Meats, Fats and Grains
Meats, fats, and grains are important pieces of a healthy diet for children and adults. Most of the fats served to children should come from unsaturated fat sources like fish, nuts and vegetable oils. High fat meat and dairy products should be limited. At least half of the grains consumed should be whole grain sources. Below you will find resources that will help you serve a variety of healthy food options to the children you care for.
Best Practices
Select the best practice to find resources that can help you reach that best practice.
- “Offer beans or lean meats at least once a day.”
- “Offer fried or pre-fried meats or fish less than once a week or never.”
- “Offer fried or pre-fried potatoes less than once a week or never.”
- “Offer high-fat meats less than once a week or never.”
- “Offer high fiber, whole grain foods at least 2 times a day.”
- “Offer sweets or salty foods less than once a week or never.”
“Offer beans or lean meats at least once a day.”
Building Blocks for Fun and Healthy Meals
Summary: This menu planner provides tools needed to successfully prepare and serve meals and snacks in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). It comes complete with sample menus, guidance on keeping and using production records, and information on food safety and sanitation.
Source: United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service
Access: http://www.fns.usda.gov/building-blocks
Child Meal Pattern for Child and Adult Care Food Program
Summary: Outlines the food pattern for children for caregivers of children from aged 1 to 18 years of age.
Source: United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service
Access: http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/cacfp/CACFP_childmealpattern.pdf
Choose Yogurts That Are Lower in Added Sugars
Summary: This worksheet explains the new requirements for serving yogurt in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). It shows step by step how to find yogurts with the requirement by using the Nutrition Facts label.
Source: United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service
Access: https://fns-prod.azureedge.net/sites/default/files/tn/cacfp-chooseyogurts.pdf
Eating Through Meal Patterns: Yogurt
Summary: This flyer explains the new guidelines for yogurt to be creditable according to the new CACFP guidelines that take effect October 1, 2017. It gives some examples of some brands that qualify as well as a formula to determine if the yogurt you are using qualifies.
Source: Association for Child Development-Child and Adult Care Food Program
Access: http://www.acdkids.org/pdf/MPC%20-%20Yogurt%20Guide.pdf
Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs
Summary: This food buying guide contains all of the current information in one place. This will help you buy the right amount of food and the appropriate type of food for programs. It also determines the specific contribution each food makes toward the meal pattern requirements.
Source: United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service
Access: http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/food-buying-guide-for-child-nutrition-programs
Food Buying Guide Mobile App
Summary: This link explains how to use a mobile app about food yield information for the Child Nutrition Programs.
Source: United States Department of Agriculture – Food and Nutrition Services
Access: https://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/food-buying-guide-mobile-app
Making Healthy Choices: Week 6 – Plan for protein
Summary: Newsletter featuring tips for consuming lean protein sources.
Source: Michigan State University Extension
Access: http://msue.anr.msu.edu/uploads/resources/pdfs/TR.6.pdf
Making Healthy Choices: Week 7 – More than meat
Summary: Newsletter featuring tips for consuming plant based protein.
Source: Michigan State University Extension
Access: http://msue.anr.msu.edu/uploads/resources/pdfs/TR.7.pdf
Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care (NAP SACC) Manuals
Summary: This manual provides the best practice recommendations for each question on the self-assessment. The manuals also include the rationale behind each recommendation, challenges to implementing recommendations, and tips for changing current practice.
Source: Michigan Healthy Child Care
Access: http://mihealthtools.org/childcare/resources.asp
Nutrition and Wellness Tips for Young Children
Summary: Collection of tip sheets for nutrition and physical activity. Each tip sheet focuses on a specific topic and includes a practical application section to help apply the tips to a child care program for children ages 2 through 5 years old. See pages 5-17.
Source: United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service
Access: http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/nutrition-and-wellness-tips-young-children-provider-handbook-child-and-adult-care-food-program
The 3 Ring Food Circus: Easy and Fun Food-Related Activities for Preschoolers and Young Children
Summary : This book contains activities that teach young children about trying and learning new foods, having fun being physically active, and using MyPlate to fill a healthy plate. You can download a PDF from this site.
