Milk in CACFP

Food Program Update

Whole Milk and 2% Milk no longer allowed to be served to children over 2 years old. See memorandum on Fluid Milk Guidelines. There have also been changes made to milk substitute guidelines.

From the FNS-CACFP:

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has issued the attached memorandums implementing provisions of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 for the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP).
Memorandum on “Water Availability in CACFP.”
Memorandum on “Nutrition Requirements for Fluid Milk and Fluid Milk Substitutes in CACFP.” This memorandum requires that fluid milk served to children age two and over in the CACFP be skim milk or low-fat (1%) milk. Whole milk and 2% milk may no longer be served in the CACFP.
This memorandum also allows CACFP facilities the option of offering a non-dairy beverage, for example soy milk, in place of fluid milk for children who cannot consume fluid milk due to medical or other special dietary needs, at the written request of a parent or guardian. Non-dairy beverage products that are offered must be nutritionally equivalent to fluid milk and meet the standards established by USDA. Before implementing this provision, a CACFP organization must contact the Minnesota Department of Education-Food and Nutrition Service to confirm whether the non-dairy beverage product that it plans to offer meets the minimum nutritional requirements established by USDA.
If you have any questions about this information, contact the Minnesota Department of Education-Food and Nutrition Service at 651-582-8526, 1-800-366-8922 (MN Toll-free) or e-mail fns@state.mn.us.