Offer Versus Serve and Family Style Meals in CACFP

The purpose of this memorandum is to outline the use of Offer Versus Serve (OVS) in the adult day care and at-risk afterschool settings, as well as the use of family style meals in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). This memorandum contains two attachments that highlight frequently asked questions and answers and OVS examples for breakfast, lunch, and supper meal service. In addition, this memorandum provides updates to terms consistent with the final rule titled, Child Nutrition Programs: Meal Patterns Consistent with the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025 (89 FR 31962) published on April 25, 2024. This memorandum supersedes CACFP 05-2017, Offer Versus Serve and Family Style Meals in the Child and Adult Care Food Program.

In addition to the information included in previous memoranda, this memorandum specifically:

• Updates terminology from “food component” to “meal component” per CACFP regulations;
• Updates definitions listed under “Terms to Know;”
• Includes two new questions clarifying policy regarding meals for supervising adults (#13) and meal accommodations (#14);
• Includes an attachment with updated examples of OVS;
• Adopts standardized terminology such as “institutions and facilities;” and
• Reorganizes information throughout the memorandum for clarity.

Background

Following passage of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, PL 111-296, CACFP regulations were updated to align meal patterns more closely with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. As part of that program update, the CACFP regulations were revised to extend the option of OVS to at-risk afterschool programs (7 CFR 226.20(o)), in addition to adult day care centers in 2017. This allowance provided menu planners another option for meal service and improved consistency across child nutrition programs as OVS was well established in the NSLP, SBP and the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP).

In addition, the 2024 final rule added the family style meal service requirements that were previously outlined in FNS Instruction 783-9, Rev. 2 to the CACFP regulations under 7 CFR 226.20(n). This memorandum explains the requirements centers or day care homes must follow when serving meals family style in order to receive reimbursement. While the majority of the 2024 final rule focused on gradual updates to school nutrition requirements, the rule also included a few updates to the CACFP to better align child nutrition program requirements. The 2024 final rule changed all “food component” references to “meal component” references in program regulations, as reflected in this memorandum.

Offer vs. Serve

Overview

OVS is an optional approach to menu planning and meal service that allows participants to decline some of the food offered in a reimbursable breakfast, lunch, or supper. The goal of OVS is to reduce food waste and give participants some control and choice in their meal selection, while still providing a nutritious meal. OVS is only allowed in CACFP adult day care and CACFP at-risk afterschool settings for breakfast, lunch, and supper meals. OVS is not allowed at snack because there are only two required meal components during that service; as such, not enough food is offered to allow participants to decline some foods and ensure that the snack selected is nutritionally sufficient.

In general, OVS is not considered to be appropriate for younger children because it may interfere with the CACFP’s nutrition goals and the center or day care home’s efforts to introduce new foods to children while they are young and still developing food preferences. Therefore, OVS is only an available meal service option for the CACFP adult day care centers and at-risk afterschool programs.

Adult day care centers and at-risk afterschool programs are not required to implement OVS; use of OVS is optional in these settings. Institutions and facilities that choose to use OVS must notify their state agency. How institutions and facilities notify their state agency is at the discretion of the state agency. If an institution or facility chooses to use OVS, menu planners should examine participation and food selection trends to determine what and how much food to prepare. This process typically results in cost savings by reducing the amount of food waste.

State agencies cannot institute a statewide ban on OVS. However, specific institutions and facilities may be restricted from using OVS on a case-by-case basis if the state agency determines that the institution or facility is unable to implement OVS within the requirements outlined in regulations and further through this memorandum.

