2018 Mandatory Training

Transcription

1 2018 Mandatory Training CACFP New Meal Pattern Instructions for Offline Users The 2018 mandatory training may be completed by self-study packet. After taking the course, complete the test and evaluation. (The evaluation is optional.) a copy of your completed test and evaluation to fcc.calpronet@fresnocitycollege.edu, or mail the original test and the evaluation, along with your contact information to: Fresno City College (FCC) Cal-Pro-NET Center, 1101 E. University Ave., Fresno, CA Include your name, agency name, agency CNIPS number, and mailing address. The deadline for the FCC Cal-Pro-NET Center to receive all tests is June 22, In order to receive a certificate of completion, you must have an account with the FCC Cal-Pro-NET Center and be registered in the correct offline course. If you don t have one, create an account at Register for the online course at Make sure you select the offline course, and not the online course (indicated under Method ). Once your test has been graded, and you have achieved a passing score of 75 percent or higher (18 or more points out of a possible 24), the corrected test will be ed or mailed back to you. After your certificate has been issued, you will receive an with instructions explaining how to print it. You should expect this within two weeks. If you have not received notification during that time, please contact the FCC Cal-Pro-NET Center by phone at or at fcccalpronet@fresnocitycollege.edu. Thank you. Linda Shelton, M.S., R.D. Coordinator

2 Table of Contents The Child Meal Pattern and the Adult Meal Pattern... 1 Breakfast... 1 Lunch and Supper... 2 Fruits and Vegetables... 2 Juice... 2 Snack... 3 Fluid Milk Requirements... 4 Parent Provided Food Components... 5 Meat or Meat Alternates... 5 Grains Water Deep Fat Frying Meal Service Changes to Other Child Nutrition Programs The New Infant Meal Pattern Overview of Changes Age Groups Birth Through Five Months Six Through Eleven Months Required Food Components in Meals for Six Through Eleven Months Old Meats and Meat Alternates Required Food Components in Snack for Six Through Eleven Months Old Grains Civil Rights Civil Rights Training Civil Rights Goals Civil Rights Requirements USDA Nondiscrimination Statement Language Translations Complaint Procedures Administrative Review (AR) i

3 Customer Service Conflict Resolution ii

4 Introduction The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) updated the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) meal patterns effective October 1, The previous meal patterns were not revised in 49 years. The new meal patterns are based upon the latest scientific research and are aligned with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommendations. Beginning October 1, 2019, ounce equivalents will be used to determine grain serving sizes in the CACFP. The purpose of this course is to: describe the new CACFP meal pattern requirements identify available resources for the new CACFP meal patterns The Child Meal Pattern and the Adult Meal Pattern The child meal pattern and the adult meal pattern are very similar. One main difference is the minimum serving size requirements for different age groups. The age groups for the new meal patterns are: one to two years old three to five years old six to twelve years old thirteen to eighteen years old In addition to the previous age groups, the new meal pattern includes a new age group for children aged thirteen through eighteen. This better reflects the characteristics of the population that the CACFP serves, such as those children receiving meals in at-risk afterschool programs and in emergency shelters. The meal pattern requirements for the thirteen through eighteen year old age group are the same as the requirements for the six through twelve year old age group. Larger serving sizes for the thirteen through eighteen year old age group are not required because meal reimbursements remain unchanged. However, it is encouraged to offer additional food to this older age group because of their increased nutritional needs. Breakfast There are three required food components for breakfast: Milk Vegetable, fruit, or both Grains 1

5 In the new meal pattern, a meat or meat alternate may be served in place of the entire grains component a maximum of three times per week. When crediting meat and meat alternates in place of grains, the ratio is one to one. Therefore, 1 ounce equivalent of meat or meat alternate is equal to 1 ounce equivalent, or one serving of grains. Example of a breakfast menu: Cheese omelet (meat alternate component, in place of grain) Fruit, and Milk In this example, the cheese omelet is served in place of a grain. If this agency wanted to offer a grain, such as toast, the meat or meat alternate would be an extra food item and would not count toward one of the three meat or meat alternate substitutions for the week. Lunch and Supper There are five required food components for lunch and supper: Milk Meat/Meat Alternates Vegetables Fruits Grains Fruits and Vegetables In the new meal pattern, fruits and vegetables are separated into their own components at lunch and supper. However, the new meal pattern allows two vegetables to be served at lunch and supper, instead of a vegetable and a fruit. This flexibility may help increase the appeal of some meals, encourage further consumption of vegetables, and reduce the amount of fruit juice offered. For example, a chicken stir fry with broccoli, carrots, and bell peppers would be allowable if it was served with milk. When two vegetables are served instead of a vegetable and fruit, it is required that two different kinds of vegetables are served. They also must be at least the same serving size as the fruit component that was replaced. Juice The new meal pattern has a limitation on the amount of juice that can be served. Fruit or vegetable juice may only be used to meet the fruit or vegetable requirement at one meal or snack per day. This limitation is based on the recommendation from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans that at least half of the fruits consumed per day should come from whole fruits. The whole fruits can be fresh, canned, frozen, or dried. While 100 percent juice can be part of a healthful diet, it lacks the dietary fiber found in whole fruits and vegetables. This rule applies to the site, not to the child. For example, if an agency has two different groups of children, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, juice 2

