Meal Pattern Minute: Homemade Pasta

For Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) operators, preparing meals from scratch can be both rewarding and sometimes challenging, especially when it comes to crediting homemade items like pasta. You might be asking: Can homemade pasta count toward the grains component? What ingredients make it creditable? And what documentation is needed? Understanding these details is key to maintaining compliance while continuing to offer fresh, appealing meals to those you serve. 

 Hear directly from Isabel Ramos-Lebron, MS, RDN, LD, as she walks through what makes homemade pasta creditable in this Meal Pattern Minute. 

Transcript: The answer is that it depends. Homemade pasta is creditable in the CACFP as a grains component when it is made with creditable ingredients, such as enriched or whole grain flour. A recipe is required, and the recipe must show how the pasta contributes toward the meal pattern per serving. 

With the right ingredients and proper documentation, homemade pasta can absolutely fit into your CACFP menu. Explore the resources below and continue creating meals that are both compliant and made with care. 

• USDA CACFP Crediting Handbook
  • A CACFP guide to help you determine which foods are creditable and how to calculate contributions, including grains. 
• USDA Determining Ounce Equivalents of Grains in CACFP Recipes 
  • A practical resource that explains how to calculate ounce equivalents for grains in recipes, helping operators accurately document grain contributions toward the meal pattern. 
• USDA Crediting Grains in the Child Nutrition Programs Tip Sheet - Part 1: Creditable Grains in Child Nutrition Programs
  • A quick-reference guide outlining which grain products are creditable in the CACFP and the criteria they must meet, including whole grain-rich and enriched requirements. 
• Recipe Suggestion 
  • No time to make pasta from scratch? Add this pasta dish, Julia’s Beefy Macaroni, to your menu instead. 

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