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It is a big - and very important - job to plan, purchase, prepare, and serve nourishing meals for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Child Nutrition Programs. Every day, your work helps fight hunger and improve the nutritional health of children and adults in America.
Whether you are serving food to a small number of children or adults, or hundreds of students, you need to think carefully about each meal.
Questions to ask yourself include:
This Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs (FBG) is designed to help you in two important ways.
In addition, with yield data for more than 2,100 food items, this guide provides ideas for adding new foods or new forms of familiar foods to your menus. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans emphasize that a variety of fruits, vegetables, and grains, especially dark green and red/orange vegetables and whole grains, are key elements of a healthful diet. By offering a wide variety of nourishing foods, you are giving children and adults a greater opportunity to develop eating habits that will promote life-long good health and wellness. The FBG was first published in 1947. It is updated periodically, to reflect updated meal pattern requirements, to add new foods, and to reflect changes in processing technology or packaging that may affect yield.
The FBG is widely used by school food service professionals participating in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), School Breakfast Program (SBP), the NSLP Afterschool Snack Service, institutions and facilities participating in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), and sponsors participating in the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). Meal Patterns for each of these Child Nutrition Programs are included in the Resource Center.
This FBG will periodically be updated and individual sections will be available to download and print.
Yield information is a valuable planning and production tool used to:
Use it as a guideline to purchase the appropriate amount of food for the meals you will prepare.
These examples illustrate what is meant by yield:
The yield information provided in this guide represents average yields based on research conducted by USDA. The yield information given for a specific food is meant to be a planning and production tool.
The yield information in this guide is based on careful portioning and weighing. Using tools such as scales, measuring cups, and measuring spoons, you must measure or weigh portions carefully and ensure that each serving size is appropriate for the age/grade group you are serving.
If your food service operation is consistently getting a higher or lower yield from a product than the yield specified in this FBG, you may want to conduct an in-house yield study or research and document the yield or number of portions of a specified size that the product provides. Prior to obtaining any in-house yield data you must find out if your State agency will allow the use of in-house yield data. If your State agency allows the use of in-house yield data: 1) determine what you need to document to show your State agency how you determined the in-house yields; and 2) maintain any documentation required by the State agency.
Specific and verifiable procedures must be followed to document yield.
For example, suppose the yield listed in this FBG for a #10 can of diced pears is consistently lower than the yield you are getting with the brand of diced pears you currently purchase. Program operators may request approval from their State agency to conduct in-house yield data.
If approval is granted to conduct in-house yields, a minimum of at least six (6) samples (e.g., six (6) #10 cans of diced pears) are required to determine the yield. The Program operator must carefully portion the food, using the appropriate scoop/disher or measuring spoon. The food item should be filled to the top level of the measuring utensil that is being used. Carefully count the number of the specified serving size obtained from each sample and document the number count (see table below). To determine the average number of portions per sample, add the number of servings from each sample and then divide the total number of servings by six (sample size).
To get a better yield estimate, it is recommended that at least two people do the portioning and counting of six samples independently. Program operators should maintain how the yields were established and provide the State agency with appropriate documentation (see below for sample documentation). The State agency may also request other forms of documentation, such as photographs of the actual measurements.
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Many factors affect yield, including:
All Child Nutrition Program meal patterns follow a food-based menu planning approach. This approach requires specific amounts of foods be served daily in accordance with the meal pattern. The specific amounts of foods included in the meal pattern requirements ensure that program participants receive access to a variety of foods each day which contribute to a healthy diet. The meal pattern requirements for each Child Nutrition Program are provided in Charts 1A-5C. State agencies have the discretion to set stricter requirements than the minimum nutrition standards for school meals. For additional guidance, please contact your State agency. All updated meal patterns are listed in the Resource Center.
Below are descriptions of each of the meal pattern charts.
Charts 1A and 1B: School Breakfast Program (SBP) and National School Lunch Program (NSLP)
Charts 1A and 1B present the food-based meal pattern for the SBP and NSLP. To allow for age-appropriate school meals, USDA requires schools to use grade groups K-5, 6-8, and 9-12 to plan menus in the SBP and NSLP. Schools are provided the flexibility to use one meal pattern for students in grades K through 8 as food quantity requirements for groups K-5 and 6-8 overlap, provided the school meets the calorie, saturated fat, and sodium standards for each of the grade groups receiving the school meals.
