Teacher of the Year Ceremony
Due to inclement weather, the Teacher of the Year Ceremony has been postponed to December 16, 2025 from 5-7pm. Doors will open at 4pm. The Ceremony will take place at the Bushnell Theater in Hartford, and the order of events will remain the same.

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 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. 

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 school menus. Coconut flour, coconut oil, and coconut milk do not credit. 

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. 

  • NSLP meal patterns for grades K-12: The weekly amount of fruit juices cannot exceed half of the weekly fruit offerings.
  • SBP meal patterns for grades K-12: The weekly amount of fruit juices together with vegetable juices (including vegetable/fruit juice blends) cannot exceed half of the weekly fruit and vegetable offerings.
  • ASP meal pattern for grades K-12: The weekly amount of fruit juices together with vegetable juices (including vegetable/fruit juice blends) cannot exceed half of the weekly fruit and vegetable offerings.
  • NSLP, SBP, and ASP preschool meal patterns: Juice credits as either the vegetables component or fruits component at only one meal or snack per day. 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).

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.