CACFP Meal Pattern-Fruits and Vegetables
Sometimes thinking of new fruits and vegetables ideas for the daycare menu can get in a rut. Here is a list of a ton of ideas to choose from.
CACFP Meal Pattern-Fruits and Vegetables
The serving sizes for breakfast are:
Fruit and/or vegetable or juice Ages 1-2 1/4 cup, Ages 3-5 1/2 cup, Ages 6-12 1/2 cup
Serving sizes for lunch are:
Fruit and/or vegetable or two vegetables must TOTAL Ages 1-2 1/4 cup, Ages 3-5 1/2 cup, and Ages 6-12 3/4 cup
Serving sizes for snack are:
Fruit and/or vegetable or juice Ages 1-2 1/2 cup, Ages 3-5 1/2 cup, Ages 6-12 3/4 cup
Fruit or vegetable juice must be full-strength, 100% juice. All fruit juices must be pasteurized. Juice and milk may not be served at snack as the two components, only one or the other.
Two forms of the same fruit or vegetable served at the same meal cannot count toward the requirement of two or more different fruits and/or vegetables. For example, if apple juice and applesauce are served, an additional and different fruit and/or vegetable must be served. This requirement is intended to provide the variety of fruits and vegetables needed for healthful growth.
Cooked, dry beans or peas may be counted either as a vegetable or as a meat alternate but not as both in the same meal.
Cooked, dry beans or peas may be counted either as a vegetable or as a meat alternate but not as both in the same meal.
CACFP Creditable Food Guide
For more food program menu inspiration, check out CACFP Meal Pattern articles about meeting the whole grain requirement and meats and meat alternates. Also, don’t forget to read about how to plan a daycare menu as well as breakfast, lunch, and snack ideas highlighted above.
Daycare menu ideas
Canned creditable fruit
According to CACFP: Home-Canned Foods. Foods that are canned in the home or by institutions that are not under federal inspection. For safety reasons, home-canned foods are not allowed in meals reimbursed under the CACFP. Clostridium botulinum is dangerous and can produce a deadly toxin in canned food. This poison can be present even when there is no evidence of spoilage.
Obviously, we can still serve canned fruits and vegetables from the store. That really doesn’t make a whole lot of sense because food is recalled all the time, but hey, that’s the rule, so we’ll do it.
Pineapple
Berries
Peaches
Fruit Cocktail
Pears
Mandarin Oranges
Grapefruit
Applesauce
Mango
Mixed Tropical Fruit
Cherries
Cranberry sauce
Prunes
Apples
Plums
Rhubarb
100% Juice (limited)
Frozen fruit for CACFP menu
Frozen, dehydrated, and fresh fruits and vegetables often retain more nutrients than canned, so I like to stick to mostly these options. Canned fruits and vegetables do store for a long time and are easy to store without using power, so there are benefits to all kinds of fruit and vegetable options.
Berries
Mixed Fruit
Strawberries and Bananas
Fruit Salad Blend
Mangos
Pineapple
Peaches
Papaya
100% juice (limited)
Dried fruit for the food program
Snack chips such as banana, fruit, vegetable, and potato chips may not be credited as a fruit or vegetable. However, 100% dried fruits or vegetables are creditable based on the volume served.
Dried fruits are a great option because they keep for a long time, but don’t lose as many nutrients as canned fruits in the process of preserving them. They taste great, like little pieces of candy, and most kids love things like raisins and dried cherries. (We call them big raisins).
Raisins
Apricots
Prunes
Cranberries
Apples
Bananas
Cantaloupe
Cherries
Cranberries
Currants
Dates
Figs
Berries
Papaya
Peach
Kiwi
Mango
Pear
Persimmons
Pineapple
Fresh fruit to serve to kids
(this list is not all of the options, but a good variety to spark your thinking)
Kids love fresh fruit and serving fresh fruits and vegetables is always a good option. It means less cooking for you and less clean up. Fresh fruits and vegetables also produce more digestive enzymes when people eat them so they help you digest the rest of your food better. I always think fresh is best.
