Cal-SAFE Program Meal Supplement

The objective of this program component is to enable pregnant and lactating students to increase their consumption of grain products, protein foods, and calcium-rich foods. In addition to meeting the minimum federal lunch and/or breakfast meal pattern requirements, schools implementing a Cal-SAFE Program must ensure that enrolled pregnant and lactating students are served the following supplement (Education Code Section 54745 (c)(9)):

• Meat or meat alternate: 2 ounces (oz.)
• Grains/bread: 0-2 servings*
• Calcium supplement: 1 oz. cheese or 1/2 pint (pt.) milk

* The total amount of grains/bread served per day must equal three servings.

These quantities must be added to the total amount of food required by the federal programs. Quantities may be added to meals or served separately. For example, the additional food can be served at or dispersed throughout any or all of the following:

Breakfast: Morning/Afternoon Supplement (A feeding, other than breakfast or lunch, in which all of these additional components are provided.)

Lunch: Morning/Afternoon Snack (A feeding, other than breakfast or lunch, in which a fraction of these additional components is provided. The remainder of the components may be offered as a separate snack or with breakfast or lunch.)

To participate in the meal supplement program, schools that participate in a federal lunch program must serve additional quantities of food to pregnant or lactating adolescents as listed in Table 1. Schools that participate in federal breakfast and lunch programs also must serve additional quantities of food listed as in Table 2. The remainder of this document contains information to use when planning supplemental menus that include the additional quantities of food listed in Tables 1 and 2.

When planning supplemental menus for pregnant and lactating students, schools should keep in mind the nutritional needs and dietary patterns of these students and offer a variety of foods. Ideally, supplemental menus should be coordinated with the breakfast and lunch menus to minimize duplication of foods. The following menus may be used to meet the supplemental meal requirements:

• Deviled egg and crackers, low fat or skim milk
• Toasted English muffin with cheese, low fat or skim milk
• Puff pancake with fresh fruit, scrambled egg, low fat or skim milk
• Quesadilla with cheese and/or beans, low fat or skim milk
• French toast and fresh fruit, low fat or skim milk
• Tossed salad with cheese, french roll or bread sticks, low fat or skim milk
• Apple wedges or celery sticks with peanut butter, crackers, low fat or skim milk
• Trail mix (nuts, raisins, sunflower seeds, and cereal), cheese cubes, low fat or skim milk
• Hard-boiled eggs, whole wheat roll, low fat or skim milk

Table 1

List of additional quantities of food that must be served by schools participating in a federal lunch program

*   One cup of fruit may replace one serving of the grains/bread once a week.
** One cup of yogurt, made with pasteurized milk, may replace the calcium supplement not more than two times per week.

Table 2

List of additional quantities of food that must be served by schools participating in federal breakfast and lunch program

Food	Breakfast Requirements	Lunch Requirements	Supplement Requirements	To Equal Daily Total of
Meat or Meat alternate	Choice of: 1 oz. or 1 serving	2 oz.	2 oz.	5 oz. If meat/meat alternate is served at breakfast 4 oz. If meat/meat alternate is not served at breakfast
Grains/Bread	Choice of: 1 oz. or 1 serving	8 servings/week	0-1 serving	3 servings per day*
Calcium Supplement	—	—	1/2 pt. Milk or 1 oz. Cheese	1 serving**
Milk	1/2 pt.	1/2 pt.	See Calcium Supplement	1 pt.
Vegetable and/or Fruit	1/2 cup	3/4 cup	No additional requirement	1 1/4 cup

* One cup of fruit may replace one serving of the grains/bread once a week.
** One cup of yogurt, made with pasteurized milk, may replace the calcium supplement not more than two times per week.

When planning menus, however, schools should keep in mind the following:

• Cream cheese does not qualify as a meat alternate and is mostly fat.
• Nuts and seeds now can constitute half of the meat alternate component.
• Breakfast pastries, doughnuts, and cocoa are high in sugar and fat and are expensive.

Schools should keep records of the foods they serve in this program. To be consistent, schools could maintain records similar to those maintained for the breakfast and lunch programs. If you have questions, contact your Cal-SAFE Program consultant at 916-319-0914.

Information adapted from "Nutrition Guide for Pregnant and Lactating Students," California Department of Education, 1987, pp 21-24. Updated August 2003.

California Department of Education
1430 N Street
Sacramento, CA 95814

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