$226.20 Requirements for meals.

(a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, each meal served in the Program shall contain, as a minimum, the indicated food components:

(1) A breakfast shall contain: (i) Fluid milk as a beverage or on cereal, or used in part for each purpose;

(ii) Vegetable(s) or fruit(s) or fullstrength vegetable or fruit juice, or any combination of these foods;

(iii) Whole-grain or enriched bread; or cornbread, biscuits, rolls, muffins, etc., made with whole-grain or enriched meal or flour; or whole-grain or enriched or fortified cereal; or cooked whole-grain or enriched pasta or noodle products such as macaroni, or cereal grains such as rice, bulgur, or corn grits; or any combination of these foods.

(2) Lunch shall contain: (i) Fluid milk as a beverage;

(ii)(A) Lean meat, poultry or fish; alternate protein products; or cheese; or an egg; or cooked dry beans or peas; or peanut butter; or any combination of these foods. These foods must be served in a main dish, or in a main dish and one other menu item, to meet this requirement. Cooked dry beans or dry peas may be used as the meat alternate or as part of the vegetable/fruit component but not as both food components in the same meal;

(B) 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 content. Nut or seed meals or flours may be used as an ingredient in a bread/ bread alternate, but shall not be used as a meat alternate except as defined in this part under Appendix A: Alternate Foods for Meals, and in program guidance materials. As noted in paragraph (c)(2) of this section, nuts or seeds may be used to meet no more than one-half of the meat/meat alternate requirements. Therefore, nuts or seeds must be combined with another meat/meat alternate to fulfill the requirement;

(C) Yogurt may be used to meet all or part of the meat/meat alternate requirement. Yogurt served may be ei

ther plain or flavored, unsweetened or sweetened. Noncommercial and/or nonstandardized yogurt products, such as frozen yogurt, homemade yogurt, yogurt flavored products, yogurt bars, yogurt covered fruit and/or nuts or similar products shall not be credited. Four ounces (weight) or 1⁄2 cup (volume) of yogurt fulfills the equivalent of one ounce of the meat/meat alternate requirement in the meal pattern.

(iii) Two or more vegetables or fruits, or a combination of both. Full-strength vegetable or fruit juice may be counted to meet not more than one-half of this requirement;

(iv) Whole-grain or enriched bread; or cornbread, biscuits, rolls, muffins, etc., made with whole-grain or enriched meal or flour; or whole-grain or enriched pasta or noodle products such as macaroni, or cereal grains such as rice, bulgur, or corn grits; or any combination of these foods.

(3) Supper shall contain the food components and servings listed for lunch in §226.20(a)(2), except that, for adult participants in adult day care centers, it does not require a serving of fluid milk.

(4) Supplemental food shall contain two of the following four components: (i) Fluid milk as a beverage, or on cereal, or used in part for each purpose;

(ii) Meat or meat alternate. 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 are excluded and shall not be used as meat alternates due to their low protein content. Nut or 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;

(iii) Vegetable(s) or fruit(s) or fullstrength vegetable or fruit juice, or any combination of these foods. For children, juice may not be served when milk is served as the only other component;

(iv) Whole-grain or enriched bread; or cornbread, biscuits, rolls, muffins, etc., made with whole-grain or enriched meal or flour; or cooked whole-grain or enriched pasta or noodle products such as macaroni, or cereal grains such as

rice, bulgar, or corn grits; or any combination of these foods.

(b) What are the requirements for the infant meal pattern?

(1) Feeding meals to infants. Meals served to infants ages birth through 11 months must meet the requirements described in paragraph (b)(6) of this section. Foods included in the infant meal must be of a texture and a consistency that are appropriate for the age of the infant being served. The foods must be served during a span of time consistent with the infant's eating habits. For those infants whose dietary needs are more individualized, exceptions to the meal pattern must be made in accordance with the requirements found in paragraph (h) of this section.

(2) Breastmilk and iron-fortified formula. Either breastmilk or iron-fortified infant formula, or portions of both, must be served for the entire first year. Meals containing breastmilk and meals containing iron-fortified infant formula supplied by the facility are eligible for reimbursement. However, infant formula provided by a parent (or guardian) and breastmilk fed directly by the infant's mother, during a visit to the facility, contribute to a reimbursable meal only when the facility supplies at least one component of the infant's meal.

(3) Fruit juice. Juice should not be offered to infants until they are 6 months of age and ready to drink from a cup. Feeding fruit juice only from a cup will help develop behaviors that may prevent early childhood caries. Fruit juice served as part of the meal pattern for infants 8 through 11 months must be full-strength.

(4) Solid foods. Solid foods of an appropriate texture and consistency are required only when the infant is developmentally ready to accept them. The facility should consult with the infant's parent (or guardian) 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 the infant's health and nutritional well-being.

