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Effective 4/1/2000
USDA removes whole milk from infant meal
pattern.
Cow's milk has been eliminated from the infant
meal pattern in the Child and Adult Care Food Program. Meals
containing cow's milk and served to infants under one year of
age are no longer reimbursable. Breast milk or formula must be
included in all reimbursable meals for infants under one year
of age.
The regulatory changes were effective December
15, 1999, but to allow transition, USDA has provided the following
timeline:
No child between the 8 months of age and one
year of age may be served cow's milk in lieu of breast milk or
iron-fortified infant formula in a reimbursable meal after April
1, 2000
Day Care providers must offer at least one
infant formula which meets CACFP requirements if infant meals
and snacks are claimed for reimbursement. A parent or guardian
may elect to decline the offered infant formula and supply another
infant formula or breast milk. ( This is in the form of an Acceptance
of infant formula or breast milk letter) SHOULD WE HAVE A BUTTON
HERE TO ACCESS THIS FORM?
They must also indicate when their infant is ready for the other
meal component (s).
Meals with breast milk are reimbursable
Meals containing only breast milk provided
by parents are reimbursable from birth through seven months.
Meals containing only formula provided by parents are NOT reimbursable.
Meals containing formula provided by parents, served to infants
four months of age or older, may be claimed for reimbursement
when the other meal components(s) (optional or required) are
supplied by the child care provider.
Whole milk recommended between ages 1 and
2 years
Meals containing whole milk instead of breast
milk or infant formula are not eligible for reimbursement. Whole
milk has been removed from the CACFP infant meal pattern. The
decision to introduce whole milk should be made in consultation
with the parents. It is strongly recommended that whole milk
be served between the child's first birthday until the child's
second birthday.
Infant formula is defined as any iron-fortified
formula intended for dietary use solely as a food for normal
healthy infants; excluding those formulas specifically formulated
for infants with inborn errors for metabolism or digestive or
absorptive problems. Infant formula, as served, must be in a
liquid state at recommended dilution.
Some infants consume, on average, less than
the minimum serving of breast milk established for their age
group. Consequently, if the full portion of breast milk is offered
to an infant who does not consume that much, some of the breast
milk may be wasted. Since breast milk is provided in very limited
quantities, as much as possible should be conserved. USDA is
permitting providers to serve less than the minimum regulatory
serving of breast milk to infants who regularly do not consume
that mount of breast milk.
However, if the full portion is not initially
offered, the provider must offer additional breast milk if the
infant is still hungry. USDA emphasizes that this provision is
being adopted solely in recognition of the needs of some infants
an the desire to avoid wasting already limited quantities of
breast milk. Under no circumstances can providers offer less
than the stipulated minimum serving of infant formula of other
components of the infant meal pattern.
Meal providers must take care to ensure that
breast milk is stored and handled properly to prevent possible
tainting or spread of disease. In particular, all breast milk
given to the provider should have a label stating the child's
name, and providers must make sure that each child receives only
the breast milk supplied by its mother.
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food
and Nutrition Service, Mountain Plains Region January 12, 2000 |