Source: United Dairy Industry of Michigan
Access: http://www.milkmeansmore.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/0002dcm_3-Ring-book.pdf
“Offer fried or pre-fried meats or fish less than once a week or never.”
Building Blocks for Fun and Healthy Meals
Summary: This menu planner provides tools needed to successfully prepare and serve meals and snacks in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). It comes complete with sample menus, guidance on keeping and using production records, and information on food safety and sanitation.
Source: United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service
Access: http://www.fns.usda.gov/building-blocks
Child Meal Pattern for Child and Adult Care Food Program
Summary: Outlines the food pattern for children for caregivers of children from aged 1 to 18 years of age.
Source: United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service
Access: http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/cacfp/CACFP_childmealpattern.pdf
Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs
Summary: This food buying guide contains all of the current information in one place. This will help you buy the right amount of food and the appropriate type of food for programs. It also determines the specific contribution each food makes toward the meal pattern requirements.
Source: United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service
Access: http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/food-buying-guide-for-child-nutrition-programs
Food Buying Guide Mobile App
Summary: This link explains how to use a mobile app about food yield information for the Child Nutrition Programs.
Source: United States Department of Agriculture – Food and Nutrition Services
Access: https://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/food-buying-guide-mobile-app
Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care (NAP SACC) Manuals
Summary: This manual provides the best practice recommendations for each question on the self-assessment. The manuals also include the rationale behind each recommendation, challenges to implementing recommendations, and tips for changing current practice.
Source: Michigan Healthy Child Care
Access: http://mihealthtools.org/childcare/resources.asp
Nutrition and Wellness Tips for Young Children
Summary: Collection of tip sheets for nutrition and physical activity. Each tip sheet focuses on a specific topic and includes a practical application section to help apply the tips to a child care program for children ages 2 through 5 years old. See pages 5-17.
Source: United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service
Access: http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/nutrition-and-wellness-tips-young-children-provider-handbook-child-and-adult-care-food-program
The 3 Ring Food Circus: Easy and Fun Food-Related Activities for Preschoolers and Young Children
Summary : This book contains activities that teach young children about trying and learning new foods, having fun being physically active, and using MyPlate to fill a healthy plate. You can download a pdf from this site.
Source: United Dairy Industry of Michigan
Access: http://www.milkmeansmore.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/0002dcm_3-Ring-book.pdf
“Offer fried or pre-fried potatoes less than once a week or never.”
Building Blocks for Fun and Healthy Meals
Summary: This menu planner provides tools needed to successfully prepare and serve meals and snacks in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). It comes complete with sample menus, guidance on keeping and using production records, and information on food safety and sanitation.
Source: United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service
Access: http://www.fns.usda.gov/building-blocks
Child Meal Pattern for Child and Adult Care Food Program
Summary: Outlines the food pattern for children for caregivers of children from aged 1 to 18 years of age.
Source: United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service
Access: http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/cacfp/CACFP_childmealpattern.pdf
Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs
Summary: This food buying guide contains all of the current information in one place. This will help you buy the right amount of food and the appropriate type of food for programs. It also determines the specific contribution each food makes toward the meal pattern requirements.
Source: United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service
Access: http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/food-buying-guide-for-child-nutrition-programs
Food Buying Guide Mobile App
Summary: This link explains how to use a mobile app about food yield information for the Child Nutrition Programs.
Source: United States Department of Agriculture – Food and Nutrition Services
Access: https://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/food-buying-guide-mobile-app
Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care (NAP SACC) Manuals
Summary: This manual provides the best practice recommendations for each question on the self-assessment. The manuals also include the rationale behind each recommendation, challenges to implementing recommendations, and tips for changing current practice.
Source: Michigan Healthy Child Care
Access: http://mihealthtools.org/childcare/resources.asp
Nutrition and Wellness Tips for Young Children
Summary: Collection of tip sheets for nutrition and physical activity. Each tip sheet focuses on a specific topic and includes a practical application section to help apply the tips to a child care program for children ages 2 through 5 years old. See pages 5-17.