Chart 2: NSLP Afterschool Snack Service
Schools may serve reimbursable supplemental snacks to children in an eligible NSLP Afterschool Snack Service. Chart 2 provides the food components and minimum serving size requirements for afterschool snacks.
Chart 3: Summer Food Service Program (SFSP)
Chart 3 presents the breakfast, lunch/supper, and snacks meal patterns for the SFSP.
Charts 4A, B, C, and D: Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)
Charts 4A, B, and C present the CACFP child and adult meal patterns for breakfast, lunch/supper, and snacks.
Chart 4D presents the CACFP infant meal patterns for breakfast, lunch, supper and snacks. Please note that the FBG does not include yields for infant formulas or other commercially prepared infant foods.
Charts 5A, B, and C: Preschool Meal Pattern Requirements
Charts 5A, B, and C present the Preschool meal patterns for breakfast, lunch, and snacks are provided for schools that serve preschoolers in addition to K-12 grade groups.
How are the foods in this guide listed and grouped?
The foods in this guide are listed as individual food items. The foods are arranged alphabetically within the appropriate meal component from the Child Nutrition Meal Patterns. (These meal pattern charts are located in the Resource Center.)
The foods in Section 6: Other Foods do not meet the requirement for any component in the meal patterns and therefore are not creditable. They are foods frequently used as additional foods, condiments or seasonings to increase menu appeal, improve acceptability, and provide additional calories and nutrients to help meet children’s nutritional needs. The Other Foods section is provided to assist you in purchasing these types of foods.
What information do the yield tables provide?
Here are more details on each of these columns:
The data in the yield tables can help you in a variety of ways as you plan menus, make purchasing decisions, and check to make sure your meals meet Child Nutrition Program requirements.
The next sections titled “Working with the Food Buying Guide” and “Methods Used to Determine Quantity” provide an easy-to-follow guide on how to use the yield data. Through a variety of practical examples you will learn how to:
Calculating how much food you need for a given number of servings
There are three methods used to determine the quantity of food needed for a given number of servings.
The methods and examples shown in the “Methods Used to Determine Quantity” section illustrate how you might use the yield data tables to:
Tips to remember as you calculate the quantity of food for a given number of servings:
TIP: There is an additional Food Buying Guide (FBG) resource available to assist you in determining the quantity needed for a given number of servings:
The FBG Online Calculator assists users in building shopping lists from the FBG and determining how much of each item to purchase. The FBG Online Calculator is available on this tool and can be accessed on the home page or Tools menu.
General Procedure: Divide the number of servings you need by the number of servings you will get from one purchase unit (pound, can, etc.) (Servings per Purchase Unit, EP).
Examples A and B show you how to calculate the number of purchase units needed to obtain the desired number of servings of a particular food. The serving size you plan to serve is the same as the serving size listed in “Serving Size per Meal Contribution” column of the Food Buying Guide. No conversion of the serving size is needed.
Examples C-H show you how to calculate the number of purchase units needed to obtain the desired number of servings of a particular food. The serving size(s) you plan are not the same as the serving size(s) listed in the Food Buying Guide. Conversion of the serving size is required. The conversion chart below can assist in determining the creditable amount per portion.
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Method 1 Example A : Carrot Slices, Cooked
You plan to serve 1/4 cup servings of steamed carrot slices. You will purchase frozen, sliced carrots. How many pounds of frozen, sliced carrots do you need?
You estimate that you will need 195 1/4 cup servings of cooked carrot slices.
For the listing Carrots, frozen, sliced (found in “Food As Purchased, AP” column) you look for:
Cooked vegetable (found in “Serving Size per Meal Contribution” column)
“Serving Size per Meal Contribution” column reads: 1/4 cup cooked, drained vegetable
This is the same as your planned serving size, so no conversion is needed. (Examples C-H show what to do when conversion is needed.)
“Purchase Unit” column reads: Pound
“Servings per Purchase Unit, EP” column reads: 9.87
Number of servings needed = 195
Servings per purchase unit = 9.87
Method 1 Example B : Ground Beef, fresh or frozen (no more than 15 % fat)
You plan to serve 1-1/2 ounce portions of cooked ground beef. How many pounds frozen ground beef, no more than 15% fat, do you need?