6 can only be served to one group of children. Juice can only be on the menu for a site once a day. Some juices come in blends or purees, like carrot orange juice. If an agency serves a juice blend or puree that contains both fruit and vegetables, the agency may credit toward either the fruit component or the vegetable component. The juice contributes to the food component that is present in the largest amount. For example, if there are more fruits than vegetables, then it would credit toward the fruit component. If there are more vegetables than fruits, then it would credit toward the vegetable component. CACFP operators will need to review the Nutrition Facts label, ingredient listing, or a recipe to determine which component is present in the largest amount. Consider this scenario. A center is serving lunch family style. On the table are turkey sandwiches, fresh sliced strawberries, milk, and orange carrot juice. This meal would be creditable if there are more carrots in the juice because the juice would count as a vegetable. The center would be offering a fruit, a vegetable, a grain, meat, and milk. If the juice contained more oranges than carrots, the juice would count as a fruit. This would not be a creditable meal because the agency is serving two fruits and no vegetables. A center must serve either one fruit and one vegetable, or two vegetables. One way to resolve this problem is to remove the juice and add a vegetable, such as carrot sticks. This is a good idea because the carrot sticks have more fiber than the juice and would not compete with the milk. Snack To be a reimbursable snack, two of the five food components must be offered. The five food components are milk, meat and meat alternates, vegetables, fruits, and grains. The snack also needs to be offered in the minimum serving size for the age of the participants. For snack, you cannot serve two vegetables as you can for lunch. Therefore, a snack of bell peppers and baby carrots is not a reimbursable snack because it only consists of one food component, vegetables. If an agency offers a third item from another component, then the snack would be reimbursable. According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, children are not eating enough fruits and vegetables. A participating CACFP agency is in a key position to encourage children to eat more fruits and vegetables. Agencies should serve a variety of fruits and vegetables. Some best practices are to make at least one of the two required components a vegetable or a fruit and serve whole fruits more than juice. Another best practice is to provide at least one serving each of dark green vegetables, red and orange vegetables, beans and peas (legumes), starchy vegetables, and other vegetables once per week. 3

7 Fluid Milk Requirements As recommended by the National Academy of Medicine, one year old children are required to be served whole, unflavored milk. For children two years old and older, milk must be low-fat or fat-free. This is consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Flavored milk is not allowed for children five years old and younger. For children six years of age and older, the CACFP allows flavored milk if it is nonfat. California has stricter standards for children of all ages enrolled in licensed child care because of the California Healthy Beverages in Child Care Act. The California Healthy Beverages in Child Care Act took effect on January 1, All licensed child care centers and homes in California must comply with it. The healthy beverages standards require that clean and safe drinking water must be readily available throughout the day, including at all meals, snacks, and play times. In CACFP, water must be made available and offered throughout the day. Staff at an agency should ask children throughout the day if they are thirsty and would like water. The second requirement in the California Healthy Beverages in Child Care Act is that no more than one serving per day of 100 percent juice should be served. The CACFP has the same restriction. The California Healthy Beverages in Child Care Act has the same requirement as the CACFP for the fat content of milk, but the California Healthy Beverages Act does not allow licensed child care agencies to serve any beverages with added sweeteners. This means that flavored milk is not allowable for children of any age in licensed child care in California. The CACFP requirements limit flavored milk to children six years of age and older. The CACFP also allows licensed child care providers to serve sweetened beverages although they do not contribute to a reimbursable meal. Centers cannot purchase sweetened beverages, other than flavored milk for children six years of age and older, with CACFP reimbursement. CACFP requirements cover all CACFP institutions in the United States, whereas, California laws pertain only to licensed child care centers and homes in California. During a CACFP program review, if flavored milk is served to children six years of age and older in licensed child care, the operator will not receive a finding. Instead, the agency will receive technical assistance that California law does not allow flavored milk, or any sweetened beverage, to be served to children in licensed child care regardless of age. Effective October 1, 2017, centers and day care home providers must document on their menus the type of milk served. This description should include the fat content of the milk and whether it is flavored or unflavored. For example, the menu should indicate that low-fat, plain milk, or 1 percent unflavored milk was served. The terms, plain milk and unflavored milk have the same meaning. An agency could also put a note at the bottom of the menu stating that all children two years of age and older are offered low- 4

