as served, must be in liquid state at recommended dilution.

(b) General. School food authorities shall ensure that participating schools provide nutritious and well-balanced lunches to children in accordance with the provisions of this section. The requirements and recommendations of this section are designed so that the nutrients of the lunch, averaged over a period of time, approximate one-third of the Recommended Dietary Allowances for children of each age/grade group as specified in paragraph (c) of this section. School food authorities shall ensure that each lunch is priced as a unit. Except as otherwise provided herein, school food authorities shall ensure that sufficient quantities of food are planned and produced so that lunches provided contain all the required food items in at least the amounts indicated in the table presented under paragraph (c) of this section. School food authorities shall ensure that lunches planned and produced on the basis of participation trends, with the objective of providing one reimbursable lunch per child per day. Production and menu records shall be maintained to demonstrate that the required number of food components and food items are offered on any given day. Production records shall include sufficient information to evaluate the menu's contribution to the lunch pattern specified in paragraph (c) of this section. Any excess lunches that are produced may be served, but shall not be claimed for general or special cash assistance provided under §210.4. The component re

are

quirements for meal supplements served under the CACFP shall also apply to meal supplements served by eligible school food authorities in afterschool care programs under the NSLP.

(c) Minimum required lunch quantities. Schools that are able to provide quantities of food to children solely on the basis of their ages or grade level should do so. Schools that cannot serve children on the basis of age or grade level shall provide all school age children Group IV portions as specified in the table presented in this paragraph. Schools serving children on the basis of age or grade level shall plan and produce sufficient quantities of food to provide Groups I-IV no less than the amounts specified for those children in the table presented in this paragraph, and sufficient quantities of food to provide Group V no less than the specified amounts for Group IV. It is recommended that such schools plan and produce sufficient quantities of food to provide Group V children the larger amounts specified in the table. Schools that provide increased portion sizes for Group V may comply with children's requests for smaller portion sizes of the food items; however, schools shall plan and produce sufficient quantities of food to at least provide the serving sizes required for Group IV. Schools shall ensure that lunches are served with the objective of providing the per lunch minimums for each age and grade level as specified in the following table:

(d) Lunch components. This section specifies the basic food components of the school lunch pattern which shall be served as food items in quantities specified in paragraph (c) of this section.

(1) Milk. Schools shall offer students fluid whole milk and fluid unflavored lowfat milk. This requirement does not preclude schools from offering additional kinds of milk.

All milk served shall be pasteurized fluid types of milk which meet State and local standards for such milk; except that, in the meal pattern for infants under 1 year of age, the milk shall be unflavored types of whole fluid milk or an equivalent quantity of reconstituted evaporated milk which meets such standards. All milk shall contain vitamins A and D at levels specified by the Food and Drug Administration and consistent with State and local standards for such milk. School food authorities that served 3⁄4 cup (6 fluid ounces) of milk to Group III children prior to May 1, 1980, may continue to do so. Such school food authorities shall retain documentation of the date on which they began such service and the reasons for adopting this portion size.

(2) Meat or meat alternate. The quantity of meat or meat alternate shall be the quantity of the edible portion as served. When the school determines that the portion size of a meat alternate is excessive, it shall reduce the portion size of that particular meat alternate and supplement it with another meat/meat alternate to meet the full requirement. To be counted as meeting the requirement, the meat or meat alternate shall be served in a main dish or in a main dish and only one other menu item. The Department recommends that if schools do not offer children choices of meat or meat alternates each day, they serve no one meat alternate or form of meat (e.g., ground, diced, pieces) more than three times in a single week.

(i) Vegetable protein products, cheese alternate products, and enriched macaroni with fortified protein defined in Appendix A may be used to meet part of the meat or meat alternate requirement when used as specified in Appendix A. An enriched macaroni product with fortified protein as defined in Ap

pendix A may be used as part of a meat alternate or as a bread alternate, but not as both food components in the same meal.