You estimate that you will need 60 1-1/2 ounce servings.
For the listing Ground Beef, fresh or frozen no more than 15% fat (found in “Food As Purchased, AP” column) you look for:
Cooked lean meat (found in “Serving Size per Meal Contribution” column)
Compare this to your planned serving size. “Serving Size per Meal Contribution” column includes the serving size: 1-1/2 ounce cooked lean meat.
This is the same as your planned serving size, so no conversion is needed. (Examples C-H show what to do when a conversion is needed.)
“Purchase Unit” column reads: Pound
“Servings per Purchase Unit, EP” column reads: 8.00
Number of servings needed = 60
Servings per purchase unit = 8.00
For multiple serving sizes of meat, poultry, fish, or cheese multiply the number of participants to be served by each serving size in ounces to get the ounces needed. Add the results to get the total ounces needed.
Method 1 Example C : Beef Round Roast, fresh or frozen, without bone 1/4 inch trim
You plan to serve boneless, cooked roast beef to 75 participants of different grade levels. How many pounds of raw beef round roast, without bone, do you need?
You estimate that of the 75 planned servings, 45 will be served at 1-1/2 ounces each and 30 will be served at 2 ounces each.
For the listing Beef Round Roast, fresh or frozen, without bone 1/4 inch trim (found in “Food As Purchased, AP” column) you look for:
Cooked lean meat (found in “Serving Size per Meal Contribution” column)
“Serving Size per Meal Contribution” column includes the serving sizes: 1 oz cooked lean meat and 1 1/2 oz cooked lean meat
Since there is no serving size for 2 ounces of cooked lean meat, a conversion is needed .
| 45 servings x 1.5 oz = | 67.5 oz |
| 30 servings x 2.0 oz = | 60.0 oz |
| 127.5 ounces total lean cooked meat |
You need a total of 127.5 oz of lean cooked meat. Since this total is in units of 1 ounce, you can now use the serving size of 1 oz cooked lean meat as found in “Serving Size per Meal Contribution” column.
“Purchase Unit” column reads: Pound
“Servings per Purchase Unit, EP” column reads: 9.76
Number of total ounces needed = 127.5
Servings per purchase unit = 9.76
127.5 ÷ 9.76 = 13.06
Method 1 Example D : Baked Beans, Vegetarian, Canned
You plan to serve 1/2 cup servings of canned, vegetarian baked beans. You purchase USDA Foods baked beans in sauce, vegetarian, in No. 10 cans (108 oz). How many No. 10 (108 oz) cans do you need?
You estimate that you need 120 1/2 cup servings.
For the listing Bean Products, dry beans, canned, Beans Baked in Sauce, Vegetarian (found in “Food As Purchased, AP” column) you look for:
Heated beans (found in “Serving Size per Meal Contribution” column)
“Serving Size per Meal Contribution” column reads: 1/4 cup heated beans with sauce
Since there is no serving size for 1/2 cup of heated beans with sauce, a conversion is needed .
2.0 multiplied by 120 = 240 1/4 cup servings
“Purchase Unit” column reads: No. 10 can (108 oz)
“Servings per Purchase Unit, EP” column reads: 47.10
Number of 1/4 cup servings needed = 240
Servings per purchase unit = 47.10
Method 1 Example E : Nut Butters (including peanut butter)
You want to serve 1 Tbsp servings of peanut butter as part of the meats/meat alternates component of the meal. How many 32 oz jars of peanut butter do you need?
You estimate that you need 65 servings.
65 x 1 = 65 tablespoons needed
65 ÷ 2 = 32.5 2 Tbsp servings
“Purchase Unit” column reads: 32 oz container
“Servings per Purchase Unit, EP” column reads: 28.80
32.5 ÷ 28.8 = 1.12 units
Method 1 Example F : Eggs, large, shell, fresh
You want to serve cooked egg in portions that provide 1 ounce equivalent meat alternate. How many whole large shell eggs do you need?
You estimate that you need 43 servings of cooked egg. (Each serving needs to provide 1 ounce equivalent meat alternate for this example.)
43 x 1 = 43 total ounce equivalents of meat alternate
This gives you the total number of whole large shell eggs needed.
TIP: 1 large egg = 2 oz equivalent meat alternate.