8 fat, unflavored milk, and children twelve through twenty-four months are offered whole, unflavored milk. Unlicensed at-risk afterschool programs, utilizing offer versus serve for supper meals may give children six years of age and older a choice of flavored or unflavored milk. If flavored and unflavored milk are offered, the menu should reflect both types of milk offered. For example, the menu would reflect low-fat plain milk and fat-free chocolate milk. The USDA recognizes that switching immediately from whole milk to low-fat or fat-free milk when a child turns two years old may be challenging. Therefore, the USDA allows a one month transition period. Meals served to children twenty-four to twenty-five months of age that contain whole milk or reduced fat milk (2 percent milk) may be part of a reimbursable meal. The Nutrition Services Division (NSD) of the California Department of Education (CDE) has created a video that covers all aspects of the milk requirements in the CACFP for child care centers and family home providers. This video is also available in Spanish. These videos are available on the NSD CACFP New Meal Patterns Web page. The link is: These videos review topics related to milk requirements, including the type and amount of milk that is allowable, the nutritional value of different types of milk, allowable nondairy milk substitutes, medical statements, and changes in the new meal pattern related to milk. Parent Provided Food Components The new meal pattern allows a parent or guardian to supply only one component of a reimbursable meal or snack. Child care providers must provide the remaining components. In the past, a parent or guardian could supply all, except one, components and the meal or snack would be reimbursable. The USDA has changed this policy with the new meal pattern. Meat or Meat Alternates Food items in the meat or meat alternates component include lean meat, poultry, fish, tofu, cheese, egg, cooked dry beans or split peas, peanut butter, soy nut butter, or other nut or seed butters, yogurt (plain or flavored), and peanuts, soy nuts, tree nuts, or seeds. Overall, some best practices for serving meat and meat alternates include: Serve only lean meats, nuts, and legumes. Limit serving processed meats to no more than one serving per week. Serve only low-fat or reduced fat cheeses. 5

9 Tofu is a new food item that is creditable as a meat alternate for children. Tofu is a nutritious meat alternate that is low in fat and high in protein and vitamins. Allowing tofu provides more flexibility when planning menus. It better serves vegetarian diets and it allows for more diverse cultural foods. Creditable Tofu Tofu comes in a variety of forms and textures, including silken, soft, firm, and extra firm. Not all tofu is creditable. Commercial tofu and soy products, such as links and sausages, credit as a meat alternate. Commercially prepared tofu must be easily recognized by children as part of a food group that contributes to a healthy meal. It may be served in a variety of ways, such as stir-fries, omelets, and miso soup. Meat substitute products, such as links and sausages made from tofu, are also easily recognizable as meat substitutes, so are creditable as a meat alternate. The commercially prepared tofu product must meet the protein requirement of 5 grams per 2.2 ounces by weight. This is equal to 2.27 grams of protein per ounce. Processed tofu needs a Child Nutrition (CN) label or Product Formulation Statement because there may be other items besides tofu in the product. Tofu cannot be credited if it is incorporated into smoothies, or other dishes to add texture or improve nutrition, such as baked desserts. Tofu noodles also are not creditable because they are not easily recognized as a meat substitute. Homemade tofu is not creditable. Scenario A A center wants to blend a soft tofu with frozen fruit to make a smoothie. The tofu contains 5 grams of protein per 2.2 ounces, which meets the protein requirement. Is this product creditable? Answer No. The tofu in this product is not easily recognized as a meat alternate, so this item would not be creditable in the CACFP. Scenario B Look at this Nutrition Facts label. This tofu is going to be used in a stir-fry, and therefore, easily recognized as a meat substitute. Is this item creditable? 6

10 Ingredients: Water, Soybeans, Calcium Sulfate Answer Yes. A commercially prepared tofu product must meet the protein requirement of 5 grams per 2.2 ounces by weight. This converts to 2.27 grams of protein for every ounce. This Nutrition Facts label shows a serving size is 3 ounces and it contains 8 grams of protein. To find out how many grams of protein are in 1 ounce, divide 8 grams of protein by 3 ounces. This calculation equals 2.67 grams of protein in 1 ounce. This is more than the minimum requirement of 2.27 grams, so it is creditable. Scenario C Look at this Nutrition Facts Label. Is this item creditable? Answer No. To determine how many grams of protein are in 1 ounce, divide 5 grams of protein by the 3 ounce serving size. This equals 1.67 grams of protein per ounce. Because this amount is less than the 2.27 grams of protein per ounce requirement, it is not creditable. 5 grams of protein 3 ounce serving = 1.67 grams of protein per ounce Cheese Foods and Products There are changes in the new meal pattern regarding the requirements for serving cheese. Cheese food and cheese spreads are no longer creditable with the new meal patterns because of their high sodium content. If the product s label indicates that it is 7

