Crediting Foods in CACFP Child Care Programs

How To


Crediting Guidance for CACFP Meal Components


The resources below provide guidance on meeting the crediting requirements for the five meal components of the CACFP meal patterns for children. Visit the "Documents/Forms" section for guidance on the requirements for crediting commercial processed products, crediting foods made from scratch, and crediting documentation.


Milk  |   Meats/Meat Alternates  |   Vegetables  |   Fruits  |   Grains


Milk Component

The milk component requires fluid milk. 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). Training on the milk component is available in Bite Size Module 4: Milk Component.

  • Fat content: The CACFP meal patterns require unflavored whole milk for age 1 and unflavored low-fat milk or unflavored fat-free milk for ages 2-4. Flavored low-fat or fat-free milk may be served to ages 6 and older but the USDA’s CACFP best practices recommend serving only unflavored milk. 
  • Serving size: The minimum creditable amount for all ages is the full meal pattern serving, with an exception for milk in smoothies.
  • Milk in smoothies: The minimum creditable amount of milk in a smoothie is ¼ cup. CACFP facilities must have a recipe or PFS to document the type and amount of milk in the smoothie serving. Refer to the CSDE's Crediting Smoothies in the CACFP.
  • Milk substitutes for children without a disability: CACFP facilities may choose to offer one or more allowable fluid milk substitutes for children without a disability. The two allowable types of milk substitutes include 1) lactose-reduced or lactose-free milk with the appropriate fat content for each age group; and 2) nondairy milk substitutes that meet the USDA’s nutrition standards for fluid milk substitutes, such as certain brands of soy milk. Nondairy milk substitutes require a written request from the parent or guardian indicating the medical or other special dietary need that restricts the child’s diet and requires the milk substitute. Refer to the CSDE's Allowable Milk Substitutes for Children without Disabilities in CACFP Child Care Programs 
  • State beverage statute: Milk and nondairy milk substitutes in CACFP child care centers operating in public schools must also meet the state beverage requirements of Section 10-221q of the Connecticut General Statutes. For a list of products that comply with the federal and state requirements, refer to list 16 (milk) and list 17 (nondairy milk substitutes) on the CSDE's List of Acceptable Foods and Beverages webpage.

General Crediting Guidance for Milk

Milk in Smoothies

Milk Substitutes

Meats/Meat Alternates (MMA) Component

The MMA component includes fresh and frozen meats (e.g., lean beef, pork, poultry, fish, and shellfish), processed meats (e.g., chicken nuggets, deli meats, and fish sticks), canned meats (e.g., chicken, tuna, and salmon), and meat alternates (e.g., eggs, cheese, yogurt, nuts and seeds and their butters, legumes (cooked dry beans and peas), tofu, and tempeh). Beans, peas, and lentils credit as either MMA or vegetables but one serving cannot credit as both components in the same meal or snack. The USDA’s CACFP best practices recommend limiting processed meats to no more than one serving per week; and serving only lean meats, nuts, and legumes. Training on the MMA component is available in Bite Size Module 5: Meats/Meat Alternates Component

  • Serving size: MMA are measured in ounce equivalents (oz eq). The minimum creditable amount is ¼ oz eq. 
  • Required quantities for 1 oz eq: The required quantities depend on the type of meat or meat alternate and refer to the edible portion of cooked lean meat, poultry, or fish (i.e., without bone, breading, binders, fillers, extenders, liquids, or other ingredients). A 1-ounce serving of the MMA component equals 1 oz eq of cooked lean meat, poultry, or fish; 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).
  • Crediting MMA at breakfast: The MMA component is optional at breakfast. MMA may be offered as a substitute for grains up to three times per week.
  • Main dish requirement for lunch: The MMA component at lunch must be served in a main dish, or in a main dish and only one other food item.
  • Commerical processed products: Commercial processed products require a CN label or PFS to document their meal pattern contribution. Products without this documentation cannot credit in CACFP meals and snacks.

General Crediting Guidance for MMA

Alternate Protein Products (APPs)

Beans, peas, and lentils

Breakfast: Serving Meats and Meat Alternates at Breakfast (USDA webpage)

Commercial Products

Dried Meats

Nuts and Seeds: Crediting Nuts and Seeds in the CACFP (CSDE)

Tempeh and Surimi

Tofu and Tofu Products

Yogurt and Soy Yogurt

Vegetables Component

The vegetables component includes fresh vegetables, frozen vegetables, canned vegetables, rehydrated dried vegetables (PFS required), and pasteurized 100 percent full-strength vegetable juice. Legumes (cooked dry beans and peas) credit as either vegetables or MMA but one serving cannot credit as both components in the same meal or snack. Training on the vegetables component is available in Bite Size Module 6: Vegetables Component.

