Subsection 148-1-IV-A - MEAL COMPONENTS1. PURPOSE: To establish, as a minimum, the meal components and quantities prepared that organizations are required to make available to individuals enrolled in the Child and Adult Care Food Program.
2. STANDARDS: 1. Each meal served in the program shall contain, as a minimum, the following food components for participants age one year and older: a. Breakfast shall contain: 1 A serving of fluid milk as a beverage or on cereal, or used in part for each purpose;2 A serving of vegetables or fruit(s) or full-strength vegetable or fruit juice, or an equivalent quantity of any combination of these foods;3 A serving of whole-grain or enriched bread; or an equivalent serving of cornbread, biscuits, rolls, muffins, etc. made with whole-grain or enriched meal or flour; or a serving of whole-grain or enriched or fortified cereal; or a serving of cooked whole-grain or enriched pasta or noodle products such as macaroni, or cereal grains such as rice, bulgur, or corn grits; or an equivalent quantity of any combination of these foods.b. Both Lunch and supper shall contain: 1 A serving of fluid milk as a beverage;2 A serving of loan meat, poultry or fish; or cheese; or an egg; or cooked dry beans or peas; or peanut or other nut butters and/or tree nuts or seeds, or an equivalent quantity of any combination of these foods. These foods must be served in a main dish, or in a main dish with one other menu item to meet this requirement. Cooked dry beans or dry peas may be used as the meat alternative or as part of the vegetable/fruit components, but not as both food components in the same meal. Nuts and seeds and their butters listed in program guidance are nutritionally comparable to meat or other meat alternates based on available nutritional data. Acorns, chestnuts, and coconuts shall not be used as meat alternates due to their low protein content. Nut or seed meals or flours may be used as an ingredient in a bread/bread alternates, but shall not be used as a meat alternate.. except as defined in Subsection D. Nuts or seeds may be used to meet no more than one-half of the meat/meat alternate requirement. Therefore, nuts or seeds must be combined with another meat/meat alternate to fulfill the requirement;3 A serving of two or more vegetables or fruits, or a combination of both. Full-strength vegetable or fruit juice may be counted to meet not more than one-half of this requirement;4 A serving of whole-grain or enriched bread; or an equivalent serving of cornbread, biscuits, rolls,, muffins, etc., made with whole-grain or enriched meal or flour. or a serving of whole-grain or enriched pasta or noodle products such as macaroni, or cereal grains such as rice, bulgur, or corn grits; or an equivalent quantity of any combination of these foods.c. Supplementary foods shall be served between other meal types and must contain no less than two of the following four components: 1 A serving of fluid milk as a beverage or on cereal, or used in part for each purpose;2 A serving of meat or meat alternate;3 A serving of vegetables or fruit(s) or full-strength vegetable or fruit juice, or an equivalent quantity of any combination of these foods. a Juice may not be served when milk is served as the only other component;b A supplement may not consist of only 2 fruit/vegetable items.4 A serving of whole-grain or enriched bread; or an equivalent serving of cornbread, biscuits, rolls, muffins, etc., made with whole-grain or enriched meal or flour, or a serving of cooked whole-grain or enriched pasta or noodle products such as macaroni, or cereal grains such as rice, bulgur, or corn grits; or an equivalent quantity of any combination of these foods.2. In order to Improve the nutrition of participating children, over I year of age, facilities may serve additional food with each meal or supplement.3. Individual substitutions* because of medical or handicapping conditions, shall be made only when prescribed by a medical authority. The statement must identify the food or foods to be omitted from the individual's diet and the food, or choice of foods which may be substituted. The authority's statement shall be kept on file in the participants record.4. Special variations may be approved by the Bureau and by U.S.D.A.'s Food and Nutrition Services on an experimental or continuing basis in any organization where there is evidence that such variations are nutritionally sound and are necessary to meet ethnic, religious, economic or physical needs. Such substitutions will first be approved by the Bureau and Food Nutrition Services Regional Office (FNSRO) by way of the organization's submission of such request to the Bureau and the State's application for allowing claim for such variation to FNSRO. The answer from FNSRO related to the variation will be forwarded to the organization immediately upon receipt by the Bureau.5. Organizations shall plan for and prepare or order meals with the intention of providing only one meal per enrolled participant in attendance at each meal service. Records of participation and ordering or preparing meals shall be maintained to demonstrate positive action towards this objective. Receipts for ordered meals shall be dated and signed.6. Organizations shall prepare and serve only those food items listed in Subsection D as reimbursable items. The items listed as non-reimbursable, if served, shall not be counted towards meeting the minimum meal/supplement components.7. Withholding of meals/supplements shall not be used as a form of disciplinary action. Disciplinary action which indirectly results in the loss of meal(s) because of being suspended from the entire program is allowable, but the suspension of meal(s)/supplements as a means of disciplinary action while a participant is in attendance is not. C.M.R. 10, 148, ch. 1, 148-1-IV, subsec. 148-1-IV-A