11 imitation cheese, cheese food, or cheese product, the product is not creditable. Some of the common cheese food and cheese products that are not creditable include cheese whips, cheese with pimento, and cream cheese. Creditable Yogurt Only commercial yogurt products are creditable as a meat alternate. Homemade yogurt is not creditable. Soy yogurt is now a dairy free option. Four ounces of yogurt credits as a 1 ounce meat alternate. The new meal pattern limits the amount of sugar that can be contained in yogurt. To be creditable as a meat alternate, yogurt cannot contain more than 23 grams of sugar per 6 ounces. The USDA found that yogurts containing no more than 23 grams of sugar per 6 ounces are widely available. Many do not contain artificial sweeteners and these yogurts do not cost more than other yogurts with more sugar. The main difference between the child meal pattern and the adult meal pattern is that yogurt can be offered in place of milk once a day for adults only. Six ounces of yogurt credits towards one serving of milk. Children cannot be served yogurt in place of milk. They can only be served yogurt as a meat alternate. The following yogurt products are not creditable: Frozen yogurt Drinkable yogurt Homemade yogurt Yogurt flavored products Yogurt bars Yogurt covered fruits and nuts Yogurt in commercially prepared smoothies Go-gurt, a Yoplait product, is not a drinkable yogurt. Agencies need to read the label to make sure it is not too high in sugar to be served. There are two methods to determine whether a particular yogurt falls under the sugar limit. Method 1 is to use the USDA s Yogurt Sugar Limit Chart. 8

12 To use this method, find the serving size on the chart, either in ounces or grams. The serving sizes are listed in the first two columns. Then look in the right hand column to identify how much sugar can be in the yogurt to meet the sugar limit. For example, Product A is a yogurt with a label that shows the serving size is 4 ounces and there are 12 grams of sugar. According to the column on the right, a 4 ounce serving can contain between 0 to 15 grams of sugar. Because 12 grams is under the limit of 15 grams, this yogurt would be creditable. Method 2 involves doing a sugar limit calculation. The steps are: 1. Use the Nutrition Facts label to locate the serving size and grams of sugar. 2. Divide the grams of sugar by the serving size and compare to a sugar limit (based on either 1 ounce or 1 gram). 3. If the serving size is in grams, the limit is sugar per gram. 4. If the serving size is in ounces, the limit is 3.83 sugar per ounce. If the amount of sugar is equal to or below these sugar thresholds, then the yogurt is creditable. For example, Product B is a yogurt with a label that shows the serving size is 150 grams and there are 14 grams of sugar. Divide 14 grams of sugar by the 150 grams serving size, which is Compare the to the sugar limit of per gram. Because it is equal to or below this threshold, the yogurt is creditable. 9

13 Grains There are four basic requirements: 1. The grain component of a reimbursable meal or snack must be creditable. 2. At least one serving of grains per day must be whole grain-rich. 3. Breakfast cereals must contains no more than 6 grams of sugar per dry ounce. 4. Grain-based desserts no longer credit toward a reimbursable meal. The USDA policy memo CACFP , titled Grain Requirements in the CACFP, released on October 19, 2017, required CACFP agencies to follow the rule of three for determining whether a grain is creditable. USDA has notified the CDE that they are reconsidering this guidance and is advising state agencies to notify centers and homes not to follow the rule of three, but instead follow the previous method for determining whether a grain is creditable. The previous guidance for determining whether a grain is creditable is to check if the first ingredient is either whole grain, enriched grain, bran, or germ. Breakfast cereals that are fortified are also creditable. Enriched Grains Enrichment means that the grain has certain B vitamins and iron added back to the grain after it was processed. The grain is enriched if the product includes any of the following: The food label on the package states that it is enriched. There is a sub-list of nutrients such as iron, or B vitamins, in the ingredient list. Folic acid, riboflavin, niacin, and thiamin are all B vitamins. When these vitamins and iron are on a label, it is considered enriched. For example, the ingredients may be listed as: whole wheat flour, yellow corn flour (folic acid, riboflavin, niacin, thiamin, iron). This would indicate that the yellow corn flour has been enriched with these nutrients. Whole Grains A grain is also creditable if the first grain is a whole grain. Some common whole grains are: Cracked wheat or crushed wheat Whole wheat flour Graham flour Rolled oats (oatmeal), including old fashioned, quick cooking, and instant oatmeal 10

14 Brown rice or wild rice Quinoa Test your knowledge by answering the following two questions. Question 1 A grain is creditable if: A. The first grain ingredient is whole grain B. The first grain ingredient contains enriched grain C. The first grain ingredient is bran or germ D. A&B E. All of the above Answer The correct answer is E. The first grain ingredient can be whole or enriched grain, bran, or germ. Question 2 True or False? USDA no longer requires agencies to follow the rule of three for determining whether a grain is creditable. Answer The correct answer is A, true. The rule of three for determining whether a grain is creditable required a review of the first three grain ingredients. The rule of three no longer applies. Now, only the first grain ingredient needs to be reviewed. New Meal Pattern Requirement for Grains The new CACFP meal pattern requires that at least one serving of grains per day must be whole grain-rich. The USDA has defined a food item to be whole grain-rich if it contains: 100 percent whole grain, or At least 50 percent of the grain ingredients in the food are whole grain and the remaining grains in the food are enriched. In the grain requirement policy memo CACFP issued by the USDA on October 19, 2017, the USDA provided four methods to determine if a grain product meets the whole grain-rich criteria. Method 1 The food is labeled as whole wheat. In December 2017, the USDA notified the CDE that this first method can still be used but it is currently under review. Therefore, it may 11

