Meal Pattern Minute: Rice Flour

Reading ingredient labels is an important part of successful Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) menu planning and understanding how individual ingredients contribute to meal components can help operators feel more confident in their crediting decisions. Rice flour is found in many grain products, making it a common ingredient operators may encounter. So, how does rice flour fit into the CACFP grains component? 

Listen in to this Meal Pattern Minute as Isabel Ramos-Lebron, MS, RDN, LD, discusses when rice flour may credit towards the grains component.

Transcript: The answer is that it depends. Rice flour can be creditable toward the grains component in the CACFP only if it is enriched or whole grain and is used as part of a creditable grain product such as bread or pasta.  

When reviewing products that contain rice flour, remember to check whether the rice flour is enriched or whole grain and whether the food containing rice flour meets CACFP grain crediting requirements. Exploring the resources below can help you confidently determine whether a grain product is creditable and support compliant menu planning. 

• USDA Crediting Handbook for the CACFP  
  • Provides guidance on creditable foods, including grain requirements and how to evaluate grain products. 
• Whole Grain-Rich Quick Guide
  • A reference tool that helps CACFP operators identify whole grain-rich foods by explaining USDA criteria, how to read ingredient statements, and what to look for on product labels when selecting whole grain-rich grains. 
• CACFP Meal Pattern Minute Archive
  • Explore additional Meal Pattern Minute videos and resources covering common meal pattern and crediting questions. 
• Member Resource: Creditable Grains Decision Tree  
  • A quick-reference tool that helps CACFP operators determine whether a grain product is creditable. The decision tree walks users through key grain crediting questions, making it easier to evaluate product labels and identify when additional documentation may be required. 
  • This resource is for NCA members. Not a member? Join today.
• Recommended Webinar: Grains Essentials: Creditable Grains, Whole Grain-Rich and Grain Ounce Equivalents ($) 
  • Learn what creditable and non-creditable grains are in the CACFP, how to identify whole grain-rich, and how to calculate grain ounce equivalents in recipes and pre-packaged grain products to meet CACFP grain requirements for the age(s) you are serving.    

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