Meal Pattern Minute: Vegan Cheese
February 9, 2023
Cheese made from cow’s milk is nutrient dense. It is a good source of protein and calcium. In the Child and Adult Care Food Program, cheese is creditable as a meat/meat alternate when it is natural, processed, or a cheese substitute such as American, cheddar, mozzarella, provolone, Swiss, feta, brie, parmesan, or Romano. But what if you want to serve a vegan dish and would like to use vegan cheese. Is vegan cheese creditable in the CACFP?
Take a minute to hear from our nutrition education specialist, Isabel Ramos-Lebron, MS, RDN, LD, to learn more about how vegan cheese may or may not be creditable in the CACFP.
For more information, refer to the Meats/Meat Alternates section of the Crediting Handbook for the CACFP, review the various cheese options that do credit towards the program and learn more on imitation cheese.
- Cheese labeled as “imitation” is not creditable because the nutrient content is inferior to the food it substitutes and therefore is not creditable.
To learn more on meats/meat alternates that are creditable in the Child and Adult Care Food Program, bookmark or print out the Crediting Meats/Meat Alternates in Child Nutrition Programs Tip Sheet.
Still need a few vegan-friendly recipes? Check out these creditable suggestions:
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