15 change in the future. Remember, the previous guidance for determining whether a grain is creditable is to check if the first ingredient is either whole grain, enriched grain, bran, or germ. The USDA recognizes that products labeled as whole wheat may be problematic because there is no standard of identity for the term whole wheat. Some grains that are in a product labeled whole wheat may contain grains in significant amounts that are not creditable. If a label indicates that the product is whole wheat, entire wheat bread, whole wheat rolls, entire wheat rolls, or whole wheat buns, the food item is considered whole grain-rich. Method 2 The whole grain is listed as the first ingredient on the food s ingredient list and the next two grain ingredients are whole grain, enriched grain, bran, or germ. This method of determining whether a grain is whole grain-rich is called the rule of three. Currently, USDA is not considering changing this method for determining whether a grain is whole grain-rich. If an ingredient list meets the rule of three, the food item would be considered whole grain-rich. Method 3 Note: This rule of three is different than the rule of three for determining whether a grain is creditable for which the USDA no longer requires agencies to comply. The product has one of two Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved whole grain health claims on its packaging. The two health claims are: Diets rich in whole grain foods and other plant foods and low in total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol, may help reduce the risk of heart disease and certain cancers. Diets rich in whole grain foods and other plant foods, and low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may help reduce the risk of heart disease. 12

16 These health claims can be found on cereals and breads. However, these health claims are optional. If a product does not contain one of these health claims, reading the ingredient list on the label would be necessary. Method 4 Proper documentation to demonstrate that whole grains are the primary grain ingredient by weight. For example, a standardized recipe or a manufacturer statement would indicate this. Whole grains may not be the first ingredient, but if there are multiple whole grain ingredients in the product, the combined weight of whole grains may be more than the weight of other ingredients, which would make it whole grain-rich. All grains that are in products with a CN label are whole grain-rich. If the minimum serving size for the grain component is served to a specific age group of a grain product with a CN label, the whole grain-rich requirement is automatically met. One ounce equivalent of grain is equal to one serving of grain. Ready-to-Eat Breakfast Cereals Ready-to-eat breakfast cereals have a slightly different definition of creditable and whole grain-rich. Ready-to-eat breakfast cereals that are fortified are creditable. Fortified means that vitamins or minerals have been added to the cereal that were not originally in the cereal. Cereal products that are fortified are labeled as such and have an ingredient statement that shows what vitamins and minerals have been added. A ready-to-eat breakfast fortified cereal is whole grain-rich if the first ingredient, or second ingredient after water, is a whole grain. You do not have to follow the rule of three for ready-to-eat breakfast cereals. Whole Grain Council Stamps Some products display the Basic Whole Grain Stamp, which means they contain at least 8 grams of whole grain or more per serving. This is not a method that is used to determine if an item is whole grain-rich. Staff will need to read the ingredients to make sure the grain meets one of the four methods for determining a whole grain-rich item. 13

17 Whole Grain-Rich Foods in Meals The new meal pattern requires that at least one meal or snack must include a whole grain-rich food each day. This requirement is for the site, not for each child. If a whole grain-rich item is offered at breakfast, and some children do not eat breakfast, the requirement is still met. Not all children must be offered a whole grain-rich food. Only the site needs to offer a whole grain-rich food each day. If an agency only serves one meal, such as breakfast, then the grain served must be whole grain-rich. If an agency serves breakfast, lunch, and snack, then staff can choose at which meal to serve a whole grain-rich item. If an agency serves snacks only and a grain is offered, it must be whole grain-rich. However, because a grain is not required to be served at snack, if a grain is not served, there would not have to be a whole grainrich item that day. Test Your Knowledge Review this label to determine if the product is creditable and whole grain-rich. Ingredients: Water, Whole Grain Parboiled Brown Rice, Whole Grain Red Rice, Wild Rice, Canola and/or Sunflower Oil, Seasoning Blend [Hydrolyzed Soy Corn Protein, Hydrolyzed Soy Wheat Gluten Protein, Yeast Extract, Sugar Garlic Powder, Sea Salt, Potassium Chloride, Onion*, Salt, Parsley*, Torula Yeast, Spinach*, Spices, Celery Stalk and Leaf*, Natural Smoke Flavor, Extractive of Paprika (color), Natural Flavors]. *Dehydrated. This is a pouch of brown and wild rice. Looking at the ingredient list, the first grain ingredient after water is whole grain parboiled brown rice. If the first grain ingredient is 14

