Is There a List of CACFP Approved Crackers?

[Unregistered]

I recently printed a page of cereals so that we can find them more quickly when shopping. I'm wondering if there's something like that for crackers. We have a food program person coming in a week or two to go through our kitchen and snacks are one of the things that confuse me most.

I believe Triscuits and, likely, Wheat Thins are approved? Graham crackers, too, I think. But I'm not sure beyond that. We have Goldfish, Cheese-Its and Club Crackers often and I saw that "enriched wheat flour" is the first ingredient of each. Are those approved since they are enriched?

[amberrose3dg]

I recently printed a page of cereals so that we can find them more quickly when shopping. I'm wondering if there's something like that for crackers. We have a food program person coming in a week or two to go through our kitchen and snacks are one of the things that confuse me most.

I believe Triscuits and, likely, Wheat Thins are approved? Graham crackers, too, I think. But I'm not sure beyond that. We have Goldfish, Cheese-Its and Club Crackers often and I saw that "enriched wheat flour" is the first ingredient of each. Are those approved since they are enriched?

I buy the whole grain goldfish and believe they are approved.

[Rockgirl]

I recently printed a page of cereals so that we can find them more quickly when shopping. I'm wondering if there's something like that for crackers. We have a food program person coming in a week or two to go through our kitchen and snacks are one of the things that confuse me most.

I believe Triscuits and, likely, Wheat Thins are approved? Graham crackers, too, I think. But I'm not sure beyond that. We have Goldfish, Cheese-Its and Club Crackers often and I saw that "enriched wheat flour" is the first ingredient of each. Are those approved since they are enriched?

Here, those are approved, but don’t count as a whole-grain component. I serve them sometimes if we’ve already had a whole grain that day.

[hwichlaz]

Here, those are approved, but don’t count as a whole-grain component. I serve them sometimes if we’ve already had a whole grain that day.

The ingredients list fits the usda requirements. I’d fight it.

[hwichlaz]

I’m assuming that you mean for the whole grain requirement? Since nearly all crackers are approved.

Whole Grain Goldfish
Wheat Thins
Triscuits

Any cracker with whole grain as the first non-water ingredient as long as sugar is not the second ingredient.

[Rockgirl]

The ingredients list fits the usda requirements. I’d fight it.

I meant the graham crackers, cheezits, regular goldfish, etc. Those aren’t whole-grain, but are still payable as a grain if there’s been a whole grain served during the day.

[hwichlaz]

I meant the graham crackers, cheezits, regular goldfish, etc. Those aren’t whole-grain, but are still payable as a grain if there’s been a whole grain served during the day.

Oh ok. She’d specified whole grain goldfish so I was confused. Are the WG version hard to find where you live?

[Rockgirl]

Oh ok. She’d specified whole grain goldfish so I was confused. Are the WG version hard to find where you live?

They are available here. Looking at the ingredients, though....I don’t think they meet the requirements for a whole grain, as defined by our latest fp training. I will have to look over my paperwork again, but “made with whole grain” isn’t enough. I’m pretty sure we have to look at the first three grain ingredients.

[Unregistered]

I didn't know what I meant, but I think I may be starting to get it a little, ha ha.

So nearly all crackers that I have picked up say "enriched flour" for their first ingredient. These would be creditable, or reimbursable. But they would not count as the one "whole grain rich" food serving for the day. But, for example, a box of raisin bran that states "whole wheat flour" as the first ingredient would be meeting that WGR requirement for the day. As long as all my grains are enriched and I am serving one WGR food per day, I am meeting the requirements for grains, right?

[Rockgirl]

They are available here. Looking at the ingredients, though....I don’t think they meet the requirements for a whole grain, as defined by our latest fp training. I will have to look over my paperwork again, but “made with whole grain” isn’t enough. I’m pretty sure we have to look at the first three grain ingredients.

Correcting myself. If the first ingredient is a whole grain and the next two grain ingredients are creditable, including enriched grains, it counts as whole grain.

[hwichlaz]

They are available here. Looking at the ingredients, though....I don’t think they meet the requirements for a whole grain, as defined by our latest fp training. I will have to look over my paperwork again, but “made with whole grain” isn’t enough. I’m pretty sure we have to look at the first three grain ingredients.

They have to be made with at leased 50% whole grain. They are.

[hwichlaz]

I didn't know what I meant, but I think I may be starting to get it a little, ha ha.

So nearly all crackers that I have picked up say "enriched flour" for their first ingredient. These would be creditable, or reimbursable. But they would not count as the one "whole grain rich" food serving for the day. But, for example, a box of raisin bran that states "whole wheat flour" as the first ingredient would be meeting that WGR requirement for the day. As long as all my grains are enriched and I am serving one WGR food per day, I am meeting the requirements for grains, right?

Cereals are special. It also has to be low enough in sugar. I think the raisins bump it up too high.

[hwichlaz]

Our whole grain cereals of choice are frosted mini wheats and Cheerios.

[hwichlaz]

Cereal list is page 10. These all meet the low sugar requirement and the whole grain cereals are indicated.

This will also have whole grain breads and creditable milk substitutes. When in doubt, WIC guidelines are the easiest way to check.

[flossie]

Page 10 of what? (I do have a printout of cereals from a link on this forum, think from Providers Choice.) Now that I looked more closely, I see you are correct in that the raisin bran's sugar is too high as it's at 20g for the serving size and the limit for that is 13g, as well as the fact that it is not on the list that I'd printed, ha ha. Must need an eye exam.

Editing to add: I tried mini wheats and they weren't a hit. But I will try a frosted one next time. I likely will stick with Cheerios and Chex, primarily, as it needs to be edible for the toddlers, too. (My biggest concern when my own kids were young was choking - I'm pretty mindful of it at all times.)