Caring for Our Children: Appendix Q - Child and Adult Food Care Program Child and Adult Care Food Program Meal Pattern Requirements for Children Ages 1 through 12 Years AGE Children 1-2 Years of Age Children 3-5 Years of Age Children 6-12 Years of Age BREAKFAST Milk * 1/2 cup 3/4 cup 1 cup Vegetable or Fruit or Juice (100%) 1/4 cup 1/2 cup 1/2 cup Grains/Breads (enriched or whole grain) 1/ 2 slice* (or 1/2 serving) 1/2 slice* (or 1/2 serving) 1 slice* (or 1 serving) - or cold dry cereal 1/4 cup (or 1/3 oz.) 1/3 cup (or 1/2 oz.) 3/4 cup (or 1 oz.) - or cooked cereal 1/4 cup 1/4 cup 1/2 cup SNACK (select two of the following four components) Milk * 1/2 cup 1/2 cup 1 cup Vegetable or Fruit or Juice (100%)** 1/2 cup 1/2 cup 3/4 cup Meat or meat alternative 1/2 ounce 1/2 ounce 1 ounce - or yogurt (plain or sweetened)** 2 oz (or 1/4 cup) 2 oz (or 1/4 cup) 4 oz (or 1/2 cup) Grains/Breads (enriched or whole grain) 1/2 slice* (or 1/2 serving) 1/2 slice* (or 1/2 serving) 1 slice* (or 1 serving) LUNCH/SUPPER Milk * 1/2 cup 3/4 cup 1 cup Meat or poultry or fish 1 ounce 1 1/2 ounce 2 ounces - or cheese 1 ounce 1 1/2 ounces 2 ounces - or cottage cheese, cheese food, or cheese spread 2 ounces (1/4 cup) 3 ounces (3/8 cup) 4 ounces (1/2 cup) - or egg 1 egg 1 egg 1 egg - or cooked dry beans or peas 1/4 cup 3/8 cup 1/2 cup - or peanut butter, soynut butter or nut or seed butters 2 Tablespoons 3 Tablespoons 4 Tablespoons - or peanuts, soynuts, tree nuts or seeds 1/2 ounce 3/4 ounce 1 ounce - or yogurt 4 ounces (or 1/2 cup) 6 ounces (or 3/4 cup) 8 ounces (or 1 cup) - or an equivalent quantity of any combination of the above meat/meat alternative Vegetables and/or Fruits (2 or More) 1/4 cup (total) 1/2 cup (total) 3/4 cup (total) Grains/Breads (enriched or whole grain) 1/2 slice* (or 1/2 serving) 1/2 slice* (or 1/2 serving) 1 slice* (or 1 serving) POINTS TO REMEMBER: · Keep menu production records. · The required amount of each food must be served. · Use full-strength (100%) juice. * Or an equivalent serving of an acceptable grains/breads such as cornbread, biscuits, rolls, muffins, etc., made of whole grain or enriched meal or flour, or a serving of cooked enriched or whole grain rice or macaroni or other pasta products. ** For snack, juice or yogurt may not be served when milk is served as the only other component. Reference: United State Department of Agriculture, Building Blocks for Fun and Healthy Meals: A Menu Planner for the Child and Adult Care Food Program, Washington, D.C; 2000. *Dry/Reconstituted milk is not acceptable Caring for Our Children, 2nd ed. Copyright 2002. National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care 1-800-598-KIDS(5437) info@nrckids.org