Meal Pattern Minute: Cottage Cheese

When it comes to planning nutritious, balanced meals for children in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), providers are always on the lookout for versatile, affordable, and kid-friendly ingredients. One food that may come to mind is cottage cheese. It’s creamy, packed with protein, and easy to serve. But is cottage cheese creditable in the CACFP? And if it is creditable, how much do you need to serve and what meal component does it credit towards? 

Get the answer to all these questions in this Meal Pattern Minute as Isabel Ramos-Lebron, MS, RDN, LD, breaks it down. Below you will find more insights, a helpful script, and valuable resources to support your CACFP success. 

The answer is yes. Cottage cheese credits as a meat alternate in the CACFP. So how do you credit cottage cheese? If you serve ¼ cup serving of cottage cheese, this would equal out to 1 oz eq of meats/meat alternates. Some great ideas on how to use cottage cheese is to pair it with fruit as part of a snack or you can mix it into a yogurt dip and pair it with some veggie sticks. 

For more information on cottage cheese, refer to these resources:

• Review the USDA Crediting Meats/Meat Alternates in the Child Nutrition Programs Tip Sheet, where cottage cheese and other common creditable meats/meat alternates are listed. The tip sheet provides what is creditable and how much to serve to credit. For cottage cheese, if you serve 2 ounces (1/4 cup), this credits as a 1 oz equivalent meat alternate. 
• Need more information on crediting various meats/meat alternates? The Crediting Handbook for CACFP provides you with a table of foods that are and are not creditable in the CACFP, including cottage cheese. 
• Add cottage cheese to your menu during snack time! Cottage cheese pairs well with fruit, vegetables, and whole grains. Pair cottage cheese with one of the foods listed below to make a complete snack:. 
  • Pineapple 
  • Banana 
  • Cherry tomatoes 
  • Cucumbers 
  • Whole grain crackers 
  • Whole wheat pita bread 
• Cottage cheese can also be made into a dip! Try Tamir’s Pizza Party Dip and pair with your favorite vegetable or grain. 

Want to share this video on Facebook? Click here, and then you'll find three icons along the right side of the screen. Click on the arrow, and you'll be able to choose whether you want to share it to your feed or to a group. You can also include a short note about why this Meal Pattern Minute is so important! Click on the "Post" button when you're finished, and that's it!