Meal Pattern Minute: Juice Cocktail

Juice cocktails may look tasty and colorful on the shelf, but when it comes to meeting the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) requirements, looks can be misleading. With so many juice options out there, it’s important for CACFP operators to know how to select the juices that credit in the CACFP. So, are juice cocktails creditable in the CACFP? 

Tune in to Isabel Ramos-Lebron, MS, RDN, LD, as she breaks down why juice cocktails may or may not meet the CACFP meal pattern requirements. Transcript below. 

The answer is no. Juice cocktails may sound fruity and fun, but they do not meet CACFP requirements for crediting fruit or vegetable components. Juice cocktails often contain added sugars, flavorings and are less than 100% of actual juice. CACFP only allows 100% full-strength juice to be creditable in the CACFP. 

Need help identifying creditable juices? Check out the resources below. 

• CACFP 09-2017, Questions and Answers on the Updated Meal Pattern Requirements for the Child and Adult Care Food Program
  • According to USDA memo CACFP 09-2017, only 100% full-strength juice is creditable toward the fruit or vegetable component in CACFP meals and snacks. This means that beverages labeled as “juice cocktails,” “juice drinks,” or “fruit beverages” do not qualify, even if they contain some juice. These products often include added sugars, flavorings, or other non-juice ingredients that disqualify them from crediting. 
  • The memo also reminds operators that juice may only be served once per day across all meals and snacks. This rule helps encourage the inclusion of whole fruits and vegetables, which offer more fiber and nutritional value. 
• Crediting Handbook for the CACFP
  • Full-strength 100% fruit and vegetable juice may count toward the entire fruits or vegetables component at 1 meal per day, including snack. However, when fluid milk is served as 1 of the components at snack, juice cannot credit toward the vegetables or fruits component. Full-strength 100% juice may be fresh, canned, frozen, or reconstituted with water from concentrate and served in either a liquid or frozen state. The name of the full-strength juice as it appears on the label must include the word(s) “juice” or “full-strength juice” or “single-strength juice” or “100% juice” or “reconstituted juice” or “juice from concentrate.” 
• USDA’s Crediting Fruits In the CACFP Tip Sheet
  • Provides a summary of creditable and non-creditable fruits including juices in the CACFP. 
• More Meal Pattern Minutes on Juice 
  • Juice from Farm Stands
  • Apple Cider Juice
  • Frozen Fruit Juice Bars
  • Full-Strength Juice and Infants 
  • Serving Juice and Milk
  • Serving Juice More Than Once Per Day

 Use juice in a smoothie, try adding Big Bird’s Happy Day Sunrise Smoothie or Peach, Pineapple & Orange Smoothie to your menu. 

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