Meal Pattern Minute: Food Extras

Can you serve a special treat at a celebration? What about an extra side item with lunch or snack? Questions about food extras come up frequently in the Child and Adults Care Food Program (CACFP) and understanding whether they fit within meal pattern requirements is important for both compliance and menu planning. Knowing the difference between required meal components and additional foods can help operators make informed decisions when serving meals and snacks. 

Tune in to this Meal Pattern Minutes as Isabel Ramos-Lebron, MS, RDN, LD, breaks down what CACFP operators need to know about food extras and how they may be served in the CACFP. 

Transcript: The answer is yes. CACFP allows food extras to be served along with a reimbursable meal or snack, as long as all required meal components contain the minimum serving sizes for the age you are serving. Food extras do not credit toward the meal components and cannot replace required items. Food and Nutrition Administration (FNA) recommends that food extras should not be served often. 

Food extras may be included as part of a meal or snack service, but they should never replace required meal components or count toward reimbursement. Reviewing the CACFP meal pattern requirements regularly and using the resources below can help ensure your meals remain compliant while supporting healthy eating habits. 

USDA CACFP Crediting Handbook 

Learn which foods credit toward meal pattern requirements and how to correctly identify non-creditable foods and extras. 

USDA Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs 

Use this guide to determine how foods credit toward the CACFP meal pattern and to calculate serving yields. The Food Buying Guide can also help identify certain foods that do not contribute to meal pattern requirements, making it a useful resource when distinguishing between creditable meal components and food extras. 

Meal Pattern Minute Library 
Explore short videos that answer common CACFP meal pattern questions. There are over 180 videos ready for you to discover. 

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