CACFP Resources Developing A Menu with Serving Sizes

Documenting a Menu with Serving Sizes

 

Background
Purpose
Menu Options
Documentation Requirements

Sample Menu 

 

Background

Per CACFP 01-2020 Documentation Requirements for the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) Meal Patterns, child care centers and adult day care centers must post (e.g., in the area where food is being prepared) dated, daily menus listing the food items served and the serving sizes of food items for each age group for every meal and snack claimed for reimbursement in the CACFP. Menus with serving sizes replaces the previous requirement that centers complete Menu Production Records (MPR).

At-risk programs, emergency shelters, and day care home providers serving children and adults are not required to document serving sizes of food items on their menus or maintain MPRs; however, they must meet the other menu documentation requirements detailed in the Child and Adult Menus section in CACFP 01-2020 Documentation Requirements for the CACFP Meal Patterns.

For infant menu documentation requirements, reference the Infant Meals section in CACFP 01-2020 Documentation Requirements for the CACFP Meal Patterns.

 

Definitions

It is important to distinguish a menu item and breakfast food item (which must be listed on the CACFP menu) from a meal component. Other important terminology include serving size and combination food. The definition for each term is provided in the U.S. Department of Agriculture policy memorandum (memo) CACFP 02-2025 Offer versus Serve (OVS) and Family Style Meals in the CACFP, and is listed below. Note: The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) uses the general term ‘food item’ which includes a menu item, breakfast food item, and combination food.

  • Meal component: One of the food groups that comprise reimbursable meals. The meal components are fluid milk; fruits; vegetables; grains; and meats/meat alternates (M/MA).
     
  • Serving size: Single portion of food identified by the measure, typically as a weight or volume.
     
  • Menu item: Single food or combination food offered on the menu. A menu item may contain one or more meal components. For example, vegetable lasagna is a menu item that contains three meal components: vegetables, grains (pasta noodles), and M/MA (cheese).
     
  • Breakfast food item: Specific food offered within the three meal components required in the breakfast meal pattern. For example, ½ cup of cantaloupe is a breakfast food item within the combined vegetables and fruits meal component, and a biscuit is a breakfast food item within the grains meal component.
     
  • Combination food: Menu item that contains more than one meal component that cannot be separated. Common examples of combination foods are soups, tacos, smoothies, pizza, and burritos.

CDSS CACFP Menu Requirements versus California Community Care Licensing Menu Requirements

The menu with serving sizes may be a separate ‘kitchen’ menu from the menu maintained to meet California community care licensing regulations, listed below.

  • Child care centers: Per Title 22 CCR § 101227(6), menus must be posted at least one week in advance in an area accessible for review by the child’s authorized representative.
     
  • Adult day care centers: Per Title 22 CCR § 82076(a)(4), menus must be written at least one week in advance and made available for review by the clients or their authorized representatives upon request.

For example, a child care center may post a decorative monthly menu in the reception area of the center that includes only food items (not serving sizes) so parents/guardians can review the menu, and then maintain a separate menu in the food service area that includes the serving size of each food item and other CACFP documentation listed in the Documentation Requirements section below.

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Purpose

The purpose of a menu with serving sizes for each food item is to:

  • Demonstrate CACFP Operator compliance with the meal pattern requirements.
     
  • Communicate to staff who purchase, prepare, and serve meals which food items are planned for each meal, the serving size of each food item for each age group, and other CACFP documentation requirements listed in the Documentation Requirements section below.
     
  • Allow CDSS CACFP staff to verify that food items on the menu are creditable and provided in the minimum serving size requirements for each age group and meal type.
     
  • Provide an opportunity for CDSS CACFP staff to review food items served and offer technical assistance if healthier food options should be considered.

Menu Options

Per CACFP 01-2020 Documentation Requirements for the CACFP Meal Patterns, child care centers and adult day care centers operating the CACFP must use one of the four following options when documenting a menu with serving sizes:

  1. CDSS-developed menu with serving sizes templates, accessible in the Child Nutrition Information and Payment System (CNIPS). The two templates listed below include instructions, a completed sample menu with serving sizes, and a template for agencies to complete electronically.
     
    • Form ID CACFP 89: Daily Menu with Serving Sizes for Multiple Age Groups
    • Form ID CACFP 90: Weekly Menu with Serving Sizes for One Age Group
       
  2. CACFP Operator-developed menus with serving sizes. CACFP Operators who choose to develop their own template must document the menu for each meal and snack served and the serving size of each food item for each age group served. Use the guidance in the Documentation Requirements section below to understand how to create an acceptable menu with serving sizes.
     
