Crediting Foods in CACFP Child Care Programs

Fruits

The fruits component includes fresh fruit, frozen fruit, canned fruit (packed in water, full-strength juice, or light syrup), dried fruit, and pasteurized 100 percent full-strength fruit juice. The creditable serving of canned fruit in 100 percent juice may include the juice but cannot include water or syrup. The USDA’s CACFP best practices recommend serving whole fruits (fresh, frozen, canned, and dried) more often than juice; and offering a vegetable or fruit for at least one of the two required snack components.


Serving Size  |   Vegetables Substitutions at Lunch and Supper
Crediting Guidance  |   Coconut  |   Fruit Juices  |   Smoothies


Serving Size

Fruits are measured by volume (cups). All fruits credit based on the volume served, except dried fruits such as raisins, dried apricots, and dried mixed fruits. Dried fruits credit as twice the volume served, e.g., ¼ cup of raisins credits as ½ cup of the fruits component. The minimum creditable amount is ⅛ cup. 

Vegetables Substitutions at Lunch and Supper

Vegetables may substitute for the fruits components at any lunch or supper, but the two servings must be different vegetables.

General Crediting Guidance

Coconut

Fresh and frozen coconut credit based on the volume served. Dried coconut credits the same as other dried fruits (twice the volume served). Coconut is high in calories and saturated fat and should be limited in CACFP menus. Coconut flour, coconut oil, and coconut milk do not credit. 

Fruit Juices

The CACFP meal patterns require a limit for juices. Pasteurized full-strength juice credits as either the vegetables component or fruits component at only one meal or snack per day. Menu items that count toward this limit include 100 percent vegetable juices, frozen juice pops made from 100 percent juice, and pureed vegetables in smoothies. The USDA recommends serving whole fruits and vegetables (fresh, frozen, canned, and dried) more often than juice. 

Smoothies

Pureed fruits in smoothies credit as juice, based on the volume of pureed fruit. For example, a smoothie that contains ½ cup of pureed strawberries credits as ½ cup of fruit juice.