How do your menu production records stack up?

How do your menu production records stack up?

Do your production records contain all necessary information? Answer the following questions to see how you are doing.

• Is a production record available for each day meals and/or snacks are claimed for reimbursement?

• Is the date, including the year, on each production record?  

• Are the numbers of participants planned for listed by age group for meals and snacks claimed?

• Do menus contain foods contributing to all required meal and snack components and are these foods identified either under the “Menu” column or “Foods Used” column?

• Are quantities of all foods contributing to meal pattern requirements listed under the “Quantities Prepared” column?

• Do quantities prepared meet the minimum amounts required for the number of participants served?         

The answer to all questions should be “Yes.” This information needs to be documented to show that your meals met meal pattern and minimum quantity requirements. Sometimes short-cuts are taken, especially when the same things are done daily. For example, milk is served for every breakfast, lunch, and supper, however, the quantity of milk served does not get written down on the production record. Without an amount written in the “Quantity Prepared” column, your center will not be paid for these meals because it has not been documented for meeting CACFP meal pattern requirements.  

Make sure your production records contain all required information. Incomplete production records which do not show all food items contributing to meal pattern requirements and quantities prepared will result in over claims being assessed.