Meal Pattern Minute: Ounce Equivalents

When it comes to serving grains or meats/meat alternates in Child and Adult Care Food Program, knowing how much meets the minimum serving size can be confusing. For example, a slice of bread, a scoop of rice or a serving of breakfast cereal might all look different on the plate, but how do you know they meet the meal pattern requirements? That’s where ounce equivalents come in. They’re the key to making sure your servings are consistent, accurate and compliant no matter what’s on the menu. 

Tune in to Isabel Ramos-Lebron, MS, RDN, LD, as she explains what ounce equivalents mean, why they matter and how to use USDA tools like the Food Buying Guide to get it right every time. 

Transcript and answer provided below. 

Ounce equivalents are a standardized way to measure how much of a food item counts towards the grains or meats/meat alternates component in the CACFP meal pattern. This helps ensure consistency across different types of foods and serving sizes. USDA has provided various resources and the Food Buying Guide to help CACFP operators calculate ounce equivalents and serve the right amount of grains and meats/meat alternates. 

Review the resources below to help you understand and apply ounce equivalents for grains and meats/meat alternates in your meal planning. 

• • Calculating Ounce Equivalents of Grains in the CACFP 
    This USDA resource explains how to determine the correct amount of grains using ounce equivalents. It includes examples and bilingual guidance. 
• Using Ounce Equivalents for Grains in the CACFP
  •  A helpful guide that shows how to measure grain servings the right way. Instead of counting slices or pieces, CACFP uses ounce equivalents to make sure children and adults get the right amount of grains at each meal or snack. This resource explains how to use measuring tools, read labels, and follow the CACFP meal pattern.  
• Feeding Infants Using Ounce Equivalents 
  • Explains how to serve grains to infants to meet CACFP requirements. It shows how to use ounce equivalents to measure grain foods like infant cereal and bread products, making it easier to know how much to serve at each age.  
• Crediting Meats/Meat Alternates in the Child Nutrition Programs Tip Sheet 
  •  A quick and easy guide that helps CACFP operators understand how to serve and credit meats and meat alternates correctly. It explains what credits like lean meats, cheese, yogurt, tofu, and beans plus how much to serve to meet meal pattern requirements.  
• USDA Food Buying Guide 
  • A web-based interactive tool for CACFP operators to help plan, purchase and prepare meals that meet program requirements. It shows how much food to buy and how much it will yield (including ounce equivalents), making it easier to serve the right portion sizes for children and adults. The guide includes information for all meal components.

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