FAQs

Yes. Chocolate/dessert flavored cereals/cereal snacks are considered a grain based dessert and are not creditable under the CACFP program.  These items do not comply with Michigan's grain components as they are perceived as grain based desserts (contain chocolate and /or candy chips, sprinkles, dessert flavorings (chocolate), cinnamon roll, etc

Yes. As long as children in care have a current Child Enrollment Form on file, they can be claimed until they turn 13 years of age.

Yes, PLAIN graham crackers, plain Teddy Grahams and plain Goldfish Grahams and plain Animal crackers may be served to children in your care. Graham crackers: all shapes count, but not all flavors. Cinnamon dusted is ok, cinnamon sugar, frosted/glazed, chocolate flavored chip or other dessert flavored are not ok. Same criteria holds for animal crackers.

No. Juice may only be served once a day in your home. If you have some children in the a.m. and different kids in the afternoon, you could serve juice to the morning group one day and the next day serve it to the afternoon group.

Yes, but all meal/snack components must be served that are required as well as serving sizes.

Yes. The meals must meet meal pattern requirements. Examples of meat alternatives that are creditable in the CACFP include natural and processed cheese food, cheese spreads, cottage cheese, firm tofu, eggs, cooked dry beans and peas, nuts and seed butters or any combination of the above. Yogurt can be served to children 1 year and older at meals and snacks and to infants 6 months and older at meals only.

Yes. The CACFP requires at least one grain served per day must be whole grain (WG) or whole grain-rich (WGR). Whole grain -rich foods are those that contain 100% whole grains, or at least 50% whole grains and the remaining grains in the food are enriched. You must indicate on your menu what meal or snack component you are serving is WG or WGR.

Only one component of fruit/vegetable can be counted in a combination dish. For example, if the beef stew you serve contains stew meat, potatoes, carrots and onions, the beef stew would only count for one fruit/vegetable component. An additional fruit or vegetable would need to be served.

The label will state "Juice", "Full Strength Juice", "Single Strength Juice", "Reconstituted Juice", "Juice from Concentrate", or "Juice Concentrate". Juice that has the word “cocktail", "natural", "beverage", or "drink" on the label is NOT 100% juice. The label should explicitly state "100% juice".

You can claim 2 meals and one snack or 2 snacks and 1 meal per day per child. This is the maximum you can claim, it is not based on the time the children are present.

Yes, if you obtain a written Special Diet Statement from a recognized medical authority stating that the child should not be served milk. The statement must specify a substitute food.

The meal or snack that reimburses at the lowest rate with be crossed off. A provider can claim above and beyond CACFP reimbursement at tax time. Therefore, it is important to keep a record of all the meals and snacks served and who received them.

Reimbursement checks are mailed out the last business day of each month, for the previous month’s menu. As long as you are claiming children on the food program you will receive a reimbursement check every month.

Yes, when the infant is developmentally ready for solid foods, you would provide those components in addition to the breast milk/iron-fortified formula in order to claim meals/snacks.

As long as you have offered to provide an iron-fortified formula, the parent can decline that brand and choose to bring the iron-fortified formula for their infant. You may still claim the meals/snacks as long as the Child Enrollment Form indicates this.

Yes, it might be possible that you will be eligible to claim your own children on the food program. An income eligibility form would have to be filled out and given to your food program specialist.

Yes, mom may pump the breast milk and bring it to your home or she may feed the infant on site and those meals/snacks are reimbursable on the CACFP. If the Provider is the breastfeeding mother, than another eligible child must be present and claimed for that same meal/snack service time for them to claim their infant.