Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)

CONTINUING EDUCATION NUTRITION HOME ASSIGNMENT:

A Deeper Look at Combination Foods

2 credits of continuing education

4-C, 5 Odana Court, Madison, WI 53719 608.271.5242 1.800.292.2429

foodprog@4-C.org | www.4-C.org

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A Deeper Look at Combination Foods: This home assignment covers the following topics:

1. Intro –Combination Foods and the CACFP

2. Acceptable documentation to count purchased combination foods

3. Definitions:

CN – Child Nutrition Label

App Alternate Protein Products

Combination Foods

Food Buying Guide

Crediting Handbook

4. Best Practices for serving combination foods

A Deeper Look at Combination Foods

The purpose of the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) is to promote the health and Nutrition

of children. In order to help you achieve this goal, we will be introducing for use the USDA – Crediting

Handbook for the CACFP – www.fns.usda.gov/tn/crediting-handbook-child-and-adult-care-food and the

Food Buying Guide http://teamnutrition.usda.gov/Resources/foodbuyingguide.html

This information will include a look at Combination Foods, Child Nutrition (CN) Label requirements and

Best Practices and references.

COMBINATION FOOD PRODUCTS What is a ''Commercial Combination Food Product?'' A commercial combination food product is any store-bought food that combines two or more menu components in a single food item. These are just a few common examples of commercial combination foods. There are many more.

Combination Food Product This Product Combines

Cheese & Sausage Pizza Bread (crust) and Meat (cheese, sausage)

Corn dogs Bread (breading) and Meat (hot dog)

Chicken Nuggets, Tenders Bread (breading) and Meat (chicken)

Beef Ravioli (frozen) Bread (pasta) and Meat (beef filling)

Vegetable Beef Stew Vegetable (vegetables) and Meat (beef)

Fish Sticks, Fillets Bread (breading) and Meat (fish)

USDA Policy: A commercially prepared combination food product may be credited to the CACFP menu pattern only if the product's composition is known and documented by the manufacturer. Acceptable forms of documentation include the Child Nutrition (CN) label or a product analysis sheet. Without documented proof of a product's composition, the food may not be credited to the CACFP menu pattern. This is because the amounts of each menu component (meat, bread, vegetable, etc.) in the product are not specified by the manufacturer. What you need to do For any commercial, combination food product you serve at a CACFP meal or snack, make sure you

have acceptable documentation (CN label from package, or product analysis sheet from manufacturer).

If you obtain documentation for a product, keep it on file in your home.

Child Nutrition (CN) Labels and Product Analysis Sheets The USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) administer the Child Nutrition (CN) labeling program for food companies. The CN label states a product's contribution toward the CACFP meal pattern requirements. CN labeled products, such as pizza and breaded meat and poultry products, are usually packaged in bulk quantities for food service operations. They are seldom available in typical food stores. The CN label includes:

Statement of the product's contribution toward meal pattern requirements

6-digit product identification number

Statement specifying that the use of the CN label was authorized by FNS

Month and year of approval

A CN label on a product does not mean that the food provides an entire serving of a meal component. When using CN-labeled products, be sure to meet CACFP portion requirements. Product Analysis Sheets Some food manufacturers who do not participate in the CN labeling program may still be able to provide analysis sheets that specify the composition of their products. A combination food may be credited when a product analysis sheet is on file. It must include a statement of the amount of cooked lean meat/meat alternate, bread/bread alternate, and/or fruit/vegetable components in each serving of the food. This sheet must be signed by an official of the manufacturer (not a salesperson). Important Reminder A commercial combination food product, for which a CN label or product analysis sheet has not been obtained, may not be credited toward the CACFP menu pattern. It is non-creditable. Supplementing such a product with additional food (meat/meat alternate, bread/bread alternate, or fruit/vegetable) does not make it creditable. The unapproved product may be served only as an ''additional food,'' with all menu requirements being met by creditable foods.

Definitions

Combination Foods: where two or more menu components are used in that single item.

Child Nutrition Label (CN Label): product label may be found on a commercially prepared food. To meet the CACFP Meal Requirement it is necessary to serve the proper quantities of each food component. A CN label will show how much meat or meat alternatives, grains, fruit or vegetables are found in each serving.

Product Formulation Statement (Product Analysis Sheet): provides information regarding the product and whether it meets the standards needed to meet the CACFP Meal Requirements. Information sheets can be obtained from the manufacturer with a detailed explanation of what the product actually contains and the amount of each ingredient by weight. Your Nutrition Specialist or Food Program Manager can assist in answering questions regarding commercially prepared food products and/or product analysis. See example below:

Alternate Protein Products (APP): Food ingredients that may be used to substitute as part or to fulfill the meat, poultry or seafood. Alternate Protein Products are processed from soy or other vegetable protein sources such as dehydrated food granules, flakes, meat fillers and extenders as in vegetarian burgers, Salisbury steak, meatballs, and riblettes.

Purchasing Combination Foods: Acceptable documentation is necessary in the purchase of combination

food products: An actual Child Nutrition Label (CN) marked on the product or a Manufacture’s Product

Formulation Statement (Product Analysis) signed by an official of the manufacturer is needed or in order

to serve this product. See examples of both CN and Manufacture’s Product Formulation Statement

under each words definition.

Food Buying Guide: is used for crediting commercially prepared food products that have a (CN) label or

have proper quantities of each component per serving to claim on the CACFP.

