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 the Child and Adult Care Food Program

Milk

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).


Allowable Types of Milk  |   Serving Requirements  |   Crediting Guidance
Smoothies  |   Yogurt Substitution for Milk in Adult Meal Patterns  |   Milk Substitutes

Allowable Types of Milk

The CACFP meal patterns require unflavored whole milk for age 1 and unflavored low-fat milk or unflavored fat-free milk for ages 2-5. Flavored low-fat or fat-free milk may be served to ages 6 and older and adult participants but the USDA’s CACFP best practices recommend serving only unflavored milk. 

  • State beverage statute for child care centers in public schools: In addition to the meal pattern requirements, milk and nondairy milk substitutes in public schools must also meet the state beverage requirements of Section 10-221q of the Connecticut General Statutes. The state beverage statute applies to all beverages available for sale to students on school premises, as part of and separately from reimbursable meals and snacks. A list of products that comply with the federal and state requirements is available in list 16 (milk) and list 17 (nondairy milk substitutes) on the CSDE's List of Acceptable Foods and Beverages webpage. 

Serving Requirements

The minimum creditable amount is the full meal pattern serving, with an exception for milk in smoothies (refer to "Milk in Smoothies" below).

Crediting Guidance

Milk in Smoothies

The minimum creditable amount of milk in a smoothie is ¼ cup. CACFP facilities must have a standardized recipe or product formulation statement (PFS) to document the type and amount of milk in the smoothie serving.

Yogurt Substitution for Milk in Adult Meal Patterns

For the CACFP adult meal patterns only, yogurt may substitute for the milk component at one meal per day. Six ounces (weight) or ¾ cup (volume) of yogurt credits as 8 fluid ounces of milk.

Yogurt cannot credit as the milk component and meats/meat alternates component during the same meal. However, yogurt may be served in place of fluid milk at one meal, and as the meats/meat alternates component in another meal on the same day. Yogurt must meet the sugar limit (refer to Crediting Yogurt in the CACFP).

Milk Substitutes for Non-disability Reasons

CACFP facilities may choose to offer one or more allowable fluid milk substitutes for participants without a disability. The two allowable types of milk substitutes include 1) lactose-free/reduced milk; and 2) fluid milk substitutes (plant-based beverages) that meet the USDA’s nutrition standards for fluid milk substitutes, such as certain brands of soy milk. Fluid milk substitutes require a written request that identifies the reason for the milk substitute. For children, the written request must be from the parent/guardian or a state licensed healthcare professional or registered dietitian. For adult participants, the written request must be from the parent/guardian, the adult participant or their guardian/caregiver, or a state licensed healthcare professional or registered dietitian.