Berries
Cranberry Sauce or Relish
Kiwi Fruit
Bananas
Apples
Oranges
Grapes
Peaches
Watermelon
Mangoes
Papaya
Pineapple
Pears
Apricots
Cuties
Plums
Grapefruit
Rambutan
Cantaloupe
Honeydew Melon
Pomegranates
Star Fruit
Dragon Fruit
Nectarines
Fruit Salad
100% Juice (limited)
Canned creditable vegetables
Canned vegetables come in a huge variety, they are versatile, and are usually already somewhat seasoned. They are easy to store and store for a long time. Canned vegetables are probably the most convenient to have on hand.
Beans
Olives
Pickles
Pizza Sauce
Salsa
Soups, Canned, Condensed, or Ready-To-Serve (minestrone, tomato, tomato with other basic components such as rice and vegetable, and vegetable with basic components such as meat and poultry)
1 cup of reconstituted or ready-to-serve soup will yield ¼ cup vegetable
Spaghetti Sauce (tomato sauce)
Vegetable Juice Blends
Corn
Peas
Carrots
Potatoes
Asparagus
Tomatoes
Refried Beans
Artichoke Hearts
Mixed Vegetables
Beets
Pumpkin
Yams
Mushrooms
Onions
Mixed greens
Spinach
Hominy
Frozen vegetables for CACFP menu
Many of the same vegetables that come canned are also available frozen. There are some vegetables that aren’t very good canned that freeze well such as broccoli, so you may be able to find more variety in the frozen section.
Potatoes, fries, tater tots, hash browns, etc.
Frozen Soups (minestrone, tomato, tomato with other basic components such as rice and vegetable, and vegetable with basic components such as meat and poultry) 1 cup of reconstituted or ready-to-serve soup will yield ¼ cup vegetable
Mixed vegetables
Broccoli
Corn
Green Beans
Peas
Peppers
Cauliflower
Carrots
Brussel sprouts
Asparagus
Spinach
Greens
Sweet potatoes
Beans
Okra
Squash
Mushrooms
Dehydrated vegetables for the food program
Dried vegetables have all the convenience for storage of canned, but retain a bit more nutrition than canned vegetables. Of course, you would probably have to reconstitute them in some way for serving, unlike dehydrated fruits which are more likely ready to eat.
Potatoes
Soup Mixes, must have at least 1 /8 cup vegetable per serving. Determine the volume by rehydrating the soup according to manufacturer’s instructions. Heat, and then separate the vegetables from noodles, rice, etc. and measure volume. Measurements must be recorded for each brand and type of soup and maintained on file.
Peppers
Celery
Spinach
Greens (We make our own green powder in summer from the garden and then sprinkle it in food throughout the winter. It looks like herbs, so the kids don’t notice it and it doesn’t change the taste but adds some nutrients to the meals)
Peas
Carrots
Tomatoes
Mixed vegetables
Fresh vegetables to serve to kids
I don’t see people serving a whole lot of fresh vegetables raw in daycare homes, but sometimes the fresh foods available are far more economical than processed foods. Especially when you buy things that are in season you can usually save a bundle. You can serve them raw or cook them up into something wonderful for your meal pattern.
Coleslaw
Bean Sprouts, Cooked
Beans
Potatoes
Mustard Greens
Pizza Sauce
Potatoes and Potato Skins
Salsa
Soups (minestrone, tomato, tomato with other basic components such as rice and vegetable, and vegetable with basic components such as meat and poultry)
Spaghetti Sauce (tomato sauce)
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery
Cucumber
Radishes
Tomatoes
Asparagus
Broccoli
Brussel sprouts
Cabbage
Greens
Kale
Spinach
Okra
Parsnips
Sweet potatoes
Winter Squash
Summer Squash
Turnips
Peas
Peppers
Pumpkin
Beets
Vegetable Juice
Lettuce
Mushrooms
Artichokes
Celery
Sometimes we get in a rut with what we serve on our nutrition programs, but looking over a list of possibilities can spark more creativity and get us out of the routine. If you’re like me and you’ve been serving food on the food program for over 20 years, you might get tired of making, serving, and eating the same meal patterns over and over again. Maybe this can inspire you and help you out.
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