FBG Yield Tables and In-House Yield Study Instructions

Background

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Buying Guide (FBG) for Child Nutrition Programs provides yield information for common types and customary sizes of milk, meat/meat alternates, vegetables, fruits, and grains. The yield information in the FBG is based on careful portioning and weighing.

The following examples illustrate what is meant by yield:

• If you plan to include fresh, chopped tomatoes in a green salad, you need to determine how many pounds of whole tomatoes you must purchase to have the amount needed for the recipe.
• If you purchased ground beef (no more than 20% fat) and you plan to serve 50 portions of meatloaf, which provide 2 ounces of cooked lean meat per portion, you need to determine how many ounces of raw ground beef to include in the recipe to yield 50 2-ounce servings of cooked lean meat.
• If you plan to serve a marinated black bean salad and the recipe calls for 5 pounds of drained, canned, black beans, you need to determine how many cans of undrained beans will yield 5 pounds of drained beans.

Yield information is a valuable planning and production tool used to:

• Estimate the amount of food to purchase
• Determine meal pattern contribution for each food component
• Control foods costs
• Prevent food waste
• Ensure an adequate quantity of food is produced for each meal

Examples of yields provided in the FBG include:

• 1 gallon fluid milk yields 16 1-cup servings of milk
• 1 pound (lb.) fresh baby carrots yields 12.90 ¼-cup servings of raw carrots
• 1 lb. frozen broccoli spears yields 10.90 ¼-cup servings of cooked, drained broccoli
• 1 number (No.) 10 can canned (115 ounces [oz]) refried beans yields 49.60 ¼-cup servings of heated beans
• 1 lb. fresh ground beef (no more than 20% fat) yields 11.80 1-oz servings of cooked, lean meat
• 1 lb. dry instant long-grain brown rice yields 12.58 ½-cup servings of cooked rice

The yield information provided in the FBG represents average yields based on research conducted by the USDA. Many factors affect yield, including:

• The quality and condition of the food purchased
• Storage conditions and handling
• The equipment used in preparation
• Cooking method and time
• The form in which the food is served (e.g., mashed, fried, or baked potatoes)
• The serving utensils and portion control methods used

In-House Yield Study Instructions

If a food service operation consistently obtains a higher or lower yield for a product than the yield specified in the FBG, or if a specified food item or size is not listed in the FBG (e.g., 56-count oranges), Child and Adult Care Food (CACFP) Operators have the option to conduct an in-house yield study to determine the actual number of portions of a specified size that the product provides.

CACFP Operators who want to use their own in-house yield data should follow the instructions listed below to verify the yield for a product when it differs from the yield, or is not included, in the FBG.

1. Select two people to independently conduct the in-house yield study on six separate samples of the product.
   
   A ‘sample’ is the product pack unit. The following are examples of one sample:
   • 1 lb. of fresh baby carrots
   • No. 10 can of refried beans
   
   Tip: Conduct the study on a day when the product is served on the menu to help prevent food waste.
2. Provide each person with three separate samples of the product. For example, if six 1-lb. bags of baby carrots are being used for the study, provide each person with three separate 1-lb. bags of baby carrots.
3. Select the appropriate measuring utensil for the portion size being served, such as a No. 16 scoop or ½-cup measuring spoon. For information on measuring utensils, access the Institute of Child Nutrition Basics at a Glance resource.
4. Using the appropriate measuring utensil, have each person carefully portion food for each of their three samples and ensure the measuring utensil is filled level to the top of the measure.
   
   Tip: Food may need to be cut into smaller pieces to better fit into the measuring utensil.
5. Count and document the number or size of specified portions from each sample for each person conducting the study. For example, 1 lb. of whole 125-count fresh apples may yield 17 ¼-cup servings of raw, unpeeled, core, sliced fruit.
6. Add the total number of portions/servings from each of the samples. For example:
   • Sample 1: 17 ¼-cup servings
   • Sample 2: 16 ¼-cup servings
   • Sample 3: 17 ¼-cup servings
   • Sample 4: 17 ¼-cup servings
   • Sample 5: 18 ¼-cup servings
   • Sample 6: 17 ¼-cup servings
   • Total yield for 6 samples: 102 ¼-cup servings
7. Divide the total number of servings by six samples to get the average number of servings per sample, then round down to the nearest whole number as needed. For example, 102 ¼-cup servings ÷ 6 = 17 ¼-cup servings.
8. Complete the CDSS In-House Yield Study Form (Form ID CACFP 98), available in the Download Forms section of the Child Nutrition Information and Payment System [CNIPS]), or a form developed by the CACFP Operator with the same level of detail included in Form ID CACFP XX, and maintain this documentation for three years plus the current program year to verify compliance with the CACFP meal pattern requirements during a CDSS CACFP administrative review

Additional information about FBG yields and in-house yield data is included in the FBG Introduction resource (pages I-4 and I-5) on the USDA Download FBG web page.

Resources

• USDA FBG for Child Nutrition Programs
• Institute of Child Nutrition Basics at a Glance resource
• CNIPS Form ID CACFP 98: In-House Yield Study Form (accessible in the Download Forms section)

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