Menu Planning for Child Nutrition Programs--Portion Control

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.

Menu Planning for Child Nutrition Programs

Portion Control

The U. S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) meal patterns for the Child Nutrition Programs (CNPs) require specific portions for each meal component (milk, meats/meat alternates, grains, fruits, and vegetables). Portion control is an important part of all food service operations because it:

ensures that CNPs provide the correct amounts of each meal component to meet the meal pattern requirements for reimbursable meals and snacks;
provides the required servings to meet children’s nutritional needs;
ensures that standardized recipe yields are accurate;
provides a consistent portion size that promotes customer satisfaction;
guides food ordering and preparation; and
minimizes waste and controls food costs.

Overall, portion control is essential for providing reimbursable meals and snacks, promoting customer satisfaction, and ensuring operational efficiency and cost-effectiveness in food service programs.

General Guidance | Start with Half a Cup | Weights and Measures

General Guidance

Basics at a Glance (Institute of Child Nutrition): Guidance on recipe abbreviations, measurement conversions, portioning tools, and steamtable pan capacity
No Time to Train: How Foods Are Portioned (Institute of Child Nutrition)
No Time to Train: Portioning Matters (Institute of Child Nutrition)
On the Road to Professional Food Preparation eLearning: Portion Control (Institute of Child Nutrition)
Portion Control: Why Controlling Portion Size is So Important (Mississippi Department of Education）
Resource Center: Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Program (USDA): Guidance on common can and jar sizes, decimal equivalents, and measures for portion control
Yield Study Form for the Child Nutrition Programs (CSDE)

Start with Half a Cup Portion Guides for Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits 8½ by 14 inches: Start with Half a Cup Fresh Fruits Portioning Guide for Schools (8½ by 14 inches)
Fruits 11 by 17 inches: Start with Half a Cup Fresh Fruits Portioning Guide for Schools (11 by 17 inches)
Vegetables 8½ by 14 inches: Start with Half a Cup Fresh Vegetables Portioning Guide for Schools (8½ by 14 inches)
Vegetables 11 by 17 inches: Start with Half a Cup Fresh Vegetables Portioning Guide for Schools (11 by 17 inches)

Weights and Measures

Weights and Measures (Institute of Child Nutrition)
On the Road to Professional Food Preparation eLearning: Weights and Measures (Institute of Child Nutrition)