Breakfast Meal PatternGrades K-12

As a menu planner:• Make sure every possible reimbursable meal

has 4 items from 3 components. • Make sure every possible planned

reimbursable meal includes at least 1 oz. eq. of “real” grain.

• Make sure students and food service workers are aware of what items make a meal.

Food Component• Grain (optional meat/meat alternate) • Fruit (and/or vegetable)• Milk

Food Item• The minimum required portion size = one

food item 1 cup of fruit = 1 food item 1 oz. eq. grain = 1 food item

Food Component• Grain (plus optional meat/meat alternate) • Fruit (and/or vegetable)• Milk

Examples:• Muffin, grapes and milk• Whole wheat bagel, fresh orange and milk• Pancakes, sausage link, hash brown and

milk• Cereal, cheese stick, apple juice and milk

Counting food items:• 1 oz. eq. of grain = one item • 2 oz. eq. grain = two items

Example: 2 oz. eq. muffin = two items Example:

• 2 oz. eq. muffin, grapes, and milk = 4 food items

Foods with grains and meat• Example: An egg sandwich = 1 oz. eq. grain

and 1 oz. eq. meat/meat alternate: Two items under the grains component, OR One item and the meat is an “extra”

None Grain Extra• Do not need to plan a meat/meat alternate with every meal.• If no meat/meat alternate planned, make sure to plan 4 items with each meal.•Meal Plan Examples: One 2 oz. eq. grain, 1 cup fruit, 1 milkTwo 1 oz. eq. grains, 1 cup fruit, 1 milk1 oz. eq. grain, 2 cups of fruit, 1 milk

• Can plan meat every day as long as always offer 1 oz. eq. of “real” grain item. • 1 oz. eq. of meat/meat alternate is considered one of the four items. • Students can decline the “real” grain and just take the meat item. • Meal Plan Example: 1 oz. eq. grain, 1 oz. eq. meat (counting as grain), 1 cup fruit, 1 milk

• Option if you are already offering 4 items. • If you plan meat/meat alternate as extra, will not count as an item toward the reimbursable meal.• Consider these as a “freebies.” • Extras still count toward calories and saturated fat. •Meal Plan Example: One 2 oz. eq. grain, 1 oz. eq. meat counting as extra, 1 cup fruit, 1 milk

Daily Menu• 1 oz. eq. “Real” Grain• 3 Food Components• 4 Food Items

Clarification• Not about choices or the way students are

served their food• This is giving them the ability to decline food

item(s)• Not mandatory for any grade grouping

Goals• To reduce food waste• To give students choices

Requirements• Must offer all of the options

Difference between choices and offer versus serve• Each student must take 4 food items, but they

have choices of which 4 food items to take.

Component Menu Item

Fruit Peaches or Apples

Grain Muffin (2 items) or Cereal (2 items)

Milk 1% White Milk or Fat Free Chocolate

Reminder! • Students must take at least ½ cup of fruit or

vegetable, or a combination of both. Changes

• Students must have at least 3 food items on their tray for a reimbursable meal.

• If the student takes 2 items and only takes ½ cup of fruit or vegetable, the ½ cup will count as 1 item.

• If the student takes 2 items and also takes 1 cup of fruit or vegetable, then the 1 cup will still count as only 1 item.

Muffin = 2 oz. eq. = 2 items Grapes = 1 cup = 1 item Milk = 1 cup = 1 item

Is this reimbursable?

2 oz. muffin= 1 oz. eq. GRAIN8 oz. MILK

1 cup FRUIT1 cup cereal= 1 oz. eq. GRAIN

2 oz. muffin= 1 oz. eq. GRAIN8 oz. MILK

1/2 cup FRUIT1 cup CEREAL = 1 oz. eq. GRAIN

Is This a Meal?

•Declines two food items:Cereal and Milk

•Takes two food items:•Muffin and Fruit

Must have three food items on tray!

2 oz. muffin= 1 oz. eq. GRAIN8 oz. MILK

1 cup FRUIT1 cup cereal= 1 oz. eq. GRAIN

Is This a Meal?

•Declines one food item:• Milk

•Takes three food items:•Cereal, Fruit, and Muffin

1 cup VEGETABLE 8 oz. MILK

1 cup FRUIT1 cup cereal=1 oz. eq. GRAIN

½ cup VEGETABLE 8 oz. MILK

1/2 cup FRUIT1 cup CEREAL =1 oz. eq.

GRAIN

Is This a Meal?

•Declines one food item: Cereal and smaller portions of the fruit and vegetable items offered

•Takes two food items:½ c. Grapes, ½ c. Hash browns, and

Milk

Remember students are allowed to take ½ cup of fruit or vegetable and count as 1 item, but if they take 1 cup of fruit or vegetable that will

still count as only 1 item.