  3. MPRs. CACFP Operators who choose to continue to use an MPR to meet the requirement for a menu with serving sizes are only required to complete the two columns titled Serving Size and Name and Form of Food Used (for each age group served). All other columns on the MPR are optional. The CNIPS includes the following MPR templates and instructions; however, CACFP Operators can also develop their own MPRs:
     
    • MPR—Child Care Centers: Form ID CACFP 28 (template) and 28A (instructions)
    • MPR—Adult Day Care Centers: Form ID CACFP 78 (template) and 78A (instructions)
       
  4. Transport Records. CACFP Operators who receive vended meals can continue to use the Sample Transport Record template (Form ID CACFP 66 in the CNIPS) or their own transport record template to fulfill the requirement for a menu with serving sizes. As a reminder, all fields must be completed, including the serving size for each food item served.

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Documentation Requirements

General Menu Requirements

  • Menus must be dated.
     
  • Menus must include the name of each creditable food item (e.g., strawberries, broccoli, bagel, cereal, yogurt, chicken nuggets, grilled cheese sandwich), not just the name of the component (e.g., fruit). It is not necessary to include the brand of the food item, but CACFP Operators are required to demonstrate that foods served are creditable. For example, yogurt and breakfast cereal must meet CACFP sugar standards and tofu must meet CACFP protein standards.
  • Menus must include the serving size for each age group served. If all age groups are served the minimum serving size for the oldest age group served, menus only need to include that one serving size. Note: The serving size for ready-to-eat (RTE) breakfast cereals varies based on the RTE cereal category. Access the CDSS RTE Breakfast Cereal Categories web page for more information.
  • Menus must include the fat content of every type of milk served (e.g., whole, 1 percent [low-fat], fat-free [nonfat or skim]), and whether each milk type is unflavored (plain) or flavored for each age group.
  • Menus must document which food item meets the requirement of one whole grain-rich (WGR) food item each day.
  • Menus must reflect substitutions made. For example, if broccoli is listed on the menu but spinach was served, indicate this substitution on the menu.
  • Menus only need to include the nondiscrimination statement if the menu is available to the public and includes additional information regarding the CACFP.

Using Legends

A legend that includes general information about the entire menu may only be used for:

  1. Serving sizes for fruit (cups) and vegetables (cups). Note: It is optional to note in the legend that leafy greens credit as half the volume served (e.g., ½ cup [c] lettuce credits as ¼ c vegetable) and dried fruits credit as twice the volume served (e.g., ¼ c raisins credits as ½ c fruit) but not required if food service staff are aware of the conversion and provide the correct serving size for these food items.
     
  2. Serving sizes (9 c or ounces [oz]), percent fat, and unflavored (plain) or flavored for milk. For example, 1% unflavored milk, ¾ c.
     
  3. Grain food items that meet the daily WGR requirement. For example, “All grains are WGR” or “Asterisks note WGR food items.”

Legends may not be used to document single component grain and single component M/MA food items (see section: Documenting Single Component Grain and M/MA Food Items).

Documenting Single Component Grain and M/MA Food Items

Single component grain and M/MA food items are foods that contain one creditable component. For example, single component grain food items include bagels, rice, and cereal; single component M/MA food items include beans, eggs, cheese, and chicken.

Serving sizes must be listed next to food items for single component grains and single component M/MAs in the menu for each day. Legends do not clearly identify the serving size for these components since the serving size may be listed in a variety of ways (by weight, volume, portion size, or ounce equivalents [oz eq]) as shown in the table below.

Grain Food Items and Serving Sizes M/MA Food Items and Serving Sizes
Bread, 1 slice
Rice, ¼ c
Pasta, ½  oz eq
Bagel, ½ each
Cornbread, 1 piece
Oatmeal, ¼ c
Cereal, 1 oz 		Refried beans, ¼ c
Egg large, ½ each
Chicken breast, 1 oz
Cheese, ½ oz
Yogurt, ½ c
Peanut butter, 1 tablespoon
Sausage, 2 links
 

Single Component Grain and M/MA Documentation Tips!

  • CACFP Operators must provide the grains component in the minimum serving sizes listed in the CACFP meal patterns tables (e.g., ½ oz eq); however, the serving size for the grains component is not required to be listed on the menu as oz eq, just like M/MAs are not required to be listed on the menu as oz eq even though that is how M/MAs are listed in the CACFP meal patterns tables.

    For example, if ¼ tortilla provides ½ oz eq, it may be more effective to communicate to food service staff how much to serve if the serving size is listed on the menu as “ Tortilla, ¼ instead of “Tortilla, ½ oz eq.”
     
  • If oz eq is used for the serving size on the menu, food service staff must know how that translates to the weight, volume, or portion size of the food item. For example:
       
    • If “Pasta, ½ oz eq” is listed on the menu, food service staff must know that translates to ¼ cup cooked (or ½ oz dry) pasta.
       