18 whole grain or enriched grain, it is creditable. Because the first grain ingredient is a whole grain, this rice is creditable for the grain component. The rule of three can be used to determine if a product meets the definition of whole grain-rich. In the rule of three, the first ingredient must be whole grain and the next two ingredients must be whole or enriched grains, bran, or germ. The first ingredient of this food item is whole grain parboiled brown rice. The next two grain ingredients are whole grain red rice and wild rice. Wild rice is a whole grain and red rice specifically states that it is a whole grain, this product is considered whole grain-rich and could be served to meet the requirement of one whole grain-rich item served per day. It is a best practice to provide at least two servings of whole grain-rich items per day. Compliance with Grain Requirements The CDE requires centers and family child care providers to document which item on their menu meets the whole grain-rich item for the day. There is no specific language to use. Staff could write whole wheat bread or just put whole grain-rich after the menu item. As a best practice, some centers serve only whole grain-rich foods and have a statement at the bottom of their menu that all grains are whole grain-rich. Breakfast Cereal Sugar Limits Breakfast cereals are a source of added sugar. The new meal pattern has a limit on the amount of sugar that a breakfast cereal can contain for it to be creditable. Breakfast cereals include ready-to-eat, instant, and regular hot cereals. Breakfast cereals may not have more than 6 grams of sugar per dry ounce. This is equivalent to 21.2 grams of sugar per 100 grams of dry cereals to be offered in the CACFP. This number is the threshold by which to compare if cereals meet the sugar limit. There are several methods for determining whether a breakfast cereal meets the sugar limit. Method 1 Use the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) approved shopping guide for breakfast cereals. Contact your local WIC office and request copies of their WIC approved shopping list. Method 2 Refer to USDA s Team Nutrition Worksheet titled Choose Breakfast Cereals That Are Lower in Sugar. This worksheet is located on the USDA s Team Nutrition Web page. The link is Use this table below to determine whether the amount of sugar in the cereal meets the allowable threshold for sugar. 15

19 For example, a cereal has a serving size of 30 grams and it has 5 grams of sugar. Looking at this chart, a serving size of 26 to 30 grams may contain up to 6 grams of sugar. Because the 5 grams of sugar is fewer than the limit, the amount of sugar in the cereal would be allowable. It is important to note that the grains in the cereal would still need to be creditable as well. Method 3 Use the Nutrition Facts label, complete a calculation, and compare the answer to the sugar limit per gram. This method is similar to the one used to determine whether a yogurt meets the sugar limit. Here are the steps of Method 3 using the following sample Nutrition Facts label: 1. Find the serving size. This Nutrition Facts label shows a serving size of 28 grams. 2. Find the number of grams of sugars. The labels shows 1 gram of sugar per serving. 3. Complete a simple calculation. Divide the grams of sugar by the grams in the serving size. In this example, 1 gram of sugar would be divided by the 28 grams of cereal. This equals

20 4. Compare the answer with the limit of sugar per gram of cereal. The sugar limit is A number less than or equal to means the cereal has less than 6 grams of sugar per dry ounce. This cereal is creditable because is less than or equal to the sugar limit per gram of Grain-Based Desserts Grain-based desserts are no longer allowed to count toward the grain component in any meal or snack. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend reducing sugars and saturated fats. The new meal patterns were designed to better align with these guidelines. Initially when the new meal pattern was released, graham crackers and animal crackers were not creditable as a grain because they are sweet crackers and categorized as grain-based desserts. Because these items are so popular, the USDA revised this policy in June 2017 to allow sweet crackers to be served as a grain component. Graham crackers and animal crackers, which are sweet crackers, are creditable grains. Exhibit A in the Food Buying Guide (FBG) is an agency s reference for identifying which food items are considered grain-based desserts. All grain-based desserts include all items with superscripts 3 and 4. Some grain-based desserts include: Breakfast bars Brownies Cakes Cereal bars Cookies Doughnuts Granola bars Sweet pie crusts Sweet rolls Toaster pastries Granola bars are on the list of grain-based desserts. Granola cereal with 6 grams of sugar or less per dry ounce is still creditable. Granola bars are not creditable because they are listed as grain-based desserts in the FBG. Prior to October 1, 2019, the Exhibit A for CACFP will be different than the Exhibit A in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and the School Breakfast Program (SBP). After October 1, 2019, the CACFP will use the same Exhibit A as the NSLP and SBP. At that time, ounce equivalents will be required in the CACFP. The FBG, which includes Exhibit A, is now Web-based and is being updated. For more information, visit the USDA FBG Web page. The Web address is: 17

21 The USDA also has a mobile app for the FBG. It is currently only available at the Apple store, but they are working on one for Google Play for Androids. For annual birthday celebrations and other special events, grain-based desserts may be served, but only as extra items. These types of food items are not part of a reimbursable meal. Grain-based desserts should not be purchased with reimbursement from the CACFP. Test Your Knowledge Question 1 Are homemade granola bars or other homemade grain-based desserts allowed? Answer No. Homemade and commercially prepared grain-based desserts cannot count toward the grain component in the CACFP. There are no exceptions to allow a grain-based dessert to count toward the grain component, including the place of preparation or the preparation method. Question 2 Are quick breads, such as banana bread and zucchini bread, still allowed? Answer Yes. Quick breads are credited in the same group as muffins under Group D in Exhibit A of the FBG. Both may continue to contribute toward the grain component. Although quick breads are a creditable grain, child care staff should keep in mind that these grain items often contain a lot of sugar and should not be served daily. Question 3 If syrup, honey, jam, or other sweet toppings are served with pancakes or waffles (not grain-based desserts, according to Exhibit A in the FBG), are they then considered grain-based desserts? Answer No. Adding a sweet topping, such as syrup to pancakes or waffles, does not make them grain-based desserts. They can continue to be counted toward the grain component. However, USDA strongly encourages centers and day care homes to explore healthier alternatives for toppings, such as fruit or yogurt. Minimizing sweet toppings will help reduce children s consumption of added sugars. When sugars are added to foods and beverages to sweeten them, calories are added without contributing essential nutrients. 18

