Meal Pattern Minute: Minimum Creditable Serving Size

In the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), a food must meet a minimum creditable amount to count toward a meal component, but that amount may not meet the full required serving size for the meal pattern. Understanding how crediting minimum serving sizes connect to required serving sizes can make all the difference when planning compliant meals and snacks. 

Tune in to this Meal Pattern Minute as Isabel Ramos-Lebron, MS, RDN, LD, where she provides a clear explanation with a practical example. 

Transcript: The minimum creditable serving size is the smallest amount of a food that can credit toward a CACFP meal component. For example, at snack for 3‑ to 5‑year‑olds, a grain item may credit as ¼ ounce equivalent, which is the crediting minimum. However, the CACFP meal pattern requires ½ ounce equivalent of grains at snack for this age group. While the ¼ ounce equivalent credits toward the requirement, it is not enough on its own; you must serve an additional ¼ ounce equivalent to meet the full meal pattern requirement. 

Helpful CACFP resources can be found below to help you better understand creditable foods and serving sizes. 

• USDA CACFP Crediting Handbook 
  • Detailed guidance on how foods are credited toward meal pattern requirements. 
• NCA CACFP Meal Pattern Cards 
  • Quick reference on the minimum serving sizes for each age group and meal type. Includes both the infant meal pattern and the children & adult meal pattern. Available in both English and Spanish. 
• USDA Child Nutrition Program Tip Sheets 
  • Quick references on common foods that are credited in the CACFP and provides minimum crediting serving sizes for each meal component. 
    • Crediting Grains in the Child Nutrition Programs Tip Sheet: Part 1: Creditable Grains in Child Nutrition Programs 
    • Crediting Meats/Meat Alternates in the Child Nutrition Programs Tip Sheet 
    • Crediting Fruits in the Child Nutrition Programs 
    • Crediting Vegetables in the Child Nutrition Programs Tip Sheet 
    • Crediting Fluid Milk in the Child Nutrition Programs Tip Sheet 
• NCA Meal Pattern Minute Library
  • Watch past Meal Pattern Minute reels for quick, practical explanations about the CACFP meal pattern. 

To learn about the differences between meal pattern minimum serving sizes and minimum creditable serving size, tune in to last week’s Meal Pattern Minute, “What is the meal pattern minimum serving size?”  

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