(5) Infant meal pattern. Infant meals must have, at a minimum, each of the food components indicated, in the amount that is appropriate for the in

fant's age. For some breastfed infants who regularly consume less than the minimum amount of breastmilk per feeding, a serving of less than the minimum amount of breastmilk may be offered. In these situations, additional breastmilk must be offered if the infant is still hungry. Meals may include portions of breastmilk and iron-fortified infant formula as long as the total number of ounces meets, or exceeds, the minimum amount required of this food component. Similarly, to meet the component requirements for vegetables and fruit, portions of both may be served.

(i) Birth through 3 months. Only breastmilk or iron-fortified formula is required to meet the infant's nutritional needs.

(A) Breakfast 4 to 6 fluid ounces of breastmilk or iron-fortified infant formula.

(B) Lunch or supper-4 to 6 fluid ounces of breastmilk or iron-fortified infant formula.

(C) Snack-4 to 6 fluid ounces of breastmilk or iron-fortified infant formula.

(ii) 4 through 7 months. Breastmilk or iron-fortified formula is required. Some infants may be developmentally ready for solid foods of an appropriate texture and consistency. Meals are reimbursable when facilities provide all of the components in the meal pattern that the infant is developmentally ready to accept.

(A) Breakfast 4 to 8 fluid ounces of breastmilk or iron-fortified infant formula; and 0 to 3 tablespoons of ironfortified dry infant cereal.

(B) Lunch or supper-4 to 8 fluid ounces of breastmilk or iron-fortified infant formula; and 0 to 3 tablespoons of iron-fortified dry infant cereal; and 0 to 3 tablespoons of fruit or vegetable.

(C) Snack-4 to 6 fluid ounces of breastmilk or iron-fortified infant formula.

(iii) 8 through 11 months. Breastmilk or iron-fortified formula and solid foods of an appropriate texture and consistency are required. Meals are reimbursable when facilities provide all of the components in the meal pattern that the infant is developmentally ready to accept.

(A) Breakfast 6 to 8 fluid ounces of breastmilk or iron-fortified infant formula; 2 to 4 tablespoons of iron-fortified dry infant cereal; and 1 to 4 tablespoons of fruit or vegetable.

(B) Lunch or supper-6 to 8 fluid ounces of breastmilk or iron-fortified infant formula; 2 to 4 tablespoons of iron-fortified dry infant cereal; and/or 1 to 4 tablespoons of 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 (volume) of cottage cheese; or 1 to 4 ounces (weight) of

Type of meal service

Breakfast

cheese food or cheese spread; and 1 to 4 tablespoons of fruit or vegetable.

(C) Snack-2 to 4 fluid ounces of breastmilk, iron-fortified infant formula, or full strength fruit juice; and 0 to 1⁄2 slice of crusty bread (if developmentally ready) or 0 to 2 cracker type products (if developmentally ready), which are made from whole-grain or enriched meal or flour, and suitable as a finger food for an infant.

(6) Infant meal pattern table. The minimum amounts of food components to serve to infants, as described in paragraph (b)(5) of this section, are:

4 through 7 months 4-8 fluid ounces of formula1 or breastmilk23; and. 0-3 tablespoons of infant cereal1 4.

4-8 fluid ounces of formula1

or breastmilk23; and. 0-3 tablespoons of infant cereal 14; and. 0-3 tablespoons of fruit or vegetable or both 4.

4-6 fluid ounces of formula1 or breastmilk2 3.

4-6 fluid ounces of formula1 or breastmilk2 3.

1 Infant formula and dry infant cereal must be iron-fortified.

8 through 11 months 6-8 fluid ounces of formula1 or breastmilk23; and 2-4 tablespoons of infant cereal1; and

1-4 tablespoons of fruit or vegetable or both. 6-8 fluid ounces of formula1 or breastmilk23; and 2-4 tablespoons of infant cereal 1; and/or

1-4 tablespoons of meat, fish, poultry, egg yolk, cooked dry beans or peas; or 1/2-2 ounces of cheese; or 1-4 ounces (volume) of cot

tage cheese; or

1-4 ounces (weight) of

cheese food or cheese
spread; and

1-4 tablespoons of fruit or

vegetable or both.

2-4 fluid ounces of formula', breastmilk23, or fruit juice5;

and

0-2 slice of bread46 or 0-2 crackers4 6

5 Fruit juice must be full-strength.

(c) Meal patterns for children age one through 12 and adult participants. When individuals over age one participate in the Program, the total amount of food authorized in the meal patterns set forth below shall be provided in order to qualify for reimbursement.

(1) Breakfast. The minimum amount of food components to be served as breakfast as set forth in paragraph (a)(1) of this section are as follows: