USDA Food Buying Guide Calculator Steps

Overview

This web page includes log in information and step-by-step instructions on using the USDA FBG Calculator in the:

• FBG Interactive Web-Based Tool 
• FBG Mobile App

For additional guidance, access the Navigating the Calculator online course in English or Spanish, available on FBG for CNPs: Training Resources web page.

Login Information

• CNP Operators who are first-time users of the FBG (web-based version or mobile app) should create an account on the USDA eAuthentication Create Account web page.  This enables the user to access all features in the FBG, save data, and access saved data using both the web-based and mobile app versions.  CNP Operators who create an eAuthentication account will immediately receive an email with a link to complete registration and activate the account.
   
• CNP Operators who have previously created a USDA eAuthentication account can access the FBG Calculator, and all other FBG features, by navigating to the eAuthentication web page and entering their User ID and Password in the Log In with Password box.
   
• Note: CNP Operators may also choose to access the FBG web-based version or mobile app as a guest; however, they cannot save data or access previously saved data and some FBG tools.

Web-based Food Buying Guide Calculator Steps

Once logged in to the USDA FBG (see Login Information section above):

• Step 1: Select the FBG Calculator tab on the FBG home page.
   
• Step 2: Select Create Shopping List to open the FBG Calculator–Create Shopping List page.
   
• Step 3: Enter a shopping list name (required) and date (optional) in section 1.  Then in section 2, select the Program–Meal (optional) and Age Group/Grade Group (optional).
       
  • For example:
    • Shopping List Name: Cycle 1, Week 1
    • Date: 10/09/2023
    • Program–Meal: CACFP–Lunch and Supper
    • Age Group/Grade Group: Ages 3–5 

• Step 4: Select the tab for the meal component (or select the Other Foods tab if the food does not contribute to the meal pattern).  Then type the name of the food in the Item Keywords box.
   
  • For example, select the Vegetables tab and type broccoli in the Item Keywords box.
     
• Step 5: Select Search to produce a list of all foods in the FBG for the specified component that includes the item keywords entered (section 4).  This list also includes the Purchase Unit (e.g., pound, #10 can), the Servings per Unit (e.g., how many servings are in each unit), and the Serving Size per Meal Contribution (e.g., ¼ cup raw vegetable spears; ¼ cup cooked, drained vegetable spears).
  
  
  • For example, there are 16 food items within the Vegetables component of the web-based FBG that include broccoli.  These include fresh broccoli (untrimmed and trimmed), broccoli slaw, broccolini, frozen broccoli, mixed frozen vegetables that include broccoli, and other forms of broccoli.
    
    
  • Within each form of food, there are often different preparation and serving techniques.  For example, fresh broccoli has the options of prepared and served raw, cooked and drained, and cut, cooked, and drained.    

• Step 6: Scroll through the list of results and locate the form and preparation of food desired.    

• For example, a CNP Operator wants fresh, raw, untrimmed broccoli.  They locate an entry that lists a purchase unit of a pound with a yield of 9.8 ¼-cup servings of raw vegetable spears per pound.
  

• Step 7: Select Add to the left of the form and preparation of food desired.  A table will open below with the name of the food added.
   
• Step 8: CNP Operators who have the form of food on hand and plan to offset the amount they need to purchase with the quantity in their inventory, should enter the quantity on hand in the Number of Purchase Units on Hand column of the table (section 5).  If the CNP Operator does not have the form of food on hand, they should leave this column blank.
   
  • For example, if the CNP Operator has 1 pound of broccoli in the refrigerator, they should enter 1 in the Number of Purchase Units on Hand column.  It is important that the amount entered is in the same unit as the unit listed in the Purchase Unit column of this table.  For example, if the Purchase Unit column lists the purchase unit in pounds and the CNP Operator weighs the amount of purchase units on hands in ounces, they must first convert this amount to pounds.
        
• Step 9: Select Add Serving Size in the Action column of the table (section 6).  A table will appear below with two columns: Serving Size and Number of Servings.
   
• Step 10: Select the Serving Size drop-down list (section 7), choose the desired serving size for the age or grade group being serve.
   
  • For example, select ¼ cup for ages 3–5, since this is the serving size for vegetables at lunch for this age group (as shown above on the page in section 2).
        
