Whole Grain Foods

Whole Grain Foods

The Pennsylvania Key

September 4, 2019

Kitty Syster

We all know that changes in CACFP whole grain food requirements occurred a little over a year ago and they can be confusing. The reason for the change, is that grain/bread products are an important dietary source of iron, thiamin, niacin, and riboflavin. The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans encourage at least half of daily grain servings be whole-grain for all ages.

When looking at the label for foods you want to look at the first 3 ingredients. The first 3 ingredients should include enriched or whole-grain, made from enriched or whole-grain meal, flour, bran, and/or germ; or it is fortified. If a grains/breads product is enriched, it must meet the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Standards of Identity for enriched bread, macaroni and noodle products, rice, or enriched cornmeal.

Some examples of acceptable grains are:

  • Banana bread, zucchini bread, and other quick breads

  • Cereals that meet the sugar limit and are whole grain-rich, enriched, and/or fortified

  • Cornbread

  • Crackers, all types

  • French toast

  • Muffins

  • Pancakes

  • Pie crusts of savory pies, such as vegetable pot pie and quiche

  • Plain croissants

  • Plain or savory pita chips

  • Savory biscotti, such as those made with cheese, vegetables, herbs, etc.

  • Savory bread puddings, such as those made with cheese, vegetables, herbs, etc.

  • Savory rice puddings, such as those made with cheese, vegetables, etc.

  • Savory scones, such as those made with cheese, vegetables, herbs, etc.

  • Teething biscuits, crackers, and toasts

  • Tortillas and tortilla chips

  • Waffles

Some Items that are NOT acceptable are:

  • Brownies

  • Cakes (including coffee cake and cupcakes)

  • Cereal bars, breakfast bars, and granola bars

  • Cookies, including vanilla wafers

  • Doughnuts, any kind

  • Fig rolls/bars/cookies and other fruit-filled rolls/bars/cookies

  • Gingerbread

  • Ice cream cones

  • Marshmallow cereal treats

  • Pie crusts of dessert pies, cobblers, and fruit turnovers

  • Sweet bread puddings

  • Sweet biscotti, such as those made with fruits, chocolate, icing, etc.

  • Sweet croissants, such as chocolate-filled

  • Sweet pita chips, such as cinnamon-sugar flavored

  • Sweet rice puddings

  • Sweet scones, such as those made with fruits, icing, etc.

  • Sweet rolls, such as cinnamon rolls

  • Toaster pastries

For more information and resources visit Team Nutrition

References

Nutrition, T. (2018, December 20). USDA Food and Nutrition Service. Retrieved from United States Department of Agriculture: Team Nutrition

United States Department of Agriculture. (2014). Crediting Handbook for the Child and Adult Food Program. Mountain Plains Region: Nutrition and Technical Services, FNS, USDA.

United States Department of Agriculture. (2018, February). Team Nutrition . Retrieved from USDA Team Nutrition: Grain Based Desserts