CACFP Meal Pattern · Adults
CACFP Meal Pattern for Adult Participants: Breakfast, Lunch or Supper, and Snack
Adults enrolled in CACFP-participating adult day care centers, including functionally impaired and older adults, receive the adult meal pattern.
Who serves Adult Participants meals under CACFP
- Adult day care centers
- Non-residential adult day health programs
Regulatory note: Adult breakfast requires 1/2 cup of vegetables, fruits, or both and 2 ounce equivalents of grains. Meats or meat alternates may replace the entire grains requirement at breakfast up to three times per week, ounce equivalent for ounce equivalent.
Breakfast — Adult Participants
| Component | Minimum |
|---|---|
| Milk (low-fat or fat-free, flavored or unflavored) | 1 cup |
| Vegetables, fruits, or both (or juice) Juice may only be served once per day. | 1/2 cup |
| Grains (oz eq) Meats or meat alternates may replace the entire grains requirement at breakfast up to three times per week, ounce equivalent for ounce equivalent. | 2 ounce equivalents |
Lunch or Supper — Adult Participants
| Component | Minimum |
|---|---|
| Milk (low-fat or fat-free; optional at supper) Milk is required at lunch. At supper, milk is optional for adults. | 1 cup |
| Meat/meat alternates | 2 ounces |
| Vegetables | 1/2 cup |
| Fruits | 1/2 cup |
| Grains (oz eq) | 2 ounce equivalents |
Snack — Adult Participants
| Component | Minimum |
|---|---|
| Milk (low-fat or fat-free) | 1 cup |
| Meat/meat alternates | 1 ounce |
| Vegetables | 1/2 cup |
| Fruits | 1/2 cup |
| Grains (oz eq) | 1 ounce equivalent |
At snack, select 2 of the 5 required components. A snack may not consist of two beverages.
Key crediting and substitution rules
- At least one grain serving across all eating occasions each day must be whole grain-rich. Use a USDA-recognized method and product documentation to evaluate grain ingredients; total product weight alone does not establish whole grain-rich status.
- Pasteurized, full-strength juice may meet the vegetable or fruit requirement at only one meal or snack per day.
- Yogurt must contain no more than 12 grams of added sugars per 6 ounces.
- Breakfast cereal must contain no more than 6 grams of added sugars per dry ounce.
- Grain-based desserts do not credit toward the grains requirement.
- At breakfast, meats or meat alternates may replace the entire grains requirement up to three times per week, ounce equivalent for ounce equivalent.
Source: 7 CFR 226.20(d); USDA FNS Adult Meal Pattern. Review the current USDA FNS CACFP nutrition standards before service.
Review Adult Participants menu drafts for meal-pattern gaps
CrEATe compares the information you enter with configured CACFP component and portion fields for Adult Participants, flags planning gaps, and prepares record drafts. Verify the result against current USDA, sponsor, and state guidance.