Crediting Foods in the Child and Adult Care Food Program

Milk

The crediting guidance and resources below include the changes to the CACFP meal patterns required by the USDA final rule, Child Nutrition Programs: Meal Patterns Consistent with the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the USDA final rule, Expanding Fluid Milk Options in Child Nutrition Programs. For more information, visit the "Meal Pattern Updates" section of the CSDE's CACFP webpage.

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

Effective June 8, 2026, the USDA final rule, Expanding Fluid Milk Options in Child Nutrition Programs, revises the CACFP meal patterns for ages 2 and older and adult participants to allow whole milk and reduced-fat milk in addition to the previously allowed low-fat milk and fat free milk. The allowable types of milk for each age group are indicated below.

  • Age 1: Unflavored whole milk.
  • Ages 2-5: Unflavored whole milk, reduced-fat milk, low-fat milk, and fat free milk. Flavored milk is not allowed.
  • Ages 6 and older and adult participants: Unflavored or flavored whole milk, reduced-fat milk, low-fat milk, and fat free milk. The USDA’s CACFP best practices recommend serving only unflavored milk. 

In addition to regular milk, allowable milk options also include the following types of fluid milk that meet the requirements for each CACFP meal pattern: lactose-free milk, lactose-reduced milk,acidified milk (e.g., acidified kefir milk and acidified acidophilus milk), cultured milk (e.g., cultured buttermilk, cultured kefir milk, and cultured acidophilus milk), and Ultra High Temperature (UHT) milk.

Considerations for allowable milk

The guidance below addresses additional requirements and considerations for allowable milk.

  • Milk choices: Whole milk and reduced-fat milk are not required in the CACFP meal patterns for ages 2 and older. CACFP facilities may offer any type of allowable milk that meets the requirements above.
  • Lactose-free milk and lactose-reduced milk (fluid milk): These types of milk are processed by adding lactase enzymes to reduce or eliminate the lactose (naturally occurring milk sugar) found in regular milk. Lactose-free/reduced milk is fluid milk and credits the same as regular milk in the CACFP meal patterns. CACFP facilities may choose to offer lactose-free/reduced milk as a fluid milk option for all participants. For more information, refer to the CSDE's resource, Offering Lactose-Free and Lactose-Reduced Milk in the CACFP.
  • Additional state beverage requirements for child care centers in public schools: In addition to the CACFP meal pattern requirements, milk and nondairy milk substitutes in child care centers that operate 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 milk that complies with the federal and state requirements is available in List 16: Milk and List 17: Dairy Alternative Beverages 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 (nondairy beverages) for participants who do not consume regular cow’s milk due to non-disability reasons. Fluid milk substitutes are plant-based beverages like fortified soy milk and must meet the USDA’s nutrition standards for fluid milk substitutes (7 CFR 226.20(g)(3)). 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 adult participant or their guardian/caregiver, or a state licensed healthcare professional or registered dietitian.