Meal Pattern Tables and Components

Meal Pattern Tables

• Breakfast Meal Pattern Table
• Lunch Meal Pattern Table 
• Breakfast and Lunch Meal Pattern Table (Spanish)  
• Short- or Long-Week Meal Pattern Tables (applies only to schools who regularly operate shorter or longer instructional weeks. Does not apply to weeks with holidays or snow days)
• Infant and Preschool Meal Pattern Tables

Meal Pattern Components

• National School Lunch Program (NSLP) There are five required meal pattern components: Meat/Meat Alternate (M/MA), Grain, Milk, Fruit, and Vegetable.
• School Breakfast Program (SBP) There are three required meal pattern components: Grain and/or Meat/Meat Alternate, Fruit (or Vegetable), and Milk.

All required components must be offered at each meal service.

Meat/Meat Alternate

• Meat/Meat Alternate In a Nutshell
• Crediting Meat/Meat Alternates in Child Nutrition Programs Tip Sheet (USDA)
• E-learning course: The Meat/Meat Alternate Component (also available in Spanish)
• Offering Meats and Meat Alternates at School Breakfast(USDA) (Spanish)
• Get Creative with Meat and Meat Alternates
• Tofu In a Nutshell
• Crediting Tofu and Soy Yogurt Products - Revised , SP 02-2024, CACFP 02-2024, SFSP 02-2024, USDA, 11/29/23
• Shelf-stable, Dried Snacks Made from Meat, Poultry, or Seafood SP 21-2019, USDA, 04/17/19
• Questions and Answers on Alternate Protein Products (USDA)

Grain

• Grains In a Nutshell
• E-learning course: The Grain Component (also available in Spanish)
• Whole Grain Resource for the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs USDA - updated 08/19/2022
• Grain Requirements for the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program SP 30-2012, USDA, 04/26/12
• Whole Grains Council - Recipes and resources
• Crediting
  • Exhibit A: Grain Requirements For Child Nutrition Programs (USDA)
  • Worksheet for Crediting the Grain Component

Milk

• Milk In a Nutshell
• E-learning course: The Milk Component (also available in Spanish)
• Variety Item Recipe (previously "Milk Recipe")
  • This recipe template may be used for the same amount of a variety of items that are put out daily, such as milk, juice, fruit, or cereal.
• Nutrition Requirements for Fluid Milk SP 29-2011, USDA, 04/14/11
• Bulk Milk: considerations for purchasing and serving
• Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin

  • For hot chocolate promotional materials, contact: 

    Tina Peterson, Director - Wisconsin Communications, Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin

• Inadequate Fluid Milk Supply: If your SFA cannot get a supply of fluid milk due to an emergency, please submit an Inadequate Fluid Milk Supply Request within 2 business days. Find more information within the Federal Regulations [7 CFR 210.10(d)(2)].

Fruit

• Fruit In a Nutshell
• Crediting Fruits in Child Nutrition Programs Tip Sheet (USDA)
• E-learning course: The Fruit Component (also available in Spanish)
• Half-Cup Crediting of Fruits and Vegetables Handout

Vegetable

• Vegetables In a Nutshell
• Crediting Vegetables in Child Nutrition Programs Tip Sheet (USDA)
• E-learning course: The Vegetable Component (also available in Spanish)
• Vegetable Subgroups Handout (Spanish)
• Half-Cup Crediting of Fruits and Vegetables Handout
• Meal Requirements under the NSLP and SBP: Questions and Answers for Program Operators Updated to Support the Transitional Standards for Milk, Whole Grains, and Sodium Effective July 1, 2022 SP 05-2022, USDA, 3/2/22
  • See #79 under Meal Patterns for guidance on offering vegetable subgroups within a shorter or longer school week.
• A Guide to Peas, Lentils, Chickpeas & Beans - USA Dry Pea & Lentil Council and the American Pulse Association