Meal Requirements
Meal Times and Places
To be reimbursed, meals must be served at the approved site (your home) and during the hours and days agreed upon in the program application.
Breakfast (6:30 a.m.- 9:30 a.m.)
Morning Snack (9:30 a.m.- 11:00 a.m.)
Lunch (11:00 a.m.- 1:30 p.m.)
Afternoon Snack (2:00 p.m.- 4:30 p.m.)
Dinner (4:30 p.m.- 7:00 p.m.)
Evening Snack (7:00 p.m.- 9:00 p.m.)
At least two hours must lapse between beginning times of meals or snacks for the same group of children. The meal times are USOE recommendations; a meal must occur during the time traditionally considered as normal for the meal.
Meals Allowed
Each child in your care is eligible to be reimbursed for up to three meal services. One of these three meals must be a snack. You will only be reimbursed for three meal services, BUT you can claim all meals you serve to the children in your care. The computer will only allow you to be reimbursed for three meal services in one day, all other meals will be disallowed, but will be on your tax report at the end of the year.
School age children (first grade and up) can not be claimed during regular school time. If your child is home sick, there is no school, or there is a holiday, indicate this information on your Child Information Form (CIF) for that day if you are using the scannable forms, or if you are claiming on-line you can put this information on the child’s master calendar or when you are claiming the meal under the enter meal feature in kidkare.com. Make sure you check school out or home sick.
All meals must meet USDA requirements. If you serve a meal that does not meet all the requirements, do not claim that meal, this includes restaurant, fast food, pizza take out, etc.
Infant Meal Pattern Requirements (1-12 years old)
CACFP Meal Pattern Requirements (1-12 years old)
Menus
Meal Pattern Requirements
Nutrient Criteria for Milk Substitutes
(Minimum Required Nutrients)
Values must be met or exceeded
Per 1 Cup Serving Size
| Nutrients | Nutrient Values | Daily Values | % Daily Values |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calcium | 276 mg | 1000 mg | 30% DV |
| Protein | 8 g | 50 g | 8 g |
| Vitamin A | 500 IU | 5000 IU | 10% DV |
| Vitamin D | 100 IU | 400 IU | 25% DV |
| Magnesium | 24 mg | 400 mg | 6% DV |
| Phosphorus | 222 mg | 1000 mg | 20% DV |
| Potassium | 349 mg | 3500 mg | 350 mg or 10% DV |
| Riboflavin | 0.44 mg | 1.7 mg | 25% DV |
| Vitamin B 12 | 1.1 mcg | 6 mcg | 20% DV |