- Meal Pattern Requirements for Adults
- Meal Pattern Requirements for Children
- Meal Pattern Requirements for Infants
- Meat and Meat Alternates
- Resources
Meal Pattern Requirements for Children Ages 1-12
Points to Remember
- Keep menu production records
- The required amount of each food must be served
- Use full-strength (100%) juice
| Breakfast | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-2 Years | 3-5 Years | 6-12 Years | |
| Fluid Milk | 1/2 cup | 3/4 cup | 1 cup |
| Juice or fruit or vegetable | 1/4 cup | 1/2 cup | 1/2 cup |
| Grains/Breads | 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 **) | |||
| 1-2 Years | 3-5 Years | 6-12 Years | |
| Fluid Milk | 1/2 cup | 1/2 cup | 1 cup |
| Juice or fruit or vegetable | 1/2 cup | 1/2 cup | 3/4 cup |
| Meat or meat alternate | 1/2 ounce | 1/2 ounce | 1 ounce |
| or yogurt | 2 oz (or 1/4 cup) |
2 oz (or 1/4 cup) |
4 oz (or 1/2 cup) |
| Grains/Breads | 1/2 slice* (or 1/2 serving) |
1/2 slice* (or 1/2 serving) |
1 slice* (or 1 serving) |
| Lunch and Supper | |||
| 1-2 Years | 3-5 Years | 6-12 Years | |
| Fluid 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 ounce | 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 | 1 | 1 |
| 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 oz. = 50% | 3/4 oz. = 50% | 1 oz. = 50% |
| or yogurt | 4 oz. (or 1/2 cup) |
6 oz. (or 3/4 cup) |
8 oz. (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 | 1/2 slice* (or 1/2 serving) |
1/2 slice* (or 1/2 serving) |
1 slice* (or 1 serving) |
*
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. |
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