(ii) Nuts and seeds and their butters listed in program guidance are nutritionally comparable to meat or other meat alternates based on available nutritional data. Acorns, chestnuts, and coconuts shall not be used as meat alternates due to their low protein and iron content. Nut and seed meals or flours shall not be used as a meat alternate except as defined in this part under Appendix A: Alternate Foods for Meals. As noted in the School Lunch Pattern table of this section, nuts or seeds may be used to meet no more than one-half of the meat/meat alternate requirement. Therefore, nuts and seeds must be used in the meal with another meat/meat alternate to fulfill the requirement.

(3) Vegetable or fruit. Full strength vegetable or fruit juice may be counted to meet not more than one-half of the vegetable/fruit requirement. Cooked dry beans or peas may be used as a meat alternate or as a vegetable, but not as both food components in the same meal.

(4) Bread or bread alternate. (i) All breads or bread alternates such as bread, biscuits, muffins or rice, macaroni, noodles, other pastas or cereal grains such as bulgur or corn grits, shall be enriched or whole grain or made with enriched or whole grain meal or flour.

(ii) Unlike the other component requirements, the bread requirement is based on minimum daily servings and total servings per week. Schools shall serve daily at least one-half serving of bread or bread alternate to children in Group I and at least one serving to children in Groups II-V. Schools which serve lunch at least 5 days a week shall serve a total of at least five servings of bread or bread alternate to children in Group I and eight servings per week to children in Groups II-V. Schools serving lunch 6 or 7 days per week should increase the weekly quantity by approximately 20 percent (%) for each additional day. When schools operate less than 5 days per week, they may decrease the weekly quantity by approximately 20 percent (%) for each day less

than five. The servings for biscuits, rolls, muffins, and other bread alternates are specified in the Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs (PA 1331), an FCS publication.

(e) Offer versus serve. Each school shall offer its students all five required food items as set forth in the table presented under paragraph (c). Senior high students shall be permitted to decline up to two of the five required food items. At the discretion of the school food authority, students below the senior high level may be permitted to decline one or two of the required five food items. The price of a reimbursable lunch shall not be affected if a student declines food items or accepts smaller portions. State educational agencies shall define "senior high."

(f) Choice. To provide variety and to encourage consumption and participation, schools should, whenever possible, provide a selection of foods and types of milk from which children may make choices. When a school offers a selection of more than one type of lunch or when it offers a variety of foods and milk for choice within the required lunch pattern, the school shall offer all children the same selection regardless of whether the children are eligible for free or reduced price lunches or pay the school food authority designated full price. The school may establish different unit prices for each type of lunch served provided that the benefits made available to children eligible for free or reduced price lunches are not affected.

(g) Lunch period. At or about mid-day schools shall serve lunches which meet the requirements of this part during a period designated as the lunch period by the school food authority. Such lunch periods shall occur between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., unless otherwise exempted by FCS. With State approval, schools that serve children 1-5 years old are encouraged to divide the service of the specified quantities and food items into two distinct service periods. Such schools may divide the quantities and/or food items between these service periods in any combination that they choose.

(h) Infant lunch pattern. Infants under 1 year of age shall be served an infant lunch as specified in this paragraph

when they participate in the Program. Foods within the infant lunch pattern shall be of texture and consistency appropriate for the particular age group being served, and shall be served to the infant during a span of time consistent with the infant's eating habits. For infants 4 through 7 months of age, solid foods are optional and should be introduced only when the infant is developmentally ready. Whenever possible the school should consult with the infant's parent in making the decision to introduce solid foods. Solid foods should be introduced one at a time on a gradual basis with the intent of ensuring health and nutritional wellbeing. For infants 8 through 11 months of age, the total amount of food authorized in the meal patterns set forth below must be provided in order to qualify for reimbursement. Additional foods may be served to infants 4 months of age and older with the intent of improving their overall nutrition. Breast milk, provided by the infant's mother may be served in place of infant formula from birth through 11 months of age. However, meals containing only breast milk do not qualify for reimbursement. Meals containing breast milk served to infants 4 months of age or older may be claimed for reimbursement when the other meal component or components are supplied by the school. Although it is recommended that either breast milk or iron-fortified infant formula be served for the entire first year, whole milk may be served beginning at 8 months of age as long as infants are consuming one-third of their calories as a balanced mixture of cereal, fruits, vegetables, and other foods in order to ensure adequate sources of iron and vitamin C. The infant lunch pattern shall contain, as a minimum, each of the following components in the amounts indicated for the appropriate age group:

(1) Birth through 3 months 4 to 6 fluid ounces of iron-fortified infant formula.

