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Non-dairy beverages offered as fluid milk substitutes may be served in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). However, they must be nutritionally equivalent to fluid cow’s milk and provide certain amounts of specific nutrients based on requirements from the USDA. 7 CFR 226.20(g)(3) Non-dairy milks that are not nutritionally equivalent to cow’s milk may only credit as fluid milk when the child has a medical statement on file.
What Milk Substitutes May be Served?
OSPI Approved Milk Substitutes
Review the list of Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) Approved Milk Substitutes to see the variety of substitutes nutritionally equivalent to milk that have been added!
Milk Substitutes Determined Nutritionally Equivalent to Milk by the Sponsor—NEW!
Sponsors may now serve non-dairy milk substitutes not on the OSPI approved list, when the substitute is determined nutritionally equivalent to milk using the Milk Substitute Worksheet.
Keep a copy of the completed worksheet and product label with your CACFP records. Milk Substitute Worksheets do not need to be submitted to OSPI. However, these worksheets will be requested during administrative reviews.
Resources
Translated versions of these forms are available on the CACFP Meal Pattern and Menu Planning webpage under the "Special Dietary Needs/Substitution Requests/Allergies" drop down.
OSPI Procurement Reference Sheets and Templates are now available on the Procurement page under the "Reference Sheets" drop down.
This project represents a strong collaboration between OSPI and Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) to provide clear, practical, and accessible procurement guidance to better support sponsors across child nutrition programs.
The following OSPI Reference Sheets were added/updated:
These resources are designed to:
- Clarify federal and state procurement requirements
- Strengthen compliant purchasing practices
- Provide practical templates to streamline documentation
- Support the use of geographic preference and Washington-grown products when applicable
Together, these tools are intended to serve as a clear and reliable resource for sponsors navigating procurement processes. OSPI encourages sponsors to review the updated sheets and begin integrating them into their procurement practices.
CACFP renewal closes at the end of March. All CACFP renewals must be approved by March 31 for current fiscal year operation (October 2025 – September 2026).
- New sites will not be approved after March 31 for FY 26 operation.
- New schedules added to site calendars will not be approved after March 31 for FY 26 operation.
- Sites that have not been approved to operate CACFP by March 31 must wait until FY 27 renewal opens to apply for operation.
- Sponsors who have not submitted claims yet this fiscal year will be made inactive on April 1.
- Sponsored sites that have no submitted claims will be made inactive April 1.
For more information on FY 26 Renewal Closure, please refer to the CACFP 2/2/26 C.A.R.E. Update.
USDA requires CACFP sponsors to maintain accurate documentation that supports compliance with CACFP requirements. All records to support a claim must be kept for three years plus the current year (7 CFR 226.10). If CACFP documentation is not kept at a sponsor’s central location, documents must be in a location that is easily accessible in a timely manner. USDA auditors or OSPI specialists may visit your location at any time and request claim documentation for the past three fiscal years.
Take these steps to ensure review readiness.
- Maintain required CACFP records. Review the OSPI Administrative Review (AR) Checklists. (Sponsoring Organization| Independent Sponsor)
- Consolidate your reports. Consolidated reports are required during an AR for meal counts and attendance for the claim month reviewed. Best practice is to always consolidate your reports.
- Use the OSPI sample Administrative Review forms to conduct a "mock" review of your facility(ies). (Sponsoring Organization| Independent Sponsor)
- Identify which findings will lead to disallowed meals or adjustments to your reimbursement with the Administrative Review Findings Resulting in Fiscal Action Form.
- Become familiar with writing Corrective Action Plans using the Corrective Action Plan Template.
Resources
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