HTML Preview Children Diet Chart page number 1.
Child Care Food Program Meal Pattern for Children
A significant goal of the Child Care Food Program (CCFP) is to safely serve nutritious meals and snacks that
meet program meal pattern requirements and are appetizing to children. To help achieve this goal, there are
several policies regarding meals that child care providers must meet when participating in the CCFP.
Child care providers must ensure that each meal served to children contains, at a minimum, each
of the food components in the amounts indicated for the appropriate age group as stated in the
CCFP Meal Pattern for Children.
Age Group and Serving Size:
Child Meal Pattern
Food Components:
1 and 2
year olds:
3 – 5
year olds:
6 – 12
1
year olds:
Milk
11
Fluid milk
1/2 cup 3/4 cup 1 cup
Vegetables and Fruits
10
Vegetable(s) and/or fruit(s) or
Full-strength vegetable or fruit juice
2
1/4 cup
1/4 cup
1/2 cup
1/2 cup
1/2 cup
1/2 cup
Breakfast
(3 components)
Grains/Breads
3, 10
Bread or
Cornbread, biscuits, rolls, muffins, etc. or
Cold dry cereal
4
or
Cooked cereal grains or
Cooked pasta or noodle products
1/2 slice
1/2 serving
1/4 cup or 1/3 oz.
1/4 cup
1/4 cup
1/2 slice
1/2 serving
1/3 cup or 1/2 oz.
1/4 cup
1/4 cup
1 slice
1 serving
3/4 cup or 1 oz.
1/2 cup
1/2 cup
Milk
11
Fluid milk
1/2 cup 3/4 cup 1 cup
Vegetables and Fruits
8, 10
Vegetable(s) and/or fruit(s), 2 or more
1/4 cup total 1/2 cup total 3/4 cup total
Grains/Breads
3, 10
Bread or
Cornbread, biscuits, rolls, muffins, etc. or
Cooked pasta or noodle products or
Cooked cereal grains
1/2 slice
1/2 serving
1/4 cup
1/4 cup
1/2 slice
1/2 serving
1/4 cup
1/4 cup
1 slice
1 serving
1/2 cup
1/2 cup
Lunch/Supper
(4 components – 5 items)
Meat and Meat Alternates
10
Lean meat or poultry or fish
5
or
Alternate protein products
6
or
cheese or
Egg (large) or
Cooked dry beans or peas or
Peanut butter or soynut butter or other nut/seed
butters or
Peanuts or soynuts or tree nuts or seeds
9
or
Yogurt, plain or flavored, unsweetened or
sweetened
1 oz.
1 oz.
1 oz.
1/2 egg
1/4 cup
2 Tbsp.
1/2 oz. = 50%
4 oz. or 1/2 cup
1 1/2 oz.
1 1/2 oz.
1 1/2 oz.
3/4 egg
3/8 cup
3 Tbsp.
3/4 oz. = 50%
6 oz. or 3/4 cup
2 oz.
2 oz.
2 oz.
1 egg
1/2 cup
4 Tbsp.
1 oz. = 50%
8 oz. or 1 cup
Note: Milk must be served with each breakfast, lunch and supper meal. Between a child’s first and second birthday,
serving whole milk is strongly recommended. After the child’s second birthday, it is required that lowfat or fat-free milk be
served. To encourage adequate calcium intake, lowfat flavored milk can be served.
Conversions:
N-050-05
½ cup = 4 fl. oz. 1 pint = 2 cups
¾ cup = 6 fl. oz. 1 quart = 2 pints = 4 cups
1 cup = 8 fl. oz. 1 gallon = 4 quarts = 16 cups
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