Return to Blog
Share:
Navigating Grain-Based Desserts in the CACFP During the Holidays
December 10th, 2024Brianna Tobritzhofer, MS, RD, LD, Nutrition Manager
The holiday season brings joy, warmth, and—let’s be honest—a lot of delicious food! From cookies and cakes to pies and pastries, holiday sweets are an expected part of the festivities, especially in childcare settings. While it’s tempting to fill your menus with festive treats, remember that Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) regulations stand true, even during the holidays. Grain-based desserts are not creditable in the CACFP.
An important CACFP regulation to remember in the holiday season is grain-based desserts. In an effort to reduce the amount of added sugars that kids eat in child care, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) established clear guidelines in 2017 on grain-based desserts in the CACFP. Foods considered grain-based desserts do not count toward the grain component of meals and snacks.
An important CACFP regulation to remember in the holiday season is grain-based desserts. In an effort to reduce the amount of added sugars that kids eat in child care, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) established clear guidelines in 2017 on grain-based desserts in the CACFP. Foods considered grain-based desserts do not count toward the grain component of meals and snacks.
Don’t worry—with a bit of planning and creativity, you can still offer festive and sweet treats while ensuring your meals remain balanced, nutritious, and compliant with CACFP. We’ll explore how to navigate grain-based desserts during the holidays in this blog post!
What are Grain-Based Desserts?
Grain-based desserts are foods made primarily from sugar and flour and/or other grains and are typically sweet in nature. Examples include the following:
Brownies and cookies
Cakes, cupcakes, turnovers, cobblers, sweet pies
Coffee cake, sweet rolls, donuts
Toaster pastries
Granola bars, cereal bars, breakfast bars
Vanilla wafers
While grain-based desserts are not considered part of a reimbursable meal, this doesn’t mean you can’t serve them. They are considered an “extra” and should be served in moderation (and special occasions, like the holidays!).
How to Serve Grain-Based Desserts
If you want to offer grain-based desserts, the key is to ensure that you are already offering a reimbursable meal and serve them as an “extra.” Before planning them as an extra item, make sure you are meeting the requirements for all other meal pattern components.
It is also a best practice to keep grain-based desserts as balanced as possible. Here are some ways that you can make them a little healthier without compromising their taste:
Keep Portions Small: Since grain-based desserts are typically high in sugar, we recommend serving smaller portions of these items. By offering smaller amounts, you maintain a healthier balance and prevent the meal from being too dessert-heavy. This is especially important during the holidays when sweets are more widely available.
Focus on Protein: Try to serve grain-based desserts with meals and snacks that are higher in protein. This will help balance out the extra sugar that the kids will get from the dessert.
Serve them with a Snack: This is a great way to add a fun holiday spin to your snack menus. For example, you could serve milk and apple slices along with the grain-based dessert.
Serve Festive Creditable Holiday Snacks Instead
Here are a few ideas for how you could serve holiday-festive snacks in the Food Program:
The Classics
Quick breads and muffins credit as grains in the food program. Try serving holiday classics like sweet & spicy Gingerbread slices or Pumpkin Bread. Not only are these perfect for snacks, you could also serve them as a part of breakfast.
DIY Holiday-Style Snacks
Try making some DIY holiday snacks with the kids, like Mini Bagel Christmas Ornaments, Popcorn Snowmen, or Pita Tree Appetizers. Not only are these a healthy snack option, they also encourage adventurous eating and are a fun activity to keep them involved in meal prep around the holiday season.
Festive Fruit Kabobs & Veggies
Add a fun and creative spin to holiday snacking by making Grinch Fruit Kabobs, Banana Snowmen Kabobs, or Reindeer Celery Sticks. These are all super nutritious, easy to assemble, and a great way to add some veggie and fruit taste testing to your childcare. Kids will love the idea of “edible crafts”, and they’ll get their fruits and veggies in at the same time…a win-win!
Takeaway
With careful planning, it is possible to serve holiday-themed sweets in the CACFP while continuing to offer nutritious and balanced meals. Grain-based desserts are not a creditable meal component, but they can be served as an “extra” to add a special festive touch to your meals and snacks.
Which festive snacks are you serving this holiday season? Share on Facebook and Instagram and be sure to tag us @providerschoice!
Questions? Don’t hesitate to reach out!