Terms to Know

For any meal to be eligible for reimbursement, no matter what meal service type is used, all meal components must be offered in at least the required minimum serving sizes at outlined at 7 CFR 226.20(c). Adult day care centers and at-risk afterschool program operators should be familiar with the following terms before implementing OVS:

• A meal component is one of the food groups that comprise reimbursable meals. The meal components for lunch and supper in the CACFP are fluid milk; fruits; vegetables; grains; and meats/meat alternates. The meal components in the CACFP for breakfast are fluid milk, grains, and a combined vegetables and fruits component. This means program operators may serve vegetables, fruits, or a combination of both, to meet this requirement. Meats/meat alternates are not required at breakfast but may be served in place of the entire grains component a maximum of three times per week.
• A serving size is a single portion of food identified by the measure, typically as a weight or volume. Each meal pattern lists the minimum serving size for each meal component that must be served or offered to meet the meal pattern requirements. CACFP operators may choose to serve more than the minimum serving size; however, additional reimbursement will not be given for the extra food served.
• A menu item is any single food or combination food offered on the menu. A menu item may contain one or more meal components. For example, vegetable lasagna is a menu item that contains three meal components: vegetables, grains (pasta noodles), and meats/meat alternates (cheese).
• A breakfast food item is a specific food offered within the three meal components required in the breakfast meal pattern. For example, ½ cup of cantaloupe is a breakfast food item within the combined vegetables and fruits meal component, and a biscuit is a breakfast food item within the grains meal component.
• A combination food is a menu item that contains more than one meal component that cannot be separated. Common examples of combination foods are soups, tacos, smoothies, pizza, and burritos.

CACFP OVS Requirements

All institutions and facilities electing to use OVS in the adult day care and at-risk afterschool settings of the CACFP are required to follow the CACFP OVS requirements at 7 CFR 226.20(o). Due to the distinguishing nature of the CACFP from the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), School Breakfast Program (SBP), and Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), including variations in settings and resources, the OVS requirements in the adult day care and at-risk afterschool settings of the CACFP are slightly different from the OVS requirements in NSLP, SBP, and SFSP. The OVS requirements in the CACFP are as follows:

OVS at Breakfast

The CACFP breakfast meal pattern requires program operators to offer three meal components: fluid milk; vegetables and fruits; and grains. As a reminder, vegetables and fruits are one combined component in the CACFP breakfast meal pattern and meats/meat alternates may be used to meet the entire grains requirement a maximum of three times per week. For OVS at breakfast, food items are counted for a reimbursable meal, not meal components. Under OVS, the menu planner must offer at least four different food items at breakfast, including at least one from each required meal component. The fourth food item can come from the vegetables and fruits, grains, or meats/meat alternates components. A participant must take at least three different food items from any of the food items offered for a reimbursable meal. The food items selected may be from any of the required components and must be in the required minimum serving sizes. Participants may choose which three food items to select. A participant may select all four food items or may decline one food item. Adult day care centers or at-risk afterschool programs may not specify which food items a participant must select when using OVS.

When using OVS at breakfast, at least the following four food items, in the required minimum serving sizes, must be offered:

1. A serving of milk (food item);
2. A food item from the combined vegetables and fruit component;
3. A food item from the grains component or meats/meat alternates component (as applicable); and
4. A food item from the vegetables and fruits, grains or meats/meat alternates component.

All of the food items offered must be different from one another. For example, while a flake cereal, such as bran flakes with raisins, and a puff cereal, such as a puffed rice cereal, are two types of cereals that are not identical, they are considered the same food item because they are both ready-to-eat breakfast cereals. While two different vegetables or fruits, such as a ½ cup apple slices and a ½ cup cantaloupe, may credit as two different breakfast food items, a ½ cup apple slices and a ½ cup applesauce would both be considered apples and therefore would only credit as one breakfast food item.

Further, a larger food item that is equivalent to two or more required servings, such as a two ounce bagel, may be served; however, the larger food item only counts as one food item under OVS in the CACFP, not two.

Depending on the planned menu, participants may need to select more than one food item to meet the minimum quantity needed for a component, such as ¼ cup grapes and ¼ cup apple slices to meet the ½ cup fruit requirement at breakfast, to be credited toward a reimbursable meal.

