Crediting Foods for CACFP Reimbursement

CACFP regulations: crediting milk products

Breakfast must include fluid milk. It can be served as a beverage, used on cereal, or used in part for each purpose.
Lunch must include fluid milk, served as a beverage.
Snacks may include fluid milk as 1 of the components (unless juice is served as the only other component). It can be served as a beverage, used on cereal, or used in part for each purpose.
To qualify for crediting, milk must be pasteurized and meet state or local standards for fluid milk. It should contain vitamins A and D at levels specified by the Food and Drug Administration.
Milk that can be credited includes:
- Flavored or unflavored:
  - Whole milk
  - Reduced fat (2%) milk
  - Low-fat (1%) milk
  - Non-fat (skim) milk
- Cultured buttermilk
Milk cannot be credited when cooked in:
- Cereals
- Puddings
- Other foods

Milk Products
	Creditable?
Food Item	Yes	No	Comments	Nutrition Information
Acidified milk	X		Acidified milk is fluid milk that has been made sour by an acidifying agent. Examples are acidified kefir milk and acidified acidophilus milk.
Buttermilk	X			Buttermilk is low in fat.
Certified raw milk		X	Certified raw milk is not pasteurized. Regulations require the use of pasteurized milk. Pasteurized milk is heated at a high temperature for a period of time to destroy microorganisms.
Cheese		X	Cheese cannot be credited toward the milk requirement, because it does not meet the definition of milk as “fluid.” However, cheese can count toward the meat/meat alternate requirement.
Chocolate milk	X			Try to limit the use of flavored milks due to their high sugar content.
Cocoa	X		Cocoa made with fluid milk is creditable. Credit the fluid milk portion only. Cocoa made from water is not creditable.
Cream		X	Cream does not meet the definition of milk.
Cream sauces		X	To be credited, milk must be served as fluid milk, not cooked in cereals, puddings, cream sauces, or other foods.
Cream soups		X	To be credited, milk must be served as fluid milk, not cooked in cereals, puddings, cream sauces, or other foods.
Cultured milk	X		Cultured milk is fluid milk with a unique flavor and/or consistency as a result of adding certain microorganisms under controlled conditions. Examples are cultured buttermilk and cultured kefir milk.
Custard		X	To be credited, milk must be offered as a serving of fluid milk, not cooked in cereals, puddings, cream sauces, or other foods.
Eggnog: commercial or homemade	X		Eggnog made with cooked eggs is creditable. Only the fluid milk portion is creditable. Eggnog made with uncooked eggs is NOT creditable due to the risk of Salmonella enteritidis, a foodborne illness related to uncooked or undercooked eggs.
Eggnog flavored milk	X			Try to limit the use of flavored milks due to their high sugar content.
Evaporated milk		X	Evaporated milk does not meet the definition of milk.
Flavored milk	X			Try to limit the use of flavored milks due to their high sugar content.
Frozen yogurt		X	Frozen yogurt does not meet the definition of milk.
Goat’s milk	X		Goat’s milk must meet state standards for fluid milk to be creditable.
Half and half		X	Half and half does not meet the definition of milk.
Hot chocolate	X		Hot chocolate made with fluid milk is creditable. Credit the fluid milk portion only.	Try to limit the use of flavored milks due to their high sugar content.
Ice cream		X	To be credited, milk must be provided as a serving of fluid milk.	Ice cream contains 11% to 20% fat.
Ice cream, low fat (ice milk)		X	To be credited, milk must be provided as fluid milk.	Low-fat ice cream contains 2% to 6% fat.
Imitation milk		X	Imitation milk does not meet the definition of milk.
Lactose reduced milk	X		People who cannot digest lactose found in standard milk may be able to drink lactose reduced milk.
Low fat milk (1% or light)	X			Whole, reduced fat, low fat, and nonfat milk provide equal amounts of nutrients. They differ in fat content and therefore, the number of calories per serving.
Milk and fruit drink	X		When milk is combined with a full-strength juice, either the fruit juice or milk may be credited as a snack component, but not both.
Milkshakes, homemade and commercial	X		Milkshakes containing at least 1 cup fluid milk per serving are creditable. Only the fluid milk portion is creditable.
Nonfat milk (fat free or skim)	X			Nonfat milk contains virtually no fat. Nonfat milk provides equal amounts of the same nutrients as whole, reduced fat, and low fat milk (except for fat).
Nonfat dry milk, reconstituted		X	Nonfat dry milk may be used only in emergency situations where the availability of milk has been affected. Contact your state agency for approval.
Pudding		X	To be credited, milk must be provided as a serving of fluid milk, not cooked in cereals, puddings, cream sauces, or other foods.
Pudding pops		X	To be credited, milk must be provided as a serving of fluid milk.
Reduced fat milk	X			Whole, reduced fat, low fat, and nonfat milk provide equal amounts of nutrients. They differ in fat content and therefore, the number of calories per serving.
Sherbet		X	Sherbet does not meet the definition of milk.
Skim milk (nonfat or fat free milk)	X			Skim milk contains virtually no fat. Skim milk provides equal amounts of the same nutrients as whole, reduced fat, and low fat milk (except for fat).
Sour cream		X	Sour cream does not meet the definition of milk.	Sour cream is high in fat. Look for reduced fat sour cream as an alternative.
Soy milk		X	Soy milk is creditable only if used as a substitution due to medical or other dietary needs. A statement signed by a medical authority must be on file for a person being served soy milk.
UHT (ultra-high temperature) milk	X		UHT milk is Grade A pasteurized milk heated to 280°F, then cooled. It can be stored without refrigeration until opened.
Whole milk	X			Whole milk contains 3.3% fat. Reduced fat, low fat, or skim milk provide equal amounts of the same nutrients, with less fat.
Yogurt		X	Yogurt does not meet the definition of milk. Yogurt can be credited as a meat alternate. See: yogurt in the meat/meat alternate section.	Yogurt is a good source of calcium, phosphorus, and protein.

It's MORE Than A Meal

Crediting Foods for CACFP Reimbursement

CACFP regulations: crediting milk products