Method 1 Example G : Cereals and Cereal Grains
You want to serve cooked oatmeal on your menu. What quantity of dry, instant, rolled oats do you need?
You estimate that you need 70 1 cup servings.
Divide 1.0 by 1/2 (convert fractions to decimals: 1/2 = 0.5, see Table 6)
Multiply the factor by the number of servings needed.
2 x 70 = 140 1/2 cup servings of cooked oatmeal needed
Cereal Grains, Oats (Group H) Rolled, Instant, Dry
“Purchase Unit” column reads: Pound
“Servings per Purchase Unit, EP” column reads: 23.40
140 ÷ 23.40 = 5.98 pounds dry instant rolled oats
Note: Dry cereals vary greatly in number of servings per pound or package. Check the cereal box for the number and/or size of servings.
Note: For more examples, refer to Exhibit A in the Grains Section: Grains.
Use the purchase unit for 100 servings in “Purchase Units for 100 Servings” column to determine how much food you need to prepare for a specified number of servings of a given size. This method is useful when planning large numbers of meals.
General Procedure: Multiply the numbers of serving sizes (“Serving Size per Meal Contribution” column) by the number of purchase units (“Purchase Units for 100 Servings” column) and divide by 100.
Examples A and B show you how to calculate the total number of pounds needed to obtain the desired number of servings of a particular food using “Purchase Units for 100 Servings” column.
Example C shows you how to convert the “Purchase Units for 100 Servings” column data – purchase units for 100 servings – to the purchase unit for a different number of servings.
Method 2 Example A: Turkey Meatloaf
You are preparing turkey meatloaf for 325 participants. How much ground turkey do you need?
| Grade | Number | Multiplication | Serving Size | Equals to | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age/Grade group 1 | 153 | X | 1 oz | = | 153 oz |
| Age/Grade group 2 | 157 | X | 1 oz | = | 157 oz |
| Age/Grade group 3 | 15 | X | 2 oz | = | 30 oz |
| Total | 340 oz |
According to the yield table (“Purchase Units for 100 Servings” column), you need 9.0 pounds of ground turkey for 100 1 oz servings of cooked turkey.
340 x 9.0 ÷ 100 = 30.6 pounds
Method 2 Example B : Green Beans, frozen, cut
You are serving the green beans to the same 325 people in Method 2 Example A, how much frozen cut green beans do you need?
| Grade | Number | Multiplication | Serving Size | Equals to | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age/Grade group 1 | 130 | X | 1/4 cup (0.25) | = | 32.5 cups |
| Age/Grade group 2 | 125 | X | 1/4 cup (0.25) | = | 31.25 cups |
| Age/Grade group 3 | 10 | X | 1/4 cup (0.25) | = | 2.50 cups |
| Total | 66.25 cups or 265.00 1/4 cups |
According to the yield table (“Purchase Units for 100 Servings” column), you need 8.7 pounds of frozen cut green beans for 100 1/4 cup servings of cooked beans
265.00 x 8.7 ÷ 100 = 23.055 pounds
Method 2 Example C : Converting “Purchase Units for 100 Servings” column yield data
“Purchase Units for 100 Servings” column of the yield data tables gives the numbers of purchase units needed for 100 servings. The “Purchase Units for 100 Servings” column yield data can easily be converted to provide the number of purchase units needed for a smaller number of meals.
Example : You plan to serve 50 meals, how many pounds of frozen whole kernel corn do you need?
Purchase units for 100 servings = 9.1
If you want to know the purchase units for 25 servings go through the same process above using 25 in step 1.
100 ÷ 25 = 4
9.1 ÷ 4 = 2.27
2.27 rounds up to 2.5 lb
The same method can be followed for any number of servings you want to serve.
When would you use “Additional Information” column? Use the additional information in “Additional Information” column to calculate yields for foods purchased in a different form from what is listed in “Food As Purchased, AP” column. For example, the Food Buying Guide lists Romaine lettuce, untrimmed as: purchased and served as vegetable pieces. “Additional Information” column gives the yield information needed to calculate how many servings you get if you bought the lettuce ready-to-serve.
Method 3 Example A : Broccoli, fresh, ready-to-cook
You are planning to serve a Stir-Fry. After adjusting the recipe for the number of servings, you determine that 5 lb 10 oz of trimmed, fresh broccoli, ready-to-cook is needed.