8 oz. MILK

8 oz. 100% Juice= 1 cup FRUITBiscuit = 1 oz. eq. GRAIN

Egg/Cheese =1 oz. eq. meat/meat alternate= 1 oz. eq.

GRAIN

8 oz. MILK

8 oz. 100% Juice= 1 cup FRUIT1 oz. eq. MEAT/MEAT

ALTERNATE 1 oz. eq. GRAIN

Is This a Meal?

•Declines two food items: Egg/Cheese Sandwich•Takes two food items:•Fruit Juice and Milk

Remember offering only 4 items with two items in a combination

dish, students cannot decline this dish.

8 oz. MILK

8 oz. 100% Juice= 1 cup FRUIT

Is This a Meal?Biscuit = 1 oz. eq. GRAIN

Egg/Cheese =1 oz. eq. meat/meat alternate= 1 oz. eq.

GRAIN

•Declines one food item: Fruit Juice

Takes three food items:Egg and Cheese Sandwich and Milk

Remember students must take at least ½ cup fruit or vegetable to

make a reimbursable meal.

8 oz. MILK

8 oz. 100% Juice= 1 cup FRUITBiscuit = 1 oz. eq. GRAIN

Counting Meat/Meat Alternate as an EXTRA

4 oz. yogurt= 1 oz. eq. meat/meat alternate= 1 oz. eq.

GRAIN

8 oz. MILK

4 oz. 100% Juice= ½ cup FRUIT

Is This a Meal?

4 oz. YOGURT = 1 oz. eq. MEAT ALTERNATE= 1 oz. eq. GRAIN

Counting Meat/Meat Alternate as an Extra

Count only 1 oz. eq. GRAIN

•Declines one food item:Egg and Cheese Sandwich•Take three food items:

Fruit Juice, Yogurt, and Milk

Remember, if only counting the 1 item on the combination dish,

student can decline it.

8 oz. MILK

4 oz. 100% Juice= ½ cup FRUIT

Is This a Meal?4 oz. YOGURT = 1 oz. eq. MEAT

ALTERNATE= 1 oz. eq. GRAIN

Biscuit = 1 oz. eq. GRAINCounting Meat/Meat Alternate as

an EXTRA

•Declines two food items: Milk and Yogurt

•Takes two food items:Egg and Cheese Sandwich and Fruit

Remember, you can’t pick and choose whether to count the combination

dish as one or two items. The menu planner needs to determine what

they are counting and stick with it.

8 oz. MILK

1 cup FRUIT 4 oz. Muffin = 2 oz. eq. GRAINS

8 oz. MILK

4 oz. Muffin = 2 oz. eq. GRAINS

Is This a Meal?

1 cup FRUIT

•Declines one food item:Milk

•Takes three food items:Muffin and Fruit

8 oz. MILK

1 cup FRUIT 4 oz. Muffin = 2 oz. eq. GRAINS

1 oz. String Cheese = 1 oz. eq. Meat Alternative =

EXTRA

8 oz. MILK

1/2 cup FRUIT 4 oz. Muffin = 2 oz. eq. GRAINS

1 oz. String Cheese = 1 oz. eq. Meat Alternative =

EXTRA

Is This a Meal?

•Declined two items:Muffin

•Takes two items:Apple and Milk

Remember an extra doesn’t count as an item toward the reimbursable meal.

8 oz. MILK

1/2 cup FRUIT 56 grams Toast= 2 oz. eq.

GRAINS

4 oz. 100% Juice= ½ cup FRUIT

8 oz. MILK

1/2 cup FRUIT 56 grams Toast= 2 oz. eq.

GRAINS

Is This a Meal?

4 oz. 100% Juice= ½ cup FRUIT

•Declines 2 food items:Toast

•Takes two food items:Apple, Fruit Juice, and Milk

Remember 1 cup of fruit only counts as 1 item!

8 oz. MILK

1/2 cup FRUIT 28 grams Toast= 1 oz. eq.

GRAINS

Is This a Meal?

4 oz. 100% Juice= ½ cup FRUIT

•Declines ½ cup of Fruit•Takes three food items:

1 piece of Toast, Milk, and ½ cup Fruit

Remember, students may take only ½ cup fruit and

count that as 1 item as part of the Offer vs. Serve rule.

Reimbursable meals are all based on what you planned and what is taken. • Must plan at least 4 items from 3 components• Determine if the items you provide will count

as creditable items or if they are “extras”• If they are “extras” these won’t count toward

your 4 items or 3 components• Students must take at least ½ cup of fruit or

vegetables, or a combination of both. • Share these plans with cashiers!