CACFP Administrative Manual Section 10.1
Section 10.1: Meal Service
Meal Service Options
There are several meal service options in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP).
Traditional Meal Service (preplated)
In traditional meal service, the minimum serving size of each food component, including milk, is pre-portioned and served together as a complete meal to each participant by supervising adults (center staff and Day Care Home [DCH] providers)
Family Style Meal Service
In family style meal service (FSMS), children and adults serve themselves from common platters of food with assistance from supervising adults, if needed.
FSMS allows children and adults to be introduced to new foods, new tastes and new menus, while developing a positive attitude toward healthy foods, sharing in group eating situation, and developing good eating habits.
Centers and DCH providers choosing the FSMS option must follow the practices below.
- A sufficient amount of prepared food must be placed at each table to provide the full required portion of each food component for all participants at the table and supervising adults who wish to eat with the participants. Note: Meals served to supervising adults are not reimbursable, however, the costs associated with these adult meals can be charged to the program’s nonprofit food service account.
- Participants must be allowed to serve all components themselves, with the exception of fluids (i.e., milk and juice). Supervising adults who choose to serve fluids directly to participants must serve the required minimum quantity to each participant, even if the participant requests less than the minimum amount or none.
- During the meal, it is the responsibility of the supervising adults to actively encourage each participant to serve themselves the full required portion of each food component. Note: Second meals may not be claimed for reimbursement.
Combination of Traditional and FSMS
In a combination of traditional and FSMS, the minimum serving size of one or more food components are pre-portioned and served to each participant by supervising adults. The remaining food components are served on the table in communal serving dishes or pitchers adhering to FSMS requirements.
All food components must be offered to participants at the same time. For example, CACFP Operators may not serve the meat/meat alternate, vegetable, and fruit components on a pre-portioned plate to participants five minutes before placing the grains and milk components on the table.
All the rules governing each meal service option apply to the food components served using that method. For example, if staff pours milk into glasses, at least the minimum required amount must be poured for each participant and offered when the rest of the meal components are served.
Offer versus Serve
Offer versus Serve (OVS) is a meal service option that allows participants to decline some of the food offered in a reimbursable breakfast, lunch, or supper, which can help reduce food waste and give children and adults more choices. Food components in OVS are pre-portioned or served directly by supervising adults.
OVS may not be used at snacks. Additionally, OVS may not be combined with traditional meal service. For example, an adult center utilizing OVS cannot pre-portion and serve all components except the milk, which the participant can accept or decline.
In the CACFP, OVS may only be used by:
- Adult Day Care (ADC) Centers (allowed per 7 CFR, 226.20[o])
- At-risk Afterschool (ARA) Centers (allowed per 7 CFR, 226.20[o])
- School Food Authorities (SFA) serving meals to children ages five years and older in an outside-school-hours care center (school-age center) if meals are prepared by an SFA using the School Nutrition Programs (SNP) meal pattern requirements (allowed per 7 CFR, 220.20[i])
- CACFP Operators serving meals to children ages five years and older if meals are prepared by an SFA using the SNPs meal pattern requirements (allowed per 7 CFR, 220.20[i])
For pricing programs, the cost of the reimbursable meal is not affected by this method.
The food components that may be declined differ between the SNPs and CACFP meal patterns. CACFP Operators must adhere to OVS rules as they pertain to the specific meal pattern. For guidance on the requirements of OVS under the CACFP meal pattern, please refer to the resources below. For guidance on the requirements of OVS under the SNPs meal patterns, please contact the California Department of Education by email at SNPinfo@cde.ca.gov.
Other Meal Service Considerations
Charges for Meals
If a CACFP Operator includes the cost of meals served to participants in the general tuition charge, the agency operates a nonpricing program. Alternatively, if a CACFP Operator charges a meal fee that is separate from the tuition fee, the CACFP Operator operates a pricing program.
Both program types may participate in the CACFP; however, CACFP Operators that operate a pricing program must meet the following conditions:
Meal Times and Spacing
The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) CACFP Branch strongly encourages CACFP Operators to serve each meal during the part of the day that reduces food waste. The CACFP Branch recommends that CACFP Operators serve meals within the ranges listed below:
Breakfast: no later than 9:00 a.m.
Lunch: 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Supper: 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
School Age (SA) centers may claim up to two meals and one snack or two snacks and one meal, per child, per day. SA centers may serve breakfast, snack, and supper while school is in session. They may be eligible to serve lunches to enrolled children during periods of school vacation, including weekends and holidays, and to children attending schools which do not offer a lunch program.
When a CACFP Operator serves a snack between meals, a minimum of two hours should elapse between the beginning of one service and the beginning of the next (i.e., between the beginning of breakfast and the beginning of a morning snack). However, when snacks are not served between meals, a minimum of three hours must elapse between the beginning of one meal and the next. Infants (up to one year of age) should be served at a time consistent with the meal schedule.
In some cases, CACFP Operators may serve meals and snacks to multiple sets of children throughout the day. If this is the case, CACFP Operators must note that they have shifts of care on their CNIPS site application.
Meal Duration
While there is no current federal or state requirement for the amount of time allotted for breakfast and lunch meal periods, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends ensuring that students have at least 20 minutes to eat lunch once they are seated.
The CDSS CACFP Branch strongly encourages CACFP Operators to ensure their child and adult participants have adequate time to eat after being served in order to maximize the nutritional benefits of the meal pattern.
Reference: 7 CFR, sections, 226.20(n), 226.20(o)226.20(p), and 226.23(e); USDA Policy Memo CACFP SP 09-2013, CACFP 04-2013 Streamlining Child and Adult Care Food Program At-risk Afterschool Meal Participation for School Food Authorities; USDA Policy Memo CACFP 05-2017 Offer versus Serve and Family Style Meals in the CACFP.
Questions: For questions regarding meal service options, please contact the CDSS CACFP Nutrition Team at CACFPMealPatterns@dss.ca.gov.
For questions regarding other meal service considerations, please contact your assigned program specialist found on the CACFP Contact List web page.
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
Esta institución es un proveedor que ofrece igualdad de oportunidades.