Counting Purchased Combination Foods and Cheeses

1. Counting Purchased Combination Foods and Cheeses On the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)

2. ~ Purchased Combination foods ~What are they? • Breaded Chicken Nuggets, patties, tenders • Breaded Popcorn chicken • Breaded fish sticks, patties, shapes, nuggets • Corn dogs and mini corn dogs • Pizza (any type) • Canned and frozen ravioli • Frozen soups for any component To name a few… • Potato pancakes • Breakfast bites • Lasagna, quesadillas • Chili and Chili Mac • Chicken pot pies • Cheese sauce • Pizza rolls • Egg rolls

3. Meat/Meat alternates with Binders and Extenders Must be treated like purchased combination food items... • Alternate protein products (APPs) like soy protein isolate • Various types of flour • Cereals • Modified food starches • Dried milk • Carrageenan • Salisbury Steak • Meatballs • Hamburger • Taco Meat • Riblettes • Some sausages • Vegetable burgers Check the ingredients label first for these types of ingredients Purchased food items such as

4. ~ Purchased Combination Foods ~ • Combination food items can only be counted on the CACFP when the actual content (i.e. meat/meat alternate, bread, etc.) is known and documented. • Most products cannot be taken apart to weigh and measure the ingredients separately for counting the amount of meat/meat alternate (M/MA), fruit/vegetable (F/V) and bread/grain (G/B).

5. ~ Purchased Combination Foods ~ Acceptable documentation to count purchased combination foods are: • The actual Child Nutrition (CN) label marked on the product, or • A manufacturer’s product formulation statement signed by an official of the manufacturer

6. ~ Child Nutrition (CN) Labels ~ • USDA must evaluate a product’s formulation to determine how much it can count toward the meal pattern requirements. Once approved by USDA, the manufacturers can state the meal contribution within a CN label on the packaging of the product. • They clearly identify how much a product can count toward the meal pattern requirements. • They provide a warranty against meal disallowance if the CN labeled product is used according to the manufacturer’s directions.

7. ~ Child Nutrition (CN) Labels ~ • Proper documentation of a CN-labeled product is an actual label on the purchased product carton

8. ~ Child Nutrition (CN) Labels ~ A CN label will always contain the following: • The CN logo, which is a distinct border; • The meal pattern contribution statement; • A unique 6-digit product identification number (assigned by USDA/FNS) appearing in the upper right hand corner of the CN logo; • The USDA/FNS authorization statement; • The month and year of final FNS approval

9. ~ Product Formulation Statements ~ • They are information sheets obtained from the manufacturer with a detailed explanation of what the product actually contains and the amount of each ingredient by weight. • It should contain the original signature of an authorized company representative, not a sales representative’ ssignature.

10. ~ Product Formulation Statements ~

11. CN Labels = Healthy? • CN labels do NOT indicate that a product is healthy • Used predominately on processed meat and meat alternate products which are often high in sodium, fat and calories • Healthier options are becoming available • If using CN labeled foods, always read the Nutrition Facts panel to choose healthier options

12. ~ Child Nutrition (CN) Labels ~ • They are not the nutrition facts labels or ingredients lists X X

13. How to read and use CN labels…

14. ~ Fish Stick Example ~ Two 1.00 oz breaded fish sticks provide 1.00 oz meat equivalent and .50 serving of bread alternate Meat equivalent calculation: • 1-2 year olds (1 oz) =2 fish stks sticks • 3-5 year olds (1.5 oz) =3 fish stks sticks • 6-12 year olds (2 oz) =4 fish stks sticks

15. ~ Precooked Beef Patty Example ~ Each 2.00 oz fully cooked beef patty provides 1.75 oz of meat equivalent Meat equivalent calculation: • 1-2 year olds (1 oz) = ¾ burger (round up to 1) • 3-5 year olds (1.5 oz) = 1 burger • 6-12 year olds (2 oz) = 1&1/4 burger (round up to 1 & ½ )

16. This 4 oz Corn Dog provides 2.0 oz equivalent meat and 2 servings bread alternate for Child Nutrition Meal Pattern Requirements. Meat equivalent calculation: 1-2 year olds (1 oz) = ½ corn dog 3-5 year olds (1.5 oz) = ¾ corn dog 6-12 year olds (2 oz) = 1 corn dog

17. Five .88oz breaded fully cooked chicken nuggets (2.43 oz Total) provide 2.00 oz equivalent meat/meat alternate and 1.00 serving bread alternate for Child Nutrition Meal Pattern Requirements. Meat Equivalent Calculation: 1-2 yr olds (1 oz) = 3 nuggets; 3-5 yr olds (1.5 oz) = 4 nuggets; 6-12 yr olds (2 oz) = 5 nuggets

18. Crediting Cheeses

19. Creditable Cheeses • Natural Cheese • Pasteurized Process Cheese (100% cheese) 2 oz of the following items provides 1 oz meat/meat alternate: • Cheese Food (contains at least 51% cheese) • Cheese Spread • Cottage Cheese • Ricotta Cheese

20. The following are examples of creditable cheese items…

21. Pasteurized Process American Cheese

22. Cheese Spread 2 oz = 1 oz)

23. Natural Reduced Fat Cheddar Cheese Sticks

24. 2 oz = 1 oz

25. Light Pasteurized Cheese

27. Requires CN label

29. Non-Creditable Cheeses • Imitation cheese • Cheese Product (contains <51% cheese) • Velveeta

30. The following are examples of non-creditable cheese items…

31. Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product

32. Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product

33. Imitation Mozzarella Cheese

34. Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product

35. Thank you!