Grains and Breads

The grains/breads component of the SFSP meal patterns includes foods made with creditable grains. Creditable grains include whole grains, enriched grains, bran (such as oat bran, wheat bran, corn bran, rice bran, and rye bran), and germ (such as wheat germ).

Examples of creditable grain foods include 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), ready-to-eat (RTE) breakfast cereals, cooked breakfast cereals like oatmeal), pasta, 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), and grain-based desserts (e.g., cookies, brownies, cakes, and granola bars). 

Serving Requirements  |   General Guidance  |   Breakfast Cereals
Grain-based Desserts  |   Ounce Equivalents  |   Popcorn 

Serving Requirements

Grains/breads are measured in servings. The minimum creditable amount is ¼ serving. The USDA’s document, Exhibit A: Grain Requirements for Child Nutrition Programs ("Exhibit A") lists the required grains/breads servings for the SFSP meal pattern. The serving must meet the required weight (groups A-G) or volume (groups H-I) in the USDA’s Exhibit A chart or provide the minimum creditable grains.

• Chart: Servings for Grains/Breads in the SFSP (CSDE) Contains the Exhibit A oz eq requirements
• Calculation Methods for Grains/Breads Servings in the SFSP (CSDE)
• How to Use the Grains/Breads Servings Chart for the SFSP (CSDE)
• When Commercial Grain Products Require a Product Formulation Statement to Credit in the SFSP (CSDE)
• Exhibit A Resources
  • Exhibit A Grains Tool (USDA's Food Buying Guide)
  • Exhibit A Grains Tool to the Rescue (USDA webinar)
  • How to Maximize the Exhibit A Grains Tool (USDA webinar)

General Crediting Guidance

• Overview: Requirements for the Grains/Breads Component of the SFSP Meal Patterns (CSDE)
• Crediting Enriched Grains in the SFSP (CSDE)
• Crediting Grains in the Child Nutrition Programs Tip Sheets (USDA): Part 1: Creditable Grains in Child Nutrition Programs; Part 2: Identifying Grain Products that are Whole Grain-Rich; and Part 3: Program Requirements
• Crediting Whole Grains in the SFSP (CSDE)
• Food Buying Guide: Section 4 Grains (USDA)
  • Overview of Crediting Requirements for the Grains Component
  • Yield Table for Grains
•  USDA Memos
  • USDA Memo SP 26-2019, CACFP 13-2019, and SFSP 12-2019: Crediting Pasta Products Made of Vegetable Flour in the Child Nutrition Programs
  • USDA Memo SP 34-2019, CACFP 15-2019, and SFSP 15-2019: Crediting Coconut, Hominy, Corn Masa, and Masa Harina in the Child Nutrition Programs
• When Commercial Grain Products Require a Product Formulation Statement to Credit in the SFSP (CSDE)

Breakfast Cereals

RTE and cooked breakfast cereals must be whole grain, enriched, or fortified. One serving of RTE breakfast cereal must measure ¾ cup or weigh 1 ounce, whichever is less. One serving of cooked breakfast cereal must measure ½ cup cooked or weigh 25 grams dry. Breakfast cereals may be served at any meal or snack.

•  Crediting Breakfast Cereals in the SFSP (CSDE)

Grain-based Desserts

Grain-based desserts cannot credit at lunch or supper and are restricted to certain types at breakfast and snack (refer to the CSDE's Servings for Grains/Breads in the SFSP). Examples of grain-based desserts include cookies, piecrusts in sweet pies, doughnuts, cereal bars, granola bars, sweet rolls, pastries, toaster pastries, cake, and brownies.  

Popcorn

• USDA Memo SP 23-2019, CACFP 10-2019, and SFSP 9-2019: Crediting Popcorn in the Child Nutrition Programs