OVS at Lunch or Supper

The CACFP lunch and supper meal patterns require all five meal components to be offered in the minimum serving sizes required for the respective meal pattern: fluid milk; fruits; vegetables; grains; and meats/meat alternates. However, there are two exceptions:

1. Fluid milk is optional for supper meals served in adult day care centers. If milk is not offered, the adult still must select at least three different meal components in order for the meal to be reimbursable; and
2. An institution or facility may choose to serve two different vegetables at lunch and supper, rather than a serving of vegetables and a serving of fruits. This means that the fruits component at lunch and supper may be substituted by an additional vegetable. When a vegetable is offered in lieu of the fruits component, the two different vegetables credit as two different meal components. If a participant selects both vegetables, the participant would only be required to select one additional component for the meal to be reimbursable (grains, meats/meat alternates, or fluid milk).

Unlike OVS at breakfast where three food items must be taken, in OVS at lunch or supper meals, a participant must take at least three meal components, rather than three food items, to ensure the participant takes an adequately nutritious meal. A participant must select at least the minimum required serving size of the meal components for them to be counted toward the reimbursable meal. Participants must be able to select or decline a meal component, as long as at least three meal components are selected. Adult day care centers or at-risk afterschool programs may not specify which meal components a participant must select.

Option to Offer an Increased Variety of Foods

Offering a variety of choices within a meal component, a practice often seen when foods are offered via a serving line, is not the same as implementing OVS. Under OVS, participants must be allowed to decline food items at breakfast and meal components at lunch and supper. If a menu planner provides choices within each meal component but still requires participants to take all five meal components at lunch or all four food items at breakfast, that is not OVS.

Menu planners always have the option to exceed the minimum daily requirements. Within each meal component, different food and menu items may be offered, giving participants many combinations for building a reimbursable meal. Offering different food and menu items within the required meal components increases the likelihood that participants will select foods they prefer and reduces waste. If the menu includes choices of food or menu items within a meal component, instructions or signs must be available to let supervisors and participants know how to select a reimbursable meal.

For example, a menu planner using OVS at lunch or supper may offer fluid milk, apple slices, broccoli, rice, roasted chicken, and black beans (credited as a meat alternate) for lunch.

This menu includes two menu items from the meats/meat alternates component (roasted chicken and black beans) for participants to choose from. Please note, one serving of beans, peas, and lentils may count toward the meats/meat alternates component or the vegetables component, but not both in the same meal. In this menu, the black beans are designated as a meat alternate. The menu planner must decide how beans, peas, and lentils credit prior to meal service and the crediting cannot be switched during meal service. Therefore, a participant could not select fluid milk, roasted chicken, and black beans as a reimbursable meal in this example, because they would only be selecting two meal components (milk and meats/meat alternates) since the black beans were designated as a meat alternate.

As explained above, when using OVS at breakfast at least four different food items must be offered, and all four food items must be different from one another. For example, an OVS breakfast with a serving of fluid milk, banana, and two servings of toast (e.g. toasted enriched cinnamon-raisin bread and toasted whole-wheat bread) is not permissible under OVS because the toast is two servings of the same food item. However, if a menu planner offers more than four food items at breakfast, they have the option to allow the fifth food item to be a duplicate food item, allowing participants more food items to choose from. For this example, it would be permissible to offer a serving of fluid milk, banana, two varieties of toast, and cereal under OVS because at least four different food items are offered. However, if the participant selected two varieties of toast, that only credits toward one of the three required food items in OVS, and the participant must still select two different food items for a reimbursable meal.

If the menu planner offers combination foods, such as pizza or a quesadilla, or two or more menu items from one meal component, such as bread and rice, instructions or signs must be available to let supervisors and participants know how to select a reimbursable meal. For example, at breakfast, a participant could not select two pieces of breakfast pizza and fluid milk as a reimbursable meal because only two different food items were selected. When using OVS at breakfast, three different food items must be selected by the participant for the meal to be reimbursable. As another example, at lunch a participant could not select two servings of grilled chicken and one serving of rice as a reimbursable lunch because only two meal components were selected. However, a participant could select a hamburger on bun (which credits towards the meats/meat alternates and grains components) and fluid milk, and the meal would credit toward a reimbursable lunch because three meal components (grains, meats/meat alternates, and fluid milk) were selected.