The ready-to-cook quantity is the amount you need of trimmed vegetable. But how much whole, fresh broccoli do you need to buy to be sure to have the correct amount?
For Broccoli, Fresh, untrimmed, “Additional Information” column reads:
1 lb AP = 0.81 lb ready-to-cook
In other words, 1 pound whole, fresh, untrimmed broccoli as purchased (AP), yields 0.81 pound trimmed, ready-to-cook broccoli.
If the recipe lists the desired RTC quantity in pounds and ounces, begin by determining the decimal equivalent (see Table 7).
The stir-fry recipe calls for 5 lb 10 oz (5.62 lb) of ready-to-cook chopped broccoli.
5.62 lb ÷ 0.81 = 6.93 lb
Method 3 Example B : Lettuce, fresh, Romaine, untrimmed
For Lettuce, fresh, Romaine, untrimmed, “Additional Information” column reads:
1 lb AP = 0.64 lb ready-to-serve raw lettuce
Divide the number of pounds of fresh Romaine lettuce pieces, ready-to-serve (10 lb) by the quantity of ready-to-serve lettuce obtained from 1 pound, fresh Romaine lettuce, untrimmed (0.64 lb).
10 pounds ÷ 0.64 pounds = 15.62 pounds of Lettuce, fresh, Romaine, untrimmed
“Purchase Unit” column reads: Pound
“Servings per Purchase Unit, EP” column reads: 31.30
Pounds of Romaine lettuce = 15.62
1/4 cup servings per pound = 31.30
15.62 x 31.30 = 488.90 1/4 cup servings of raw vegetable pieces
ANSWER 1 : You get 488.90 1/4 cup servings of raw vegetable pieces from a 10 lb bag of fresh Romaine lettuce, ready-to-serve.
To calculate the servings per pound:
Divide the total number of servings per bag by the total pounds of product in the unopened bag to get the number of 1/4 cup servings from 1 pound.
Servings per bag = 488.90 divided by pound weight of product in unopened bag = 10
488.90 ÷ 10 = 48.89 1/4 cup servings
ANSWER 2 : You get 48.89 1/4 cup servings per pound of fresh, Romaine lettuce pieces, ready-to-serve.
Tip: Note that raw leafy greens credit as half the volume served in the NSLP, SBP, and CACFP. For example, 1/4 cup serving of Romaine lettuce pieces contributes 1/8 cup vegetable (dark green subgroup in school meal programs) to the meal pattern.
Method 3 Example C : Butternut Squash, fresh, cubed, cooked
You have a recipe for cooked, cubed butternut squash. After adjusting the recipe for the number of servings, you determine that 6 lb 5 oz of fresh butternut squash, ready-to-cook, pared is needed.
The ready-to-cook quantity is the amount you need of pared vegetable. But how much whole, fresh butternut squash should you purchase to be sure you have the correct amount after paring?
For Butternut squash, Fresh, untrimmed, “Additional Information” column reads:
1 lb AP = 0.84 lb ready-to-cook pared squash
In other words, 1 pound whole, fresh, untrimmed butternut squash as purchased (AP), yields 0.84 pound pared, ready-to-cook vegetable.
If the recipe lists the desired RTC quantity in pounds and ounces, begin by determining the decimal equivalent (see Table 7).
The recipe calls for 6 lb 5 oz (6.31 lb) of ready-to-cook, pared, butternut squash.
6.31 lb ÷ 0.84 = 7.51 lb
How to compare the cost per serving for food purchased in different forms by using “Purchase Units for 100 Servings” column.
Example : You want to compare the raw food cost per serving of cut green beans to help you decide if you should buy fresh green beans, canned cut green beans, or frozen cut green beans. The cost per pound of each form of green bean (for this example) is as follows: fresh, $0.30/lb; canned, cut, $0.24/lb*; frozen, cut, $0.86/lb.
Fresh green beans, untrimmed = 9.1
Canned cut green beans = 14.0
Frozen cut green beans = 8.7
Fresh green beans = 0.091
Canned cut green beans = 0.140
Frozen cut green beans = 0.087
Fresh green beans: 0.091 x 0.30 = $0.027
*Canned cut green beans: 0.140 x 0.24 = $0.034
Frozen cut green beans: 0.087 x 0.86 = $0.074