• Step 11: Enter the number of participants that you expect to serve for that meal in the Number of Servings column (section 8).
   
  • For example, enter 50 to provide 50 ¼-cup servings of broccoli for that meal.
     
• Step 12: Reference the Buy Purchase Units column (section 9), which will auto-populate after the Serving Size (section 7) and Number of Servings (section 8) fields are entered to determine the quantity of the food item to purchase.
   
  • For example, to provide 50 ¼-cup servings of broccoli, the Buy Purchase Units (section 9) will also automatically populate in the table.  This number is rounded up from the Exact Quantity amount to the nearest whole unit (e.g., 3.5 #10 cans would round up to 4 #10 cans) or nearest 0.25 pound (e.g., 5.1021 pounds rounds up to 5.25 pounds). 
      
    • Note: If the CNP Operator entered a number of purchase units on hand, this amount is subtracted from the Exact Quantity and Buy Purchase Units columns.   

• Step 13: CNP Operators who serve multiple age or grade groups should select Add Serving Size in the Action column (section 6) of the table and follow Steps 10 and 11 to add additional serving sizes and number of servings.

• Step 14: Select Save to save the amount of the food item needed to purchase for that meal.  The food item and the quantity to purchase will appear in the Shopping List tab, adjacent to the tabs for the components.  It is very important to remember to select Save.  If Save is not selected, the food item and quantity to purchase will not appear in the Shopping List tab.
   
• Step 15: CNP Operators who want to add additional foods and quantities to purchase to the Shopping List tab should repeat Steps 4 through 14.
   
• Step 16: Select Back to List once all food items and quantities have been entered into the shopping list.  The FBG Calculator–My Shopping Lists page will appear, and the name given to the shopping list in Step 3 will be listed in the Shopping List Name column of the table in this window.
   
• Step 17: The CNP Operator can select several options for the shopping list in the Actions column in the FBG Calculator–My Shopping List table.
   
  • Edit: When selected, the FBG Calculator–Edit Shopping List page appears so the CNP Operator can enter more food items and quantities.
  • Copy: When selected, a copy of the shopping list appears at the bottom of the table.
     
  • Delete: When selected, a dialog box appears confirming that the CNP Operator wants to delete the shopping list. Select Ok to delete the shopping list or select Cancel to return to the FBG Calculator–My Shopping Lists page.
     
  • PDF: When selected, a printable PDF.
     
  • Export: When selected, the shopping list is converted to an Excel file.
     
  • Email: When selected, a dialog box opens, where the CNP Operator can enter an email address. Enter an email address and select Send to email an attached PDF of the shopping list.

Once the CNP Operator has added all items to the shopping list and performed desired actions in the FBG Calculator–My Shopping List table, they can close the FBG web page.

Mobile App Food Buying Guide Calculator Steps

Once the USDA FBG Mobile App (currently available on the iOS and Android platforms) is downloaded to the device (e.g., phone, tablet) and the CNP Operator is logged in (see Login Information section above):

• Step 1: Select More on the FBG home page.
   
• Step 2: Select FBG Calculator from the list of options that appears.
   
• Step 3: Select Create Shopping List in the FBG Calculator–My Shopping Lists window. A Create Shopping List entry box appears where the CNP Operator enters the name of the shopping list (e.g., Cycle 1, Week 1); select Create and an FBG Calculator–Edit Shopping List window will open.
   
• Step 4: Select Add Food Item in the FBG Calculator–Edit Shopping List window. An FBG Calculator–Shopping List Add Food Items window opens.
   
• Step 5: Complete the following in the FBG Calculator–Shopping List Add Food Items window:
   
  • Type the name of the food in the Search Keyword field.
  • Select the CNP from the Program drop-down list (optional).
     
  • Select the meal component for the food from the Select Meal Component drop-down list (optional).
     
  • Select the food category from the Select Food Category drop-down list (optional).
     
    • For example: 
      • Search Keyword field: Broccoli 
      • Program: CACFP–Lunch and Supper Meal Component: Vegetables
      • Food Category: Dark Green Vegetables 
         
• Step 6: Select Search to produce a list of all foods in the FBG for the specified component that includes the item keywords (and other parameters) entered.
   