  • Serving size: Vegetables are measured by volume (cups). Raw leafy greens such as lettuce and spinach credit as half the volume served, e.g., 1 cup of leafy greens credits as ½ cup of the vegetables component. The minimum creditable amount is ⅛ cup.
  • Canned vegetables: The serving of canned vegetables must be drained.
  • Dried vegetables: Dried vegetables (such as potato flakes and dried soup mix) credit based on their rehydrated volume and require a PFS. Dried vegetables used for seasonings do not credit. 
  • Juice limit: Pasteurized full-strength juice credits as either the vegetables component or fruits component at only one meal or snack per day. Juice includes 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.
  • Best practices: The USDA’s CACFP best practices recommend serving whole fruits (fresh, frozen, canned, and dried) more often than juice; 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, peas, and lentils, starchy vegetables, and other vegetables (refer to the CSDE's Vegetable Subgroups in the CACFP).  

General Crediting Guidance for Vegetables

Beans, Peas, and Lentils

Juice: Crediting Juice in the CACFP (CSDE)

Soups: Crediting Soups in the CACFP (CSDE)

Vegetable Subgroups: Vegetable Subgroups in the CACFP (CSDE)

Vegetables in Smoothies

Fruits Component

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. Training on the fruits component is available in Bite Size Module 5: Fruits Component

  • Serving size: Fruits are measured by volume (cups). 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. 
  • Juice limit: Pasteurized full-strength juice credits as either the vegetables component or fruits component at only one meal or snack per day. Juice includes 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 recommend 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.
  • Vegetable substitutions at lunch: Vegetables may substitute for the fruits components at any lunch or supper, but the two servings must be different vegetables.

General Crediting Guidance for Fruits

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

Fruit in Smoothies

Juice: Crediting Juice in the CACFP (CSDE)


Grains Component

The grains component includes whole grain-rich (WGR) and enriched breads and bread products (e.g., biscuits, bagels, rolls, tortillas, and muffins), snack products (e.g., crackers, animal crackers, graham crackers, hard pretzels, tortilla chips, and popcorn), cereal grains (e.g. buckwheat, brown rice, bulgur, and quinoa), pasta, ready-to-eat (RTE) breakfast cereals, cooked breakfast cereals like oatmeal), and bread products used as an ingredient in another menu item such as combination foods (e.g., breading on fish or poultry and pizza crust in pizza). Training on the grains component is available in Bite Size Module 5: Fruits Component. 

  • Creditable grains: Grain products and recipes must be made with creditable grains (whole grains, enriched grains, bran, and germ). 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.
  • Serving size: Grains are measured in ounce equivalents (oz eq). The serving must meet the required weight (groups A-G) or volume (groups H-I) in the USDA’s Exhibit A chart (refer to the CSDE's Grain Ounce Equivalents for the CACFP) or provide the minimum creditable grains (refer to the CSDE's Calculation Methods for Grain Ounce Equivalents in the CACFP). The minimum creditable amount is ¼ ounce equivalent.
  • WGR requirement: CACFP menus must include at least one WGR serving per day, between all meals and snacks served to children. The USDA’s CACFP Best Practices recommends at least two WGR servings per day. WGR foods for the CACFP contain at least 50 percent whole grains and the remaining grain ingredients are enriched, 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.
  • Grain-based desserts: Grain-based desserts do not credit in the CACFP meal patterns. Examples include cookies, piecrusts in sweet pies, doughnuts, cereal bars, granola bars, sweet rolls, pastries, toaster pastries, cake, and brownies. Sweet crackers such as graham crackers and animal crackers are not grain-based desserts. However, sweet crackers should be limited to no more than twice per week between all meals and snacks.

General Crediting Guidance for Grains

Breakfast Cereals

Crediting Grain Recipes

Grain-based Desserts

Ounce Equivalents

Popcorn: USDA Memo SP 23-2019, CACFP 10-2019, and SFSP 09-2019: Crediting Popcorn in the Child Nutrition Programs

Whole Grain-rich Requirement

Whole Grains