22 Ounce Equivalent for Grains Regarding changes to the grains requirements in the CACFP, the final rule requires that CACFP uses ounce equivalents to determine the minimum serving sizes for the grains requirement. This however, will not go into effect until October 1, The NSD will provide training on determining ounce equivalents prior to that time. Water Prior to the new meal pattern, child care providers were required to make water available to children upon request throughout the day. The new meal pattern goes a step further and requires child care staff to offer water to children throughout the day. The reason for adding the requirement to offer water is that some CACFP participants, such as toddlers, cannot verbally communicate or do not know how to ask for water. Water does not need to be offered at mealtime. It should never be served in place of milk. A good time to offer water is with snacks, when no other beverage is offered. It is also a good time to offer water during or after physical activity, on hot summer days, or during cold winter months when the air is drier because of indoor heating. Water is not part of the reimbursable meal. Bottled water is an allowable cost for child care centers if the center has justification that the drinking water is unsafe. If a drinking fountain is available in afterschool programs, the requirement to offer water throughout the day is met. The new meal pattern requirements to offer water throughout the day is for children. It is a best practice, but not required, to offer and make water available to adults throughout the day. Deep Fat Frying The new child meal pattern does not allow deep fat frying when foods are self-prepared. Deep fat frying means the food is submerged in oil and fried. Some examples are fried tortillas, fried chicken, and traditional French fries. Stir-fried foods, however, where foods items are not submerged in oil, are allowable. Meals that are obtained from a store or are delivered by a vendor may contain food items that are deep fat fried. However, agencies or homes may not reheat these items by deep fat frying. It is a best practice to limit serving purchased, pre-fried foods to no more than one serving per week. Deep fat frying is not allowed for any food items when prepared at the center, a central kitchen, or in the home. Meal Service The new meal pattern also addresses how food is served, not just what foods are served. Child care staff are encouraged to serve meals family style rather than pre- 19

23 plated. Offer versus serve is now allowed in at-risk afterschool programs. The NSD has created two videos, one titled Family Style Meal Service in the CACFP and the other, Offer Versus Serve in the CACFP. Both of these videos can be found on the CDE New Meal Patterns Web page. The link is Lastly, the new meal patterns prohibit the use of food and beverages as a reward or punishment. Family Style Meal Service Family style meal service is a simple concept. It is the way many families eat at home. Family style meal service allows children and adults to serve themselves from common serving bowls and platters of food. The picture above was taken at the Phoenix School, a CACFP center in Sacramento, CA. It is a good example of family style meal service. The supervising adult is sitting with the children and eating with them, too. (A supervising adult is the adult assisting or eating with the children.) In family style meal service, there will be different amounts of food on each plate and a pitcher of milk from which the children can pour. The children in the picture are four years old and have adequate pouring skills. When serving preschool or younger children, the use of child-size serving bowls, serving utensils, and pitchers make family style dining much more enjoyable for the children and supervising adults. Children also enjoy brightly colored cups, plates, and serving dishes. There are many benefits of family style meal service. Family style dining contributes to a more relaxed atmosphere for children and adults and it allows them to socialize while dining. Children learn to use polite requests, such as, Please pass the spaghetti. Family style dining also helps children develop fine motor skills. Learning a new skill may be challenging at first, but in time the children will become experts. The children s skills will continue to get better the more they are able to practice. Letting children learn how to pour milk and have the feeling of accomplishment are important. 20

24 Family style dining also includes positive peer pressure. When children see other children eating a new food, they are most likely to try it, too. Unlike other types of meal services, meals served family style allow children to have control over what they serve themselves. This allows for a slow introduction of new foods, tastes, and menus. Family style dining also supports Ellyn Satter s division of responsibility for feeding children. Ellyn Satter is a well-known dietitian and author of several books, including Child of Mine: Feeding with Love and Good Sense and Secrets of Feeding a Healthy Family. Satter believes that successful feeding requires the following division of responsibility: (1) adults determine what, when, and where to feed and (2) the child is responsible for how much and whether or not to eat. In the CACFP, parents and providers are responsible for what food they serve to children and when and where they serve it. Children in the centers and day care homes are responsible for how much of that food they eat and whether they eat any of it at all. Mealtime should be an enjoyable experience, not a battle. The minimum amount of food required by the meal pattern for each person eating must be on the table. If a supervising adult is participating in the meal, which is highly recommended, there must be enough food for that person, as well. The following chart shows the new meal pattern requirements for vegetables and fruit at lunch and supper. The minimum quantity of food that must be on the table for each child differs depending upon the child s age. For example, there must be at least ¼ cup of fruit and ¼ cup of vegetables for each child aged three to five at the table. Test Your Knowledge Scenario There are three children aged three to five at the table and one supervising adult who is also eating at the table with the children. The minimum serving size of fruit for this age group is ¼ cup. The child care agency is serving sliced apples to meet the fruit component. What is the minimum amount of sliced apples that must be on the table? 21