  • For example, there are 12 food items within the Vegetables component of the web-based FBG that include broccoli as a dark green vegetable in the Vegetables component.  These include various forms of fresh broccoli, frozen broccoli, broccoli slaw, and broccolini.  This is a shorter list than the web-based FBG Calculator list produces since the FBG mobile app allows CNP Operators to refine the food by category (e.g., the Dark Green Vegetable category does not include mixed vegetables with broccoli and cauliflower).
     
  • Within each form of food, there are often different preparation and serving techniques. For example, fresh broccoli has the options of untrimmed and trimmed/ready-to-use.
     
• Step 7: Select the plus sign to the left of food entries to find the form and preparation of food desired.
   
  • For example, a CNP Operator wants fresh untrimmed broccoli that they plan to serve cooked.  They select the plus sign to the left of the first entry for fresh broccoli and the yield is for raw vegetable spears.  Next, they select the plus sign to the left of the second entry for fresh broccoli and the yield is for cooked vegetable spears.
     
• Step 8: Select Add once the CNP Operator finds the correct form and preparation of the food desired.
   
• Step 9: Select Add Serving Size and a Serving Size drop-down list and # of Servings box appears.
   
• Step 10: Select the size for the desired age or grade group being served in the Serving Size drop-down list.
   
  • For example, select ¼ cup for ages 3–5, since this is the serving size for vegetables at lunch for this age group.
     
• Step 11: Enter the number of participants that the CNP Operator expects to serve for that meal in the # of Servings box.  Then select Save.
   
  • For example, enter 50 to provide 50 ¼-cup servings of broccoli for that meal.
     
• Step 12: CNP Operators who have the form of food on hand and plan to offset the amount they need to purchase with the quantity in their inventory, should enter the quantity on hand in the # of Purchase Units on Hand section above Add Serving Size.  If the CNP Operator does not have the form of food on hand, they should leave this section blank.
   
  • For example, if the CNP Operator has 1 pound of broccoli in the refrigerator, they should enter 1 in the # of Purchase Units on Hand box.  It is important that the amount entered is in the same unit as the unit listed in the Purchase Unit field in this window.  For example, if the Purchase Unit lists Pounds and the CNP Operator weighs the amount of purchase units on hand in ounces, they must first convert this amount to pounds.

• Step 13: Reference the Buy Purchase Units in the section above Add Serving Size to determine the amount of food to purchase. This number rounds up from the Exact Quantity amount to the nearest whole unit (e.g., 3.5 #10 cans would round up to 4 #10 cans) or nearest 0.25 pound (e.g., 31.9149 units rounds up to 32 purchase units [pounds]).

• For example, to provide 50 ¼-cup servings of raw broccoli, the Buy Purchase Units will automatically populate in the table to 5.25 pounds. This number is rounded up from the Exact Quantity amount of 5.1021 pounds.

• Step 14: CNP Operators who serve multiple age or grade groups should select Add Serving Size and follow Steps 10 and 11 to add additional serving sizes and number of servings.
   
• Step 15: Select Save  to save the amount of the food item needed to purchase for that meal. Select OK in the dialog box that appears.
   
• Step 16: To add additional foods and quantities to purchase, select the back arrow at the top of the FBG Calculator–Shopping List Add Food Items window to return to the FBG Calculator–Edit Shopping List and repeat steps 4 through 15.
   
• Step 17: Once the CNP Operator has entered all food items and quantities to the shopping list, select the back arrow at the top of the FBG Calculator window to return to the FBG Calculator–Edit Shopping List window.
   
• Step 18: The CNP Operator can select several options for the shopping list at the bottom of the FBG Calculator–Edit Shopping List window:
   
  • View List: When selected, the FBG Calculator–View Shopping List window opens, where the foods and quantities are listed.  The CNP Operator can select Share List at the bottom of the window to access features available on their phone, such as texting, emailing, or printing a PDF of the shopping list.
     
  • Rename List: When selected, a Rename Shopping List dialog box opens, where the CNP Operator can rename the shopping list.
     
  • Delete List: When selected, a dialog box appears confirming that the CNP Operator wants to delete the shopping list.  Select Delete to delete the shopping list or select Cancel to return to the FBG Calculator–Edit Shopping List window.

Once the CNP Operator has added all items to the shopping list and selected the desired options in the FBG Calculator–Edit Shopping List window, they can close the FBG mobile app.

Questions:  CACFP Team | CACFPmealpatterns@cdss.ca.gov

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