Meal Pattern Minute: Creditable Smoothie Components

Smoothies are a popular choice in many Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) settings because they are easy to make, fun to drink and packed with flavor. But when it comes to crediting ingredients toward a reimbursable meal, things can get a little...mixed up. Does every ingredient in your smoothie credit as a creditable meal component? What about that scoop of peanut butter or the handful of oats? Let’s clear up the confusion and make sure your smoothies are not only delicious but also #CACFPcreditable. 

Listen to Isabel Ramos-Lebron, MS, RDN, LD, as she breaks down which smoothie ingredients can be credited toward a reimbursable meal and which ones do not. Transcript below. 

Do all ingredients added to a smoothie count as creditable meal components toward a reimbursable meal? The answer is no. Only certain meal components can credit towards a reimbursable meal in a smoothie. These include age-appropriate fluid milks, fruits, vegetables, and yogurts that meet the added sugars limit. Other ingredients like peanut butter or oats may add nutrition and flavor, but they do not credit toward meal components when added in a smoothie. 

For more information about smoothies, review the resources below. 

• USDA Memo: Smoothies Offered in the Child Nutrition Programs 
  • This USDA Q&A document provides clear guidance on how smoothies can be credited in CACFP, School Meal Programs, and Summer Food Service Programs. It explains which ingredients are creditable and which are not.  In addition, it discusses ingredients that would make the smoothie entirely not creditable. It also covers documentation requirements and best practices for serving smoothies that meet meal pattern requirements. 
• Webinar: Shake Things Up! Adding Smoothies to Your CACFP Menu ($) 
  • Smoothies are a delicious and easy way to add variety to your CACFP menu, but how can you serve them as part of a creditable meal or snack? We’ll break down how to incorporate smoothies into the meal pattern, maximize nutrition, and explore creative blends that appeal to those in your care. Presented by Melinda Nguyen, MS, RDN, LD, National CACFP Association. Included with the webinar are two resources: Shake Things Up! Creative Smoothie Ideas for Kids and Shake Things Up! Smoothie Activity. 
• More Meal Pattern Minutes About Smoothies 
  • Fruit Smoothies at Breakfast 
  • Milk Smoothies at Snack 
  • Dietary Supplements in Smoothies 
• Try adding this smoothie to your breakfast menu: Berry Blast Smoothie. 

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