Report Calls for Dietary Changes to Federal Nutrition Program

Meals and snacks served to children and adults at day care facilities through a federally supported food program should have more vegetables and fruits and less fat, salt and added sugars, according to the new “Child and Adult Care Food Program: Aligning Dietary Guidance for All" report from the Institute of Medicine (IOM).

The report's recommendations will bring the nutrition standards of the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) in line with the latest nutrition science and dietary guidelines used in other federal food programs, including the National School Lunch and School Breakfast programs. Approximately 3 million children and 114,000 functionally impaired adults and other adults over age 60 received meals and snacks through the program in fiscal year 2010.

The report builds on existing CACFP requirements for meals and also calls for each meal to include one serving of fruit and two of vegetables and for the amount of dark green and orange vegetables served each week to increase while limiting starchy vegetables to no more than twice a week. Juice should be 100-percent fruit juice without added sugars. At least half of the grain products served should be rich in whole grains. Day care facilities should limit their use of foods and ingredients that are high in sodium, saturated fat, trans fat and added sugars. Sites should use vegetable oils and limited amounts of salt when preparing meals. Meats should be lean; soy products, beans, eggs, nuts, and other meat alternatives may be used.

“The meals and snacks made possible through the Child and Adult Care Food Program are an important source of nutrition for millions of children and tens of thousands of adults," said committee chair Suzanne P. Murphy, researcher, professor, and director of the Nutrition Support Shared Resource, Cancer Research Center of Hawaii, University of Hawaii, Honolulu. “This report points the way to updating the program's meal requirements so that they reflect the latest nutrition science. The changes recommended will help program beneficiaries get more of the nutrients they need without getting too many calories and will promote lifelong healthy eating habits."

Sources:

* Institute of Medicine: Changes Needed to Improve Nutrition of Meals and Snacks Provided Through Federally Supported Day Care Food Program For Children and Adults