include the juice in which it is packed. Fruits credit based on volume except dried fruit credits as twice the volume served, e.g., ¼ cup of dried fruit counts as ½ cup of the fruits component. Vegetables may substitute for the fruits components at any lunch, but the two servings must be different vegetables.The minimum creditable amount is ⅛ cup. If a food item provides less than the full-required meal pattern serving, the preschool menu must include the additional amount from other fruits.
Juice credits as the vegetables or fruits component at only one preschool meal or ASP snack per day. The juice limit includes all fruit and vegetable juice, frozen pops made from 100 percent juice, pureed fruits and vegetables in smoothies, and juice from canned fruit in 100 percent juice. The USDA’s CACFP Best Practices recommends serving whole fruits (fresh, canned, dried, and frozen) more often than juice; and making at least one of the two required snack components a vegetable or fruit.
- Coconut
- USDA Memo SP 22-2019, CACFP 15-2019 and SFSP 15-2019: Crediting Coconut, Hominy, Corn Masa, and Corn Flour in the Child Nutrition Programs
- Food Buying Guide (Section 3: Fruits)
- Fruit in Smoothies
- Crediting Smoothies for Preschoolers in the NSLP and SBP (CSDE)
- USDA Memo SP 40-2019, CACFP 17-2019 and SFSP 17-2019: Smoothies Offered in the Child Nutrition Programs
- General Guidance
- Start with Half a Cup: Fresh Fruit Portioning Guide for Schools
- USDA Memo CACFP 09-2017: Vegetable and Fruit Requirements in the Child and Adult Care Food Program; Questions and Answers
- Juice
Grains Component for Preschoolers
Grains must be whole grain, enriched, or contain a blend of whole and enriched grains. Bran and germ credit the same as enriched and whole grains in the preschool meal patterns. Cooked and ready-to-eat (RTE) breakfast cereals must be whole grain, enriched, or fortified; and cannot contain more than 6 grams of sugar per dry ounce.
Except for sweet crackers such as graham crackers and animal crackers, grain-based desserts cannot credit in preschool meals and ASP snacks. Examples include cookies, sweet pie crusts, doughnuts, cereal bars, granola bars, sweet rolls, pastries, toaster pastries, cake, and brownies.
The minimum creditable amount is ¼ serving through September 30, 2021. Effective October 1, 2021, the required amounts change to ounce equivalents, and the minimum creditable amount is ¼ ounce equivalent. If a food item provides less than the full-required meal pattern serving, the CACFP menu must include the additional amount from other meat/meat alternates The daily meat/meat alternates component at lunch must be served in a main dish, or in a main dish and only one other food item.
Preschool menus must include at least one WGR serving per day, between all meals and ASP snacks served to preschoolers. WGR foods for the preschool meal patterns contain at least 50 percent whole grains and the remaining grain ingredients are creditable (whole grains, enriched grains, bran, or germ). A grain food meets the WGR criteria if a whole grain is the first ingredient (or second after water), and the next two grain ingredients (if any) are creditable grains. A combination food meets the WGR criteria if the first grain ingredient (or second after water) is a whole grain, and the next two grain ingredients (if any) are creditable grains.
- Creditable Grains
- Crediting Enriched Grains in the NSLP and SBP (CSDE)
- Crediting Whole Grains in the NSLP and SBP (CSDE)
- How to Identify Creditable Grains for Preschoolers in the NSLP and SBP (CSDE)
- USDA Memo CACFP 09-2018: Grain Requirements in the CACFP: Q&As
- USDA Memo SP 34-2019, CACFP 15-2019 and SFSP 15-2019: Crediting Coconut, Hominy, Corn Masa, and Masa Harina in the Child Nutrition Programs
- Using the WIC Food Lists to Identify Grains for the CACFP: Handouts in English and Spanish (USDA)
- Cereals
- Calculating Sugar Limits for Breakfast Cereals in the CACFP: Handouts in English and Spanish (USDA)
- Choose Breakfast Cereals that are Lower in Sugar: Handouts, training slides, and webinars in English and Spanish (USDA)
- Crediting Breakfast Cereals for Preschoolers in the NSLP and SBP (CSDE)
- Grain-based Desserts
- Grain-Based Desserts in the CACFP: Handouts, training slides, and webinars in English and Spanish (USDA)
- USDA Memo CACFP 16-2017: Grain-Based Desserts in the Child and Adult Care Food Program
- Grain Crediting Worksheets
- Child Care Worksheet 1: Crediting Commercial Grains in the CACFP (CSDE)
- Child Care Worksheet 2: Crediting Ready-to-eat (RTE) Breakfast Cereals in the CACFP (CSDE)
- Child Care Worksheet 3: Crediting Cooked Breakfast Cereals in the CACFP (CSDE)
- Child Care Worksheet 4: Crediting Family-size Recipes for Grains in the CACFP (CSDE)
- Child Care Worksheet 5: Crediting Quantity Recipes for Grains in the CACFP (CSDE)
- Popcorn
- USDA Memo SP 23-2019, CACFP 10-2019 and SFSP 09-2019: Crediting Popcorn in the Child Nutrition Programs
- Serving Size for Grains
- Exhibit A: Refers to the USDA’s document, Exhibit A: Grain Requirements for Child Nutrition Programs, which includes grain servings and grain ounce equivalents.
- Exhibit A Grains Tool (USDA's Food Buying Guide)
- Webinar: Exhibit A Grains Tool to the Rescue (USDA)
- Webinar: How to Maximize the Exhibit A Grains Tool (USDA)
- Servings (through September 30, 2021)
- Ounce Equivalents (effective October 1, 2021 )
- CACFP Grains Ounce Equivalents Resources (USDA)
- CSDE Operational Memorandum No. 14-19: Delayed Implementation of Grain Ounce Equivalents in the Preschool Meal Patterns
- Grain Ounce Equivalents for Preschoolers in the NSLP and SBP (CSDE)
- USDA Final Rule (84 FR 50287): Delayed Implementation of Grains Ounce Equivalents in the Child and Adult Care Food Program
- Using Ounce Equivalents for Grains in the CACFP (English and Spanish) (USDA)
- Exhibit A: Refers to the USDA’s document, Exhibit A: Grain Requirements for Child Nutrition Programs, which includes grain servings and grain ounce equivalents.
- Whole Grain-rich Requirement
- How to Spot Whole Grain-Rich Foods for the CACFP: Handouts in English and Spanish (USDA)
- Identifying Whole Grain-rich Foods for the CACFP: Handouts, training slides, and webinars in English and Spanish (USDA)
- Is My Recipe Whole Grain-Rich in the CACFP?: Handouts in English and Spanish (USDA)
- Tools for Schools: Serving Whole Grain-rich (USDA)
- Whole Grain-rich Criteria for Preschoolers in the NSLP and SBP (CSDE)
- Whole Grains
- Adding Whole Grains to Your CACFP Menu: Handouts, training slides, and webinars in English and Spanish (USDA)
- Crediting Whole Grains in the NSLP and SBP (CSDE)