Main dish combination products that are commercially processed (such as ravioli, beef stew, spaghetti with meat sauce, egg rolls, pizza, chicken nuggets, fish sticks, etc.) must have a child nutrition (CN) label or manufacturer’s product formulation statement (PFS) to show that the products contain sufficient quantities of meat/meat alternate, grains/breads, and vegetables/fruit to meet the meal pattern. Otherwise, it may not be counted toward a reimbursable meal.
CN labels state the serving size of a product and the meal contribution per serving. They provide a warranty against audit claims and disallowances if the product is used in accordance with the manufacturer’s directions.
CN labels are found on the outer packaging of products purchased in bulk. If you have your food delivered by a vendor or purchase your food at a warehouse type store, you should be able to obtain CN labeled products.
Product Formulation Statement
A product formulation statement states the serving size of a product and the meal contribution per serving. No two sheets look the same, but they will all contain a statement about the amount of meat or meat alternate, bread/grain, and fruit/vegetable component per serving.
To obtain a PFS, call the telephone number on the packaging. Upon request, the food manufacturer can fax or mail this information. This sheet must be signed by an official of the manufacturer, not a salesperson.
- Pizza: We have not been able to obtain a product formulation statement for frozen pizza. When a frozen pizza is unwrapped, many of the toppings shift or fall off and need to be put back on, so a manufacturer cannot guarantee the meal contribution for that pizza. Other CN labeled pizza products, such as pizza rolls, pizza sticks, pizza pockets, etc. are available.
Using CN Labels and Serving Size Calculator
The serving size and meal contribution information on a CN label or manufacturer’s PFS will help you determine the serving size you will need of a product to meet the meal component requirement for a particular age group. For example, if a 1 cup serving size provides 2 ounces of meat and you only need 1.5 ounces for lunch for 3-5 year olds, you can use the calculator below to help you calculate the serving size you need. The calculator can be reset to determine the serving size for each meal component in the product.
- Use the information from your CN label and manufacturer’s PFS to complete the fields
- For meal contribution box, use the drop down to select the meal component
- Use decimals only – do not use fractions
- Use numbers only – do not type words
- Always round your answer up to the nearest appropriate serving size
- Reset the calculator to determine the serving size for each meal component in the product
Serving Size Calculator
Fraction Conversions
| Fraction | Decimal |
|---|---|
| 1/8 | 0.125 |
| 1/4 | 0.25 |
| 1/3 | 0.333 |
| 3/8 | 0.375 |
| 1/2 | 0.5 |
| 5/8 | 0.625 |
| 2/3 | 0.666 |
| 3/4 | 0.75 |
| 7/8 | 0.875 |