    • If “Egg, 2 oz eq” is listed on the menu, food service staff must know that translates to 1 large egg. 

The CDSS encourages CACFP Operators to document the serving size for grain and M/MA items on the menu as a weight, volume, or portion size since those measurements may communicate the serving size clearer than using oz eq.

  • When serving ready-to-eat (RTE) breakfast cereal, remember that the minimum serving size varies depending on the RTE breakfast cereal category, as detailed on the CDSS RTE Breakfast Cereal Categories web page.

Documenting Combination Food Items

Combination food items contain more than one meal component that cannot be separated (i.e., the ingredients are combined in the kitchen before serving). For example, a grilled cheese sandwich contains a grains component (bread) and a M/MA component (cheese).

Homemade Combination Food Items 

CACFP Operators serving homemade combination food items that are not accompanied with a recipe must include the serving size of each component in the combination food item separately on the menu since there is no back-up documentation to communicate with the kitchen.

Menu example: Grilled Cheese Sandwich (1 oz cheese, 1 slice bread)

CACFP Operators serving homemade combination food items made using a recipe may list the serving size of the food item on the menu without documenting the contribution of each component separately only if the recipe lists the following:

  • Creditable ingredients
  • Quantity of each creditable ingredient
  • Number of servings
  • Serving size

For example, a Grilled Cheese Sandwich could be listed on the menu as Grilled Cheese Sandwich (½ each) if the following information is included in a recipe:

  • Creditable ingredients and quantity of each creditable ingredient:
    • Bread (28 g per slice): 50 slices
    • Cheese: 25 1-oz slices
  • Number of servings: 50
  • Serving size: ½ sandwich 

Combination Food Items Accompanied with a CN Label or PFS

CACFP Operators serving commercially-prepared combination food items accompanied with a Child Nutrition (CN) Label or product formulation statement (PFS) may simply list the serving size of the food item since the contribution of each component in one serving is documented on the CN Label and/or PFS.

Menu examples: Pizza (1 slice), Chicken nuggets (4 each)

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Sample Menu

The three-day sample menu below meets the menu with serving sizes documentation requirements for a child care center serving lunch to children ages 1–5.

In this sample menu, the same serving size for the entrée is provided to each age group on Tuesday and Wednesday, which is allowable for any single component food item or combination food item, provided that the minimum serving size is met for the oldest age group. For example, a CACFP Operator who serves the same serving size of fruit to children ages 1–5 at lunch, would need to provide ¼ cup (c) to both age groups, which is the minimum serving size for ages 3–5 at lunch. In that situation, the CACFP Operator could simply list, Fruit (¼ c) in the legend without listing the serving size for each age group separately.

Legend Monday Menu and Serving Sizes Tuesday Menu and Serving Sizes Wednesday Menu and Serving Sizes
Milk:
Age 1: 4 oz (½ c) whole unflavored milk

Ages 2–5: 6 oz (¾ c) 1% unflavored milk

Fruit:
Ages 1–2: ⅛ c
Ages 3–5: ¼ c

Vegetables:
Ages 1–2: ⅛ c
Ages 3–5: ¼ c

Asterisk (*) denotes WGR 		Chicken nuggets:
4 each (ages 1-2)
5 each (ages 3-5)

Roll*, ½ each

Baby carrots

Banana

Milk 		Turkey sandwich:
Turkey, 1 oz
Bread*, 1 slice

String cheese, 1 each

Broccoli

Strawberries

Milk 		Spaghetti:
Pasta*, ¼ c
Meat sauce, 3 oz

Salad

Apple slices

Milk

This sample menu with legend is acceptable, provided that the CACFP Operator maintains the back-up documentation listed below.

  • CN Label or a PFS for the chicken nuggets (Monday) and meat sauce (Wednesday) if they are commercially processed products. A recipe is required if they are homemade products.
  • CN Label or a PFS for the turkey lunch meat (Tuesday) if it is a commercially processed product. Documentation is not required if the turkey is unprocessed.
  • Nutrition Facts labels and Ingredient lists for the following packaged foods on the menu:
    • Each type of milk served
    • Roll (Monday)
    • Bread (Tuesday)
    • String cheese (Tuesday)

For questions about this topic, contact the CACFP Nutrition Team at CACFPMealPatterns@dss.ca.gov.
 

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
Esta institución es un proveedor que ofrece igualdad de oportunidades.

 

 

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Contact Us

CDSS Child and Adult Care Food Program
744 P Street, MS 9-13-290
Sacramento, CA 95814
833-559-2418
CACFPInfo@dss.ca.gov

Have menu or Meal Patterns questions?  Email us at  CACFPMealPatterns@dss.ca.gov


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