Vegetables are an essential par t of meals provided through various programs, including the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), School Breakfast Program (SBP), and the Summer Food Ser vice Program (SFSP). Understanding how to accurately credit vegetables is vital for compliance and helps ensure the deliver y of balanced and nutritious meals.
Creditable Vegetables
To qualify as part of a reimbursable meal or snack, vegetables must adhere to the following criteria:
- They can be fresh, frozen, canned, dried (like lentils or beans), or 100% full-strength juice.
- The minimum creditable serving is **⅛ cup**, except for infants.
- Most vegetables are credited based on the volume served.
Special Rules
- For NSLP and CACFP , raw leafy greens are credited at half the volume ser ved (e.g., **½ cup** of romaine equals **¼ cup** of vegetables).
- Cooked greens (e.g., sautéed spinach) are credited as served.
- Tomato paste or puree is credited based on whole food equivalency.
- Beans, peas, and lentils can count as either a vegetable or a meat alternate, but not both in the same meal.
Juice and Smoothies
- No more than **½** of the weekly vegetable requirement can be fulfilled by juice.
- In the CACFP/Preschool, juice may only be ser ved once per day.
- Vegetable smoothies are credited as juice and count toward juice limits.
Examples by Subgroup
- **Dark Green:** Kale, spinach, romaine
- **Red/Orange:** Carrots, tomatoes, sweet potatoes
- **Beans/Peas/Lentils:** Chickpeas, black beans, lentils
- **Starchy:** Corn, green peas, white potatoes
- **Other:** Cabbage, cucumbers, mushrooms
What Doesn’t Count
Items such as pickle relish, ketchup, home-canned or freeze-dried vegetables (unless rehydrated), and chips do not qualify toward the vegetable component.
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