A comparison of snack serving sizes to USDA guidelines in healthy weight and overweight minority preschool children enrolled in Head Start

Table 1 USDA reimbursable snack pattern for child care^a, ages 3–5, with examples of snacks served

Food group	Minimum serving size	Examples of snacks served at the Head Start centers
Milk
Fluid milk	1/2 cup^b	2 % reduced fat milk
Vegetables/Fruits
Full strength juice or	1/2 cup	Orange slices, grapes, applesauce, canned pineapple, fruit cocktail, banana, canned peaches, carrots
Fruit and/or vegetable	1/2 cup
Grains/Bread^c
Bread or	1/2 slice	Pumpkin bread, whole-wheat bagel, raisin bran muffin, blueberry muffin, oatmeal cookie, peanut butter cookie, whole-wheat crackers, animal crackers, Rice Krispies, Honey Nut Cheerios, Raisin Bran, cupcake, yellow cake, tortilla chips
Cornbread, biscuits, rolls, muffins or	1/2 serving
Cold dry cereal or	1/4 cup
Hot cooked cereal or	1/4 cup
Cooked pasta or noodles or grains	1/4 cup
Meat/Meat Alternate
Meat or poultry or fish^d or	1/2 oz	Sliced turkey, turkey and beans chili, cheddar cheese, cottage cheese, scrambled eggs, peanut butter, Light & Fit yogurt, vanilla yogurt, strawberry yogurt
Alternate protein product or	1/2 oz
Cheese or	1/2 oz
Egg^e or	1/2 egg
Cooked dry beans or peas or	1/8 cup
Peanut or other nut or seed butter or	1 Tbsp.
Nuts and/or seeds or	1/2 oz
Yogurt^f	2 oz or 1/4 cup

^aAdapted from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Nutrition Service (FNS). Federal regulations, part 226-Child and Adult Care Food Program [33]
^bA cup means a standard measuring cup
^cBreads and grains must be made from whole-grain or enriched meal or flour. Cereal must be whole-grain or enriched or fortified
^dA serving consists of the edible portion of cooked lean meat or poultry or fish
^eOne-half egg meets the required minimum amount (1 oz or less) of meat alternate
^fYogurt may be plain or flavored, unsweetened or sweetened

ISSN: 2052-9538