Source: United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service
Access: http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/nutrition-and-wellness-tips-young-children-provider-handbook-child-and-adult-care-food-program
The 3 Ring Food Circus: Easy and Fun Food-Related Activities for Preschoolers and Young Children
Summary : This book contains activities that teach young children about trying and learning new foods, having fun being physically active, and using MyPlate to fill a healthy plate. You can download a PDF from this site.
Source: United Dairy Industry of Michigan
Access: http://www.milkmeansmore.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/0002dcm_3-Ring-book.pdf
“Offer high-fat meats less than once a week or never.”
Building Blocks for Fun and Healthy Meals
Summary: This menu planner provides tools needed to successfully prepare and serve meals and snacks in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). It comes complete with sample menus, guidance on keeping and using production records, and information on food safety and sanitation.
Source: United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service
Access: http://www.fns.usda.gov/building-blocks
Child Meal Pattern for Child and Adult Care Food Program
Summary: Outlines the food pattern for children for caregivers of children from aged 1 to 18 years of age.
Source: United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service
Access: http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/cacfp/CACFP_childmealpattern.pdf
Choose Yogurts That Are Lower in Added Sugars
Summary: This worksheet explains the new requirements for serving yogurt in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). It shows step by step how to find yogurts with the requirement by using the Nutrition Facts label.
Source: United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service
Access: https://fns-prod.azureedge.net/sites/default/files/tn/cacfp-chooseyogurts.pdf
Eating Through Meal Patterns: Yogurt
Summary: This flyer explains the new guidelines for yogurt to be creditable according to the new CACFP guidelines that take effect October 1, 2017. It gives some examples of some brands that qualify as well as a formula to determine if the yogurt you are using qualifies.
Source: Association for Child Development-Child and Adult Care Food Program
Access: http://www.acdkids.org/pdf/MPC%20-%20Yogurt%20Guide.pdf
Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs
Summary: This food buying guide contains all of the current information in one place. This will help you buy the right amount of food and the appropriate type of food for programs. It also determines the specific contribution each food makes toward the meal pattern requirements.
Source: United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service
Access: http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/food-buying-guide-for-child-nutrition-programs
Food Buying Guide Mobile App
Summary: This link explains how to use a mobile app about food yield information for the Child Nutrition Programs.
Source: United States Department of Agriculture – Food and Nutrition Services
Access: https://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/food-buying-guide-mobile-app
Making Healthy Choices: Week 6 – Plan for protein
Summary: Newsletter featuring tips for consuming lean protein sources.
Source: Michigan State University Extension
Access: http://msue.anr.msu.edu/uploads/resources/pdfs/TR.6.pdf
Making Healthy Choices: Week 8 – Don’t forget diary
Summary: Newsletter featuring tips for dairy consumption.
Source: Michigan State University Extension
Access: http://msue.anr.msu.edu/uploads/resources/pdfs/TR.8.pdf
Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care (NAP SACC) Manuals
Summary: This manual provides the best practice recommendations for each question on the self-assessment. The manuals also include the rationale behind each recommendation, challenges to implementing recommendations, and tips for changing current practice.
Source: Michigan Healthy Child Care
Access: http://mihealthtools.org/childcare/resources.asp
Nutrition and Wellness Tips for Young Children
Summary: Collection of tip sheets for nutrition and physical activity. Each tip sheet focuses on a specific topic and includes a practical application section to help apply the tips to a child care program for children ages 2 through 5 years old. See pages 5-17.
Source: United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service
Access: http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/nutrition-and-wellness-tips-young-children-provider-handbook-child-and-adult-care-food-program
The 3 Ring Food Circus: Easy and Fun Food-Related Activities for Preschoolers and Young Children
Summary : This book contains activities that teach young children about trying and learning new foods, having fun being physically active, and using MyPlate to fill a healthy plate. You can download a PDF from this site.
