Meal Pattern Minute: Serving Yogurt with Added Sugar
June 7, 2022
Yogurt can be a wonderful choice for a meat alternate within the Child and Adult Care Food Program, as they are often high in protein, calcium and probiotics. Many yogurt brands, especially flavored yogurts, contain added sugars. This Meal Pattern Minute video will guide you through the basics of how to determine if your yogurt is CACFP creditable based on the amount of added sugars. There is a bit of math involved, but don't worry! We've got some helpful worksheets to walk you through the process so you can make sure you're serving yogurts that can be credited and reimbursed in the CACFP.
After you've watched the video, here are some additional things to remember about yogurt, which you can find in the Meats/Meat Alternates section of the Crediting Handbook for the CACFP:
- One 1/2 cup, or 4 oz, serving of yogurt provides 1 oz eq meat alternate. This also applies to soy yogurt.
- A minimum of 1/8 cup (1 oz) of yogurt is required in order to credit as part of the meat/meat alternate component, as at least .25 oz eq meat/meat alternate must be served in order to credit in the CACFP meal pattern.
- Homemade yogurt is not creditable in the CACFP.
- Commercially prepared yogurt containing fruit receives the full credit towards the meat/meat alternate component. In other words, 4 oz of commercially prepared yogurt containing fruit still credits for 1 oz eq meat alternate.
- Yogurt is creditable in a smoothie when used in your own standardized recipe.
For more information on yogurt and added sugar in the CACFP, check out these resources:
- Worksheet: Is Your Yogurt CACFP Creditable?
- Worksheet: Calculating Sugar Limits in Yogurt in the CACFP/Choose Yogurts That Are Lower in Sugar
- Free USDA Webinar: Choose Yogurts That Are Lower in Added Sugars
You can also find a number of creditable recipes that feature yogurt on our Recipes page, such as our Strawberry Yogurt Parfait or Greek Yogurt Cucumber Salad.
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