LUNCH AND DELI MEATS IN THE CACFP Processed meats, such as deli meat and hot dogs, are products that may contain added liquids (such as water or broth) or other types of fillers to help enhance flavor and preserve or extend the product's shelf life.
Are Processed Meats Creditable? Not every ingredient in processed meats is considered a Meat or Meat Alternate. In order to credit a lunch or deli meat, the composition of these products must be known so the correct portion can be served. To know the amount of a product that can be credited toward the Meat/Meat Alternate component, a Child Nutrition (CN) label or a Product Formulation Statement (PFS) may be needed. For example, one lunch meat variety may require 1.8 ounces of meat in order to credit as 1 ounce of Meat/Meat Alternate, whereas another may need 2.4 ounces of meat to credit as 1 ounce of the Meat/Meat Alternate component.
Some processed meats have a Standard o f Identity. These meat products have crediting information that can be found in the USDA Food Buying Guide. As long as they do not contain by-products, cereals, binders, extenders or fillers, these items are creditable without a CN label or Product Formulation Statement. Foods with a Standard of Identity include: Hot Dogs Pork Sausage Bologna Ham and Turkey Ham Vienna Sausage Canadian Bacon
Standard of Identity
Legal definition of what a food actually is. Standards of identity help consumers identify the product they are purchasing.
Example: "Canned Tuna" must legally be tuna and not a different type of fish. This institution is an equal opportunity provider. Products with a standard of identity are found in the USDA Food Buying Guide. May 2021 CREDITING LUNCH
Remember: Anything that follows the statement "2% or less AND DELI MEATS of..." on an ingredient list can be ignored IN THE CACFP
Ham with natural juices Credits as 1 lb =0.9 lb
Ham with water added Credits as 1 lb = .82 lb
Credits based on % added Ham Ham and water product ingredients
PFS or CN label Does the product YES must be obtained contain added liquids such as broth or water, NO Credits Turkey, Chicken, and binders, and/or (product is ounce for ounce Beef Deli Meats extenders? 100% meat) Example Ingredients: Chicken Breast with rib meat, salt, pepper
No Standard of Identity; amount of PFS or CN label creditable must be obtained Salami, Pepperoni, ingredients is not Summer Sausage known
Does the PFS or CN label product contain YES must be obtained byproducts, cereals, Credits Hot Dogs, Bologna binders, or NO ounce for ounce extenders?
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.