Source: United Dairy Industry of Michigan
Access: http://www.milkmeansmore.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/0002dcm_3-Ring-book.pdf
“Offer high fiber, whole grain foods at least 2 times a day.”
Building Blocks for Fun and Healthy Meals
Summary: This menu planner provides tools needed to successfully prepare and serve meals and snacks in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). It comes complete with sample menus, guidance on keeping and using production records, and information on food safety and sanitation.
Source: United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service
Access: http://www.fns.usda.gov/building-blocks
Child Meal Pattern for Child and Adult Care Food Program
Summary: Outlines the food pattern for children for caregivers of children from aged 1 to 18 years of age.
Source: United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service
Access: http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/cacfp/CACFP_childmealpattern.pdf
Eating Through Meal Patterns-Breakfast Cereals
Summary: This handout will help you figure out what cereals are now considered creditable under the new CACFP guidelines which take effect October 1, 2017. It explains the formula along with giving examples of cereals that are deemed acceptable.
Source: Association for Child Development-Child and Adult Care Food Program
Access: http://www.acdkids.org/pdf/MPC%20-%20Breakfast%20Cereal%20Guide.pdf
Eating Through Meal Patterns: Grain-Based Desserts
Summary: This flyer explains what a grain-based dessert is, and what counts as a cookie or sweet cracker. It includes some examples of what can be served with the updated meal plan that take effect October 1, 2017.
Source: Association for Child Development-Child and Adult Care Food Program
Access: http://www.acdkids.org/pdf/MPC%20-%20Grain-Based%20Desserts%20Guide.pdf
Eating Through Meal Patterns: Whole Grain-Rich Foods
Summary: This flyer explains the different parts of a grain as well as what it means to be a whole grain rich food. It explains how to read a food label to determine if it is a whole grain-rich food. In addition it gives details on what qualifies when making homemade whole grains, besides how to introduce whole grains, some resources and answers some question one may have about the new guideline that takes effect October 1, 2017.
Source: Association for Child Development-Child and Adult Care Food Program
Access: http://www.acdkids.org/pdf/MPC%20-%20Whole%20Grain-Rich%20Guide.pdf
Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs
Summary: This food buying guide contains all of the current information in one place. This will help you buy the right amount of food and the appropriate type of food for programs. It also determines the specific contribution each food makes toward the meal pattern requirements.
Source: United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service
Access: http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/food-buying-guide-for-child-nutrition-programs
Food Buying Guide Mobile App
Summary: This link explains how to use a mobile app about food yield information for the Child Nutrition Programs.
Source: United States Department of Agriculture – Food and Nutrition Services
Access: https://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/food-buying-guide-mobile-app
Making Healthy Choices: Week 5 – Whole grains
Summary: Newsletter featuring tips for consuming whole grains.
Source: Michigan State University Extension
Access: http://msue.anr.msu.edu/uploads/resources/pdfs/TR.5.pdf
Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care (NAP SACC) Manuals
Summary: This manual provides the best practice recommendations for each question on the self-assessment. The manuals also include the rationale behind each recommendation, challenges to implementing recommendations, and tips for changing current practice.
Source: Michigan Healthy Child Care
Access: http://mihealthtools.org/childcare/resources.asp
Nutrition and Wellness Tips for Young Children
Summary: Collection of tip sheets for nutrition and physical activity. Each tip sheet focuses on a specific topic and includes a practical application section to help apply the tips to a child care program for children ages 2 through 5 years old. See pages 5-17.
Source: United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service
Access: http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/nutrition-and-wellness-tips-young-children-provider-handbook-child-and-adult-care-food-program
The 3 Ring Food Circus: Easy and Fun Food-Related Activities for Preschoolers and Young Children
Summary : This book contains activities that teach young children about trying and learning new foods, having fun being physically active, and using MyPlate to fill a healthy plate. You can download a PDF from this site.