Crediting Food Handbook for the CACFP: a guide for crediting foods on the Food Program. It has specific

information related to how to credit foods – meat or meat alternates, grains, milk, other dairy, bread or

bread alternates and fruits and vegetables, combination foods, commercially prepared foods and non-

creditable foods on the CACFP.

Best Practices As a suggested alternative to using commercially prepared products, we would like you to consider

evaluating your current menus and opt for preparing homemade meals and snacks. The benefits of

homemade foods are:

More nutritious

Less expensive

Fewer preservatives - less sodium, fat, sugar

Taste better - more appealing to children

Creates opportunities to involve children in meal planning and preparing.

It assures that you are meeting accurate CACFP Meal Pattern Requirements.

Children may enjoy combination foods and many of the commercially prepared ones can be made from

scratch. Some examples include:

Homemade pizza

Homemade Chicken Strips

Homemade Chili and stews

Recipes of combination Foods can be found in a variety of cookbooks and websites. A couple of good

resources include:

http://www.whatscooking.fns.usda.gov/

http://www.childcareinfo.com/FoodandFitness/MealPlanning.aspx

http://www.healthykidshealthyfuture.org/content/hkhf/home/nutrition.html

In Conclusion - careful thought and consideration should be put into the planning of meals using

commercially prepared food products to assure that children are receiving the best nutrition and to

meet the CACFP Meal Pattern Requirements for reimbursement. Appropriate documentation must be

on file in order for commercially prepared combination foods to be creditable on the CACFP.

Resources:

http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnlabeling/child-nutrition-cn-labeling-program

FOR OFFICE USE ONLY

Date Received by 4-C Office

Checked by 4-C CACFP Specialist

Certificate Sent

A Deeper Look at Combination Foods

Continuing Education Home Assignment Questions and Activities

PROVIDER NAME

PROVIDER NUMBER

DATE COMPLETED

Part A – Use the chicken nuggets CN Label below to answers the questions in part A:

1. How many chicken nuggets equal 2 oz. meat/meat alternate equivalent for the CACFP?

_____________

2. Do the chicken nuggets count towards another meal component? ___________________

If so, which one and how much?_________________________________________________

3. Looking at the list of ingredients, which ingredient on the chicken nugget label offers the largest

portion of nutritional value? Circle your answer:

A. Water

B. Chicken Breast

C. Whole Wheat Flour

4. What documentation is needed in order to claim a commercially prepared combination food

product? _______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Why is documentation needed?____________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Part B – This section requires you to go to your local grocery store to locate a CN label on a food

product.

List a specific product:___________________________________________________________________

Name of product:_______________________________________________________________________

Where it was purchased:_________________________________________________________________

If no product(s) could be found what might be an alternative to serving a Commercial Combination Food

Product? What might you serve instead?____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Part C – If you’re not sure if a Commercial Combination Food Product is creditable and it is does not

have a CN Label the manufacturer can be contacted for the Manufacturer’s Product Formulation

Statement (Product Analysis Sheet).

Check for commercial combination products you may already be serving and contact the manufacturer

by phone, or by email to request the Manufacturer’s Product Formulation Statement (Product Analysis

Sheet). If you do not use commercial combination products use the example below to request a

Manufacturer’s Product Formulation Statement.

For example, if you were to use Schwan’s Cod Nuggets contact Schwan’s. Their number is 1-(888) -724–

9267 or by email – on the Schwan’s Website www.schwans.com

List the product reviewed:__________________________________________________________

What product information did you receive regarding this product: (CN label, Nutrition Facts, Ingredient

List and Serving Size for this particular product)._____________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Part D – Homemade vs. Commercially Prepared Food Products

Is there a product you’re currently using that could be prepared as “Homemade”? (Homemade Stew,

Pizza) Share your recipe below:___________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Part E – Use the Crediting Handbook for the Child and Adult Care Food Program (You can access it on

the web or use the paper copy you received on a Home Review Visit)

www.fns.usda.gov/tn/crediting-handbook-child-and-adult-care-food

Milk

Using your Crediting Handbook, under the Milk Section (pgs 14-19) - name two milk items that are

creditable on the Food Program: _____________and ______________. What make these two products

creditable?____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Name a non-creditable milk source and why it would not be creditable on the Food Program.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Meat/Meat Alternate

Use the Crediting Handbook pages 20-31. In this section list an item that was new information to you

and why. Example – Beef jerky – Is it creditable or non-creditable on the Food Program?

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Are there any other products listed that may be new information to you in claiming for reimbursement

for the Food Program? __________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Fruits/Vegetables – Use the Crediting Handbook pages 32-44.

Soybeans are creditable as a Fruit/Vegetable on the Food Program. In which other Food Group would it

be a creditable food item?_______________________________________________________________

Breads/Bread Alternates - Use the Crediting Handbook pages 45-60.

If you are serving “banana bread” does it count as a fruit/vegetable? ____________________________

What does it count towards in the CACFP Meal Pattern? _______________________________________

What is the first ingredient that should be listed on the food label in order for a bread/bread alternative

to be reimbursable on the CACFP? _________________________________________________________

Please make a copy of your questionnaire, save one for your records and send one into the 4‐C Food Program office at 5 Odana Ct, Madison, WI, 53719. You may also email a scanned copy to foodprog@4‐C.org or fax a copy to 608.271.5380. You will receive a certificate of completion of your Combination Foods Home Assignment. This Home Assignment counts towards 2 hours of continuing education. Thank You!