25 Answer The answer is one cup. One-fourth cup is the minimum serving size. When multiplying ¼ cup by four servings, the answer is one cup. The adult eating at the table must be counted, otherwise, there would not be at least ¼ cup for each of the children. The minimum amount for the supervising adult eating at the table is the same serving size as the children. A best practice is to have supervising adults eat with the children, but this is not required. If there is more than one table of children eating, there may be more than one supervising adult eating. The supervising adult will model the appropriate serving size for the children at the table. Centers can create a policy which limits the serving size for the supervising adult to the serving size of the children at the table. This is recommended, but not required. Ideally, this is not the teacher s full lunch, but rather a teaching opportunity for the children. Even if the supervising adults are not eating with the children, they must actively encourage the children or adults to serve themselves the full required portion of each food component in the meal pattern. The bowls can be passed around the table a second time to encourage children or adults to serve themselves the full portion. Children and adults must be allowed to serve themselves. Supervising adults actively encourage each child and adult to serve themselves the full required portion of each food component. In this picture, the child is serving herself a mixture of pretzels, crackers, and ready-to-eat cereal for the grain component for a snack. The other component is a banana. The center also served water. The supervising adult has given the child a ¼ cup scoop to encourage the minimum amount outlined in the meal pattern. Younger children will need assistance from the supervising adult when serving meals family style. They may need help while learning to pass, pour, and serve their own food. A center or day care home may choose to have children start by serving themselves one food item while the supervising adult acts as a model and serves the rest of the food items. 22

26 Allow time for children to practice these skills. The supervising adult should assist as needed. When the child s hand is on the handle of a pitcher of milk, the child can decide how much milk to pour into the cup. If the supervising adult pours the milk or pre-plates any food component for the child without assistance from the child, it is required to serve the minimum amount required in the meal pattern for the child s age. If the supervising adult eats with the children, the center should include the supervising adult s meal count in the Menu Production Record. Only a child size portion is required for the supervising adult when preparing meals for children. Child and adult centers must document they are preparing enough food for all children or adults eating at the table and for the supervising adult. Family home providers are not required to complete Menu Production Records. The word adult on this Menu Production Record for child care centers refers to the number of supervising adults eating with the children. If the Menu Production Record is for an adult day care center, the adults would be the adults in care as well as any supervising adults eating with them. Although centers and homes may use their reimbursement funds to purchase and prepare meals for the supervising adult who eats with the children or adults, center and homes cannot claim the meals for reimbursement. Changes to Other Child Nutrition Programs The final rule also impacts other child nutrition programs (CNPs). It revises the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program meal patterns for children zero through four years old to reflect the CACFP s new meal patterns. Effective October 1, there will be one universal meal pattern across the CNPs. This is especially helpful for the prekindergarten classes at school sites as these changes increase consistency among CNPs to ensure that all preschool age children receive the same nutritious meals. USDA Policy Memo SP (Flexibility with Comingled Preschool Meals): For preschools served separately, they must follow this new prekindergarten meal pattern. 23

27 For preschools served at the same time and in the same location (comingled), schools may serve one single menu (for example: K to 5 meal pattern) to preschoolers and elementary students. Schools that serve prekindergarten children have a new meal pattern to follow if the prekindergarten children are served separately from older children. It is called the NSLP or SBP prekindergarten meal pattern. Summary A new age group was added for thirteen through eighteen year olds. New standards for milk: o Children between one and two years old must be served whole milk. o Flavored milk may only be served to children six years of age and older. Tofu is creditable for children as a meat and meat alternate when it is recognizable as a meat. Fruit and vegetables are two separate components at lunch, supper, and snack. All grains must be creditable and one whole grain-rich food is required per day. No grain-based desserts are allowed. There are sugar limits for yogurt and breakfast cereals. Deep fat frying is not allowable for foods prepared on site. Child care staff are encouraged to serve meals family style. Offer versus serve is only allowed for children participating in the at-risk afterschool program settings. There is one universal meal pattern for prekindergarten children. The USDA is allowing a transition period for the first year of the new meal pattern where state agencies and sponsoring organizations must provide technical assistance in lieu of fiscal action when they observe violations related to the updated meal pattern requirements. As long as child care centers and day care homes are making a good faith effort to comply with the updated requirements, meals cannot be disallowed. Child care centers and day care homes cannot be found seriously deficient when meals fall short of the updated CACFP meal patterns during this transition period. This is good news for agencies with a review scheduled through September 30, If an agency has a review on or after October 1, 2018 and is not compliant with the new meal pattern requirements, fiscal action will occur. 24