Source: United Dairy Industry of Michigan
Access: http://www.milkmeansmore.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/0002dcm_3-Ring-book.pdf
“Offer sweets or salty foods less than once a week or never.”
Building Blocks for Fun and Healthy Meals
Summary: This menu planner provides tools needed to successfully prepare and serve meals and snacks in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). It comes complete with sample menus, guidance on keeping and using production records, and information on food safety and sanitation.
Source: United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service
Access: http://www.fns.usda.gov/building-blocks
Child Meal Pattern for Child and Adult Care Food Program
Summary: Outlines the food pattern for children for caregivers of children from aged 1 to 18 years of age.
Source: United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service
Access: http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/cacfp/CACFP_childmealpattern.pdf
Choose Yogurts That Are Lower in Added Sugars
Summary: This worksheet explains the new requirements for serving yogurt in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). It shows step by step how to find yogurts with the requirement by using the Nutrition Facts label.
Source: United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service
Access: https://fns-prod.azureedge.net/sites/default/files/tn/cacfp-chooseyogurts.pdf
Eating Through Meal Patterns-Breakfast Cereals
Summary: This handout will help you figure out what cereals are now considered creditable under the new CACFP guidelines which take effect October 1, 2017. It explains the formula along with giving examples of cereals that are deemed acceptable.
Source: Association for Child Development-Child and Adult Care Food Program
Access: http://www.acdkids.org/pdf/MPC%20-%20Breakfast%20Cereal%20Guide.pdf
Eating Through Meal Patterns: Grain-Based Desserts
Summary: This flyer explains what a grain-based dessert is, and what counts as a cookie or sweet cracker. It includes some examples of what can be served with the updated meal plan that take effect October 1, 2017.
Source: Association for Child Development-Child and Adult Care Food Program
Access: http://www.acdkids.org/pdf/MPC%20-%20Grain-Based%20Desserts%20Guide.pdf
Eating Through Meal Patterns: Whole Grain-Rich Foods
Summary: This flyer explains the different parts of a grain as well as what it means to be a whole grain rich food. It explains how to read a food label to determine if it is a whole grain-rich food. In addition it gives details on what qualifies when making homemade whole grains, besides how to introduce whole grains, some resources and answers some question one may have about the new guideline that takes effect October 1, 2017.
Source: Association for Child Development-Child and Adult Care Food Program
Access: http://www.acdkids.org/pdf/MPC%20-%20Whole%20Grain-Rich%20Guide.pdf
Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs
Summary: This food buying guide contains all of the current information in one place. This will help you buy the right amount of food and the appropriate type of food for programs. It also determines the specific contribution each food makes toward the meal pattern requirements.
Source: United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service
Access: http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/food-buying-guide-for-child-nutrition-programs
Food Buying Guide Mobile App
Summary: This link explains how to use a mobile app about food yield information for the Child Nutrition Programs.
Source: United States Department of Agriculture – Food and Nutrition Services
Access: https://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/food-buying-guide-mobile-app
Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care (NAP SACC) Manuals
Summary: This manual provides the best practice recommendations for each question on the self-assessment. The manuals also include the rationale behind each recommendation, challenges to implementing recommendations, and tips for changing current practice.
Source: Michigan Healthy Child Care
Access: http://mihealthtools.org/childcare/resources.asp
Nutrition and Wellness Tips for Young Children
Summary: Collection of tip sheets for nutrition and physical activity. Each tip sheet focuses on a specific topic and includes a practical application section to help apply the tips to a child care program for children ages 2 through 5 years old. See pages 5-17.
Source: United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service
Access: http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/nutrition-and-wellness-tips-young-children-provider-handbook-child-and-adult-care-food-program
The 3 Ring Food Circus: Easy and Fun Food-Related Activities for Preschoolers and Young Children
Summary : This book contains activities that teach young children about trying and learning new foods, having fun being physically active, and using MyPlate to fill a healthy plate. You can download a pdf from this site.
Source: United Dairy Industry of Michigan
Access: http://www.milkmeansmore.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/0002dcm_3-Ring-book.pdf
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