(2) 4 through 7 months—(i) 4 to 8 fluid ounces of iron-fortified infant formula; (ii) 0 to 3 tablespoons of iron-fortified dry infant cereal (optional); and (iii) 0 to 3 tablespoons of fruit or vegetable of appropriate consistency or a combination of both (optional).

(3) 8 through 11 months—(i) 6 to 8 fluid ounces of iron-fortified infant formula or 6 to 8 fluid ounces of whole milk; (ii) 2 to 4 tablespoons of iron-fortified dry infant cereal and/or 1 to 4 tablespoons meat, fish, poultry, egg yolk, or cooked dry beans or peas, or 1⁄2 to 2 ounces (weight) of cheese or 1 to 4 ounces (weight or volume) of cottage cheese, cheese food or cheese spread of appropriate consistency; and (iii) 1 to 4 tablespoons of fruit or vegetable of appropriate consistency or a combination of both.

(i) Exceptions. Lunches claimed for reimbursement shall meet the school lunch pattern requirements specified in paragraphs (c) and (d) of this section. However, lunches served which accommodate the exceptions and variations authorized under this paragraph are also reimbursable. Exceptions and variations are restricted to the following:

(1) Medical or dietary needs. Schools shall make substitutions in foods listed in this section for students who are considered handicapped under 7 CFR part 15b and whose handicap restricts their diet. Schools may also make substitutions for nonhandicapped students who are unable to consume the regular lunch because of medical or other special dietary needs. Substitutions shall be made on a case by case basis only when supported by a statement of the need for substitutions that includes recommended alternate foods, unless otherwise exempted by FCS. Such statement shall, in the case of a handicapped student, be signed by a physician or, in the case of a nonhandicapped student, by a recognized medical authority.

(2) Ethnic, religious or economic variations. FCS may approve variations in the food components of the lunch on an experimental or on a continuing basis in any school where there is evidence that such variations are nutritionally sound and are necessary to meet ethnic, religious, or economic needs.

(3) Foreign meal patterns. Schools in American Samoa, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands may serve a starchy vegetable such as yams, plantains, or sweet potatoes to meet the bread or bread alternate requirement. For the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, FCS has established a

meal pattern which is consistent with local food consumption patterns and which, given available food supplies and food service equipment and facilities, provides optimum nutrition consistent with sound dietary habits for participating children. The State agency shall attach to and make a part of the written agreement required under $210.9, the requirements of that pattern.

(4) Natural disaster. In the event of a natural disaster or other catastrophe, FCS may temporarily allow schools to serve lunches for reimbursement that do not meet requirements of this section.

(5) Insufficient milk supply. The inability of a school to obtain a supply of milk shall not bar it from participation in the Program and is to be resolved as follows:

(i) If emergency conditions temporarily prevent a school that normally has a supply of fluid milk from obtaining delivery of such milk, the State agency may approve the service of lunches during the emergency period with an available alternate form of milk or without milk.

(ii) If a school is unable to obtain a supply of fluid whole milk and fluid unflavored milk containing two percent or less milk fats on a continuing basis, the State agency may approve the service of either fluid whole milk or fluid unflavored milk containing two percent or less milk fats. The Department recommends that the State agency approve for service the available fluid milk with the lowest fat and sugar content. In Alaska, Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, and the Virgin Islands, if a sufficient supply of fluid milk cannot be obtained, "milk" shall include reconstituted or recombined milk, or as otherwise provided under written exception by FCS.

(iii) If a school is unable to obtain a supply of any type of fluid milk on a continuing basis, the State agency may approve the service of lunches without milk if the school uses an equivalent amount of canned, whole or nonfat dry milk in the preparation of the lunch.

(j) Supplemental food. Eligible schools operating afterschool care programs