Meal Pattern Minute: Apple Cider Juice

As a Child and Adult Care Program operator, you know that 100 percent, full-strength,  pasteurized juice can be served once per day for children one and older. As the holidays arrive, new types of juice are made available at the grocery store or even with your food service vendor. One such fruit juice is apple cider juice. Could you serve this type of juice to those in your care? 

Get a quick answer by listening in to Isabel Ramos-Lebron, MS, RDN, LD, as she discusses apple cider juice in this Meal Pattern Minute. 

Where can you find this information? Look at the resources listed below to help guide you. However, always check with your State agency or sponsoring organization as this information is based on federal guidelines and not State specific. 

• Crediting Handbook for CACFP 
  • The Crediting Handbook for the CACFP is a companion document for the USDA Food Buying Guide, providing information about creditable and non-creditable foods. It is not an exhaustive list however is a good quick pdf resource to get quick answers on common meal components that may or may not be creditable in the CACFP. 
  • If you do a search for apple cider juice in this handbook, you will find that apple cider may be creditable in the CACFP. It is only creditable if it follows the same crediting rules as fruit juice (100 percent juice and pasteurized). 
• Crediting Fruits in the Child Nutrition Programs Tip Sheet 
  • A quick guide specifically for the fruit component in the CACFP. Here, USDA lists how fruit juice is considered creditable in the CACFP and mentions when you cannot credit it. 
  • This tip sheet goes into further details about how juice can or cannot be served in each Child Nutrition Program. Explore this area for CACFP only or if you run multiple programs, you can compare the similarities and differences.  
    • Pasteurized, 100% fruit juice (in either liquid, gelled, or frozen form) may be used to meet the fruits requirement of reimbursable meals or snacks.
    • Juice concentrates can be used only when reconstituted to 100% juice, and can be served either as liquid, gelled, or frozen juice.
    • Juice may be used as one component of a snack when the other component is not a beverage (e.g., fluid milk).
    • Juice does not credit when used as an ingredient in another food or beverage product, with the exception of smoothies.
       
• NCA’s Peach, Pineapple & Orange Smoothie is an example of how to use creditable fruit juice in a smoothie. A refreshing smoothie to add to your menu!

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