Family Style Meal Service

Family style meal service is a type of meal service that allows participants to serve themselves from communal platters of food with assistance from supervising adults, if needed. Family style meal service allows participants to be introduced to new foods, tastes, and menus, while developing a positive attitude toward healthy foods, sharing in a group eating situation, and practicing good eating habits. Unlike other types of meal services (e.g. cafeteria lines, vended meals, pre-plated service, and OVS), family style meal service provides some flexibility in the initial portion of food that is selected by the participant. With family style meal service, additional servings of each food are readily available at each table and additional food can be selected by participants at any time.

Serving meals family style is optional in the CACFP and may be used in any CACFP setting. If a center or day care home chooses to serve meals family style, they must comply with the following practices (7 CFR 226.20(n)):

1. A sufficient amount of food must be placed on each table to provide the full required portions of each of the meal components, as outlined in 7 CFR 226.20(c), for all participants at the table and to accommodate supervising adults if they wish to eat with the participants.

2. Each required meal component must be offered to each participant. However, a participant is not required to put the food on their plate or eat the food in order for the meal or snack to be reimbursable. For example, if there are three children between the ages of 3-5 years and one supervising adult seated at a table for lunch, then at least ¼ cup of sliced apples must be available for each person. In this example, a total of 1 cup of sliced apples must be placed in the communal bowl or plate on the table to meet the meal pattern requirement for the fruit component to offer ¼ cup of fruit per person (this includes the ¼ cup of fruit for the supervising adult).

   During the course of the meal, it is the responsibility of the supervising adults to actively encourage each participant to serve themselves the full required portion of each meal component of the meal pattern. Supervising adults may choose to serve any meal components directly to the participants. However, when supervising adults choose to serve any meal component, the full required minimum quantity must be provided to each participant. For example, children 3-5 years old must be served the full 6 fluid ounces of milk at breakfast, lunch, and supper meals when the supervising adult chooses to serve fluid milk to the children.

3. Centers and day care homes that use family style meal service may not claim second meals for reimbursement.

In line with the nutritional goals of the CACFP, family style meal service promotes mealtime as a learning experience for participants to practice their fine motor skills while building self-esteem and confidence, eat without pressure, develop healthy eating behaviors, practice social and language skills, and participate in educational activities that are centered around food. Even when a complete family style meal service is not possible or practical, it may be useful to offer one meal component or multiple meal components in a family style manner. For example, participants can pass around dinner rolls with tongs while the rest of the meal components are pre-plated or served by the supervising adult. Supervising adults should assist participants as needed when serving foods from communal platters. This practice can help young children develop motor skills and the dexterity and hand strength needed to serve foods.

Differences Between Family Style Meals Service and OVS

Both family style meals and OVS are types of meal service, but there are some key differences between the two. First, meal components in family style meals are self-served by the participant, while meal components in OVS are pre-portioned or served directly by the provider or supervising adult.

Second, while participants must be offered the minimum required serving sizes of each required meal component in both family style meals and OVS, a participant is not required to serve themselves a meal component or take the full minimum required serving size of a meal component for the meal to be reimbursable in family style meals. When a participant does not take a meal component or the full minimum serving size of a meal component during family style meals, the supervising adult must encourage the participant to serve themselves the full minimum serving size. Once encouraged, if the participant does not serve themselves a meal component or take the full minimum serving size of a meal component when using family style meal service, the meal may still be reimbursed. Alternatively, while the participant may decline some food items or meal components in OVS, they must take the full minimum serving size of the meal components they choose in order for the meal to be reimbursable. The final key difference between family style meals and OVS is that family style meal service may be utilized in all CACFP settings, but OVS is only allowed in adult day care centers and at-risk afterschool programs.

State agencies are reminded to distribute this information to program operators immediately. Program operators should direct any questions regarding this memorandum to the appropriate state agency. State agencies should direct questions to the appropriate FNS regional office.

J. Kevin Maskornick
Director
Community Meals Policy Division
Child Nutrition Programs

Attachment

• Questions and Answers