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Crediting Foods in School Nutrition Programs

Fruits

The crediting guidance and resources below include the changes to the NSLP, SBP, and ASP meal patterns required by the USDA final rule, Child Nutrition Programs: Meal Patterns Consistent with the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. For more information, visit the "Upcoming Meal Pattern Changes" section of the CSDE's Meal Patterns for Grades K-12 in School Nutrition Programs webpage.

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.


Serving Size  |   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. 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. 

Best Practices for Preschool

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 the five vegetable subgroups: dark green; red/orange; beans, peas, and lentils; starchy; and other vegetables (refer to the CSDE's Vegetable Subgroups in the CACFP).

General Crediting Guidance

Coconut

Fruit Juices

The meal patterns for grades K-12 and preschool require a limit for fruit juices. Menu items that count toward this limit include 100 percent fruit juices, frozen juice pops made from 100 percent juice, and pureed fruits in smoothies. The USDA recommends serving whole fruits (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.