CACFP
Tools of the Trade Training
West Virginia Department of Education
Office of Child Nutrition
Purpose
 Review how to credit foods to the CACFP Meal
Pattern utilizing the following resources:
‒ Crediting Foods Guide
‒ Food Buying Guide
‒ Grains/Breads Chart
Handouts
Grains/Breads Chart
Food Buying Guide page 1-16 (Gr. Beef)
Meal Pattern Requirements
Crediting Foods
 Foods are determined to be creditable based upon
the following:
‒ Nutrient content;
‒ Customary function in a meal;
‒ Compliance with USDA and WV Leap of Taste standards/
regulations governing the Child Nutrition Programs; and
‒ Compliance with FDA’s Standards of Identity.
Non-Creditable Foods
Non-creditable or “other” foods are those that do not
count toward CACFP meal pattern requirements.
 Supply extra calories; or
 Contribute additional protein, vitamins and minerals; or
 Add color, taste, texture to improve acceptability of meal.
Creditable vs. Non-Creditable
Creditable Foods
Non-Creditable Foods
 Foods that may be counted
toward meeting meal
pattern requirements for a
reimbursable meal.
 Foods that do not meet the
criteria for creditable foods
and therefore do not count
toward meeting meal
pattern requirements.
Crediting Foods Guide
 Each meal component
section includes:
– General overview;
– Listing of foods (and
whether they are creditable
or not); and
– Q&A
General Overview
Creditable
Food
Comments
Yes
No
Listing of Foods
Child Nutrition (CN) Labels
 The CN Label states a product’s contribution toward
the CACFP meal pattern requirements;
 When products are combinations of ingredients,
such as chicken nuggets or pizza, there is no method
to weigh and measure the ingredients to determine
the amount of M/MA, F/V and/or G/B that may be
credited;
 CN labels provide this necessary crediting
information.
Five .88oz breaded fully cooked chicken nuggets (2.43 oz
Total) provide 2.00 oz equivalent meat/meat alternate and
1.00 serving bread alternate for Child Nutrition Meal
Pattern Requirements.
Q&A
Crediting Foods
 Summary
‒ Determine the meal component category the food
item would fall under;
‒ Look up the particular food (yes or no?);
‒ Read the comments section for pertinent
additional information; and
‒ Refer to the WV Leap of Taste Standards
Food Buying Guide
Food Buying Guide
 Column Headings
‒
‒
‒
‒
‒
‒
Column 1: Food as purchased, AP
Column 2: Purchase unit
Column 3: Servings per purchase unit
Column 4: Serving size per meal contribution
Column 5: Purchase units for 100 servings
Column 6: Additional information
Column 1
Food As Purchased,
AP
Column 2
Purchase Unit
Column 3
Servings per
Purchase Unit, EP
Column 4
Servings Size per
Meal Contribution
Column 5
Purchase Units for
100 Servings
Column 6
Additional
Information
FBG Classroom Activity
 A Room to Grow Child Care Center
enrollment:
– One and two year olds : 10
– Three to five year olds : 8
– Six to twelve year olds : 10
 This center serves three meals a day,
breakfast, lunch and afternoon snack.
FBG Classroom Activity
 Breakfast at A Room to Grow CC
The center is planning to serve fruit cocktail in the
following amounts to meet breakfast meal pattern
requirements:
– One and two yr. olds:
¼ c.
– Three to five yr. olds:
½ c.
– Six to twelve yr. olds:
½ c.
FBG Classroom Activity
FBG Classroom Activity
FBG Classroom Activity
 Lunch at A Room to Grow CC
For lunch the center is planning to serve hamburgers in
the following amounts to meet the meal pattern
requirements:
– One and two 2 yr. olds: 1 oz.
– Three to five yr. olds:
1.5 oz.
– Six to twelve yr. olds:
2 oz.
FBG Classroom Activity
Section 3: Grains/Breads
Snack Classroom Activity
 Snack at A Room to Grow CC
For snack the center is planning to serve the
following amounts to meet the meal pattern
requirements for grains/breads:
– One and two yr. olds:
½ serving
– Three to five year olds:
½ serving
– Six to twelve yr. olds:
1 serving
Snack Classroom Activity
Enriched Flour ( Wheat Flour, Niacin,
Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate
[Vitamin B1], Riboflavin [Vitamin B2], Folic
Acid), Sugar, Soybean Oil, High Fructose
Corn Syrup, Salt, Baking Soda (Leavening),
Soy Lecithin (An Emulsifier), Natural Flavor,
Spice (Nutmeg and Mace).
Snack Classroom Activity
Cracker label indicates: 16 crackers weigh 30 grams;
To determine weight per cracker: 30 divided by 16 = 1.875 grams;
1-5 yr. olds: require ½ serving for snack (11 grams on gr/breads chart)
11 grams divided by 1.875 grams = 5.86 crackers; round up to 6
crackers;
6-12 yr. olds: require 1 serving for snack (22 grams on gr/breads chart)
22 grams divided by 1.875 grams = 11.73 crackers.;
Round up to 12 crackers.
Snack Classroom Activity
Unbleached Enriched Flour (Wheat Flour,
Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine
Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin
(Vitamin B2), Folic Acid), Sugar, Soybean
Oil, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Partially
Hydrogenated Cottonseed Oil, Whey
(From Milk), Eggs, Natural and Artificial
Flavor, Salt, Leavening (Baking Soda
and/or Calcium Phosphate), Emulsifiers
(Mono- and Diglycerides, Soy Lecithin).
Snack Classroom Activity
Vanilla wafer label indicates: 8 cookies weigh 30 grams;
To determine weight per cookie: 30 divided by 8 = 3.75 grams;
1-5 yr. olds: require ½ serving for snack (17 grams on gr/breads chart)
17 grams divided by 3.75 grams = 4.53 cookies;
Round up to 5 cookies;
6-12 yr. olds: require 1 serving for snack (34 grams on gr/breads chart)
34 grams divided by 3.75 grams = 9.07 cookies;
Round up to 10 cookies.
Any Questions?
West Virginia Department of Education
Office of Child Nutrition
Building 6, Room 248
1900 Kanawha Boulevard, East
Charleston, West Virginia 25305-0330
(304) 558-2708
http://wvde.state.wv.us/nutrition/