Crackers

Calculating Ounce Equivalents

of Grains in the Child and Adult 

Care Food Program

Grains are an important part of meals in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). To 

make sure children and adults get enough grains at CACFP meals and snacks, minimum required 

amounts for grains are listed in the meal pattern as ounce equivalents (oz eq). Ounce equivalents 

tell you the amount of grain in a portion of food.

Food and Nutrition Service

Grains Measuring Chart for the CACFP: This chart 

shows the amount of common grain items equal to a 

1⁄2 ounce equivalent, 1 ounce equivalent, and 2 ounce 

equivalents. Find the chart in the “Using Ounce 

Equivalents for Grains in the Child and Adult Care 

Food Program” worksheet at fns.usda.gov/tn/mealpattern-training-worksheets-cacfp.

Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs 

(FBG): Use this application’s “Exhibit A Grains 

Tool” to enter information from the Nutrition 

Facts label of the grain product. It will calculate 

how many ounce equivalents are in one serving. 

Use the application’s “Recipe Analysis Workbook”

to determine the ounce equivalents of grains in 

a serving of a standardized recipe. The FBG is 

available at foodbuyingguide.fns.usda.gov. 

Calculation Method: Use the information on the 

item’s Nutrition Facts label, and follow the steps for 

“Calculating Ounce Equivalents for Grains” beginning 

on page 2 of this worksheet.

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 FNS-872 September 2020

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

Below are three ways you can determine how much of 

an item you need to serve at CACFP meals and snacks:

United States Department of Agriculture
ITEM 1⁄4 oz eq

equals

1⁄2 oz eq

equals

3⁄4 oz eq

equals

1 oz eq

equals

2 oz eq

equals

Bread Sticks (hard) 6 g 11 g 17g 22 g 44 g

Bread-Type Coating 6 g 11 g 17g 22 g 44 g

Chow Mein Noodles 6 g 11 g 17g 22 g 44 g

Crackers, Savory 6 g 11 g 17g 22 g 44 g

What is the requirement?

Determine the minimum amount of grains you need to serve. Look at the table below. Find 

the age group of your participants and the meal or snack you are serving.

 Write the minimum amount of grains required here: ___ ounce equivalent(s).

Find the grain item you are 

serving on the Grains Ounce 

Equivalents Chart on pages

4 and 5. 

Next, find the amount of required 

ounce equivalent(s) (from Step 1).

Write the weight of the 

required ounce equivalent(s) 

here: _____ grams (g)

Example: You want to 

serve grains at lunch to 

4-year-olds. The minimum 

amount of grains required 

at lunch for 1- through 

5-year-olds is a 1⁄2 ounce 

equivalent.

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2

Example:

You are serving savory whole-wheat crackers at lunch to 4-year-olds. 

Step 1 shows that you must serve at least a 1⁄2 ounce equivalent of grains

at lunch.

The Grains Ounce Equivalents Chart shows that a 1⁄2 ounce equivalent

of savory crackers weighs 11 grams.

Calculating Ounce Equivalents for Grains

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Age Group and Meal Minimum Amount of 

Grains Required 

1- through 5-year-olds at Breakfast, 

Lunch, Supper, and Snack 

1⁄2 ounce equivalent

6- through 18-year-olds at Breakfast, 

Lunch, Supper, and Snack

1 ounce equivalent

Adults at Snack 1 ounce equivalent

Adults at Breakfast, Lunch,

and Supper

2 ounce equivalents
How much is needed to meet the requirement?

Brand C Cheese Crackers

Nutrition Facts

about 16 servings per container

Serving Size 16 pieces (32g)

Amount per serving

Calories 140

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 5g 6%

 Saturated Fat 0.5g 3%

 Trans Fat 0g

Cholesterol 0mg 0%

Sodium 150mg 8%

Total Carbohydrate 48g 8%

 Dietary Fiber 2g 7%

 Total Sugars 4g

 Includes 4g Added Sugars 8%

Protein 2g

Vitamin D 0mcg 0%

Calcium 32mg 2%

Iron 0.87 mg 4%

Potassium 90mg 0%

*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient 

 in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 

 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

More training, menu planning, 

and nutrition education materials 

for the CACFP can be found at

TeamNutrition.USDA.gov.

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Calculating Ounce Equivalents for Grains

Now look at the Nutrition Facts label of the 

grain item you are serving. Find the serving 

size. Write the weight of one serving here: 

____ grams

One serving of these crackers weighs 32 grams.

4 Find the number of items or pieces in one 

serving. Write the number of items here: 

____ items

There are 16 crackers (pieces) in one serving. 

Divide the weight (grams) of one serving 

(from Step 3) by the number of items (pieces) 

in one serving (from Step 4):

____ grams ÷ ____ items = ____ grams per item

32 grams ÷ 16 crackers = 2 grams per cracker

6 Divide the weight of the required ounce 

equivalent(s) (from Step 2) by the weight per 

item (from Step 5):

____ grams ÷ ____ grams per item = ____ items

11 grams ÷ 2 grams per cracker = 5.5 crackers

[As Needed] If the answer in Step 6 ends in 

a fraction (such as 5 1⁄2) or a decimal (such as 

5.5), round the number up to the next whole 

number. 

Five and a half (5.5) rounds up to 6 crackers. Serve 

at least 6 Brand C cheese crackers to 4-year-olds 

to meet the minimum amount of grains required at 

lunch for this age group in the CACFP.

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Grains Ounce 

Equivalents Chart

ITEM 1⁄4 oz eq

equals

1⁄2 oz eq

equals

3⁄4 oz eq

equals

1 oz eq

equals

2 oz eq

equals

Bagels 7 g 14 g 21 g 28 g 56 g

Batter-Type Coating 7 g 14 g 21 g 28 g 56 g

Biscuits 7 g 14 g 21 g 28 g 56 g 

Bread Sticks (hard) 6 g 11 g 17 g 22 g 44 g

Bread-Type Coating 6 g 11 g 17 g 22 g 44 g 

Breads 7 g 14 g 21 g 28 g 56 g

Bulgur/Cracked Wheat* 7 g 14 g 21 g 28 g 56 g

Buns 7 g 14 g 21 g 28 g 56 g

Cereal, Breakfast (all types, including grits, 

oatmeal, ready-to-eat, etc.)*

7 g 14 g 21 g 28 g 56 g

Cereal Grains (barley, quinoa, etc.)* 7 g 14 g 21 g 28 g 56 g

Chow Mein Noodles (ready-to-eat) 6 g 11 g 17 g 22 g 44 g 

Corn Muffins 9 g 17 g 26 g 34 g 68 g

Cornbread 9 g 17 g 26 g 34 g 68 g

Crackers, Savory 6 g 11 g 17 g 22 g 44 g 

Crackers, Sweet 7 g 14 g 21 g 28 g 56 g

Croissants 9 g 17 g 26 g 34 g 68 g

Croutons 6 g 11 g 17 g 22 g 44 g 

oz eq = ounce equivalent(s)

g = grams

*Weights listed refer to the dry/uncooked version of the item. 

For example, 28 grams of uncooked barley, breakfast cereal, 

rice, etc. equals 1 ounce equivalent of grains.

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Grains Ounce 

Equivalents Chart

ITEM 1⁄4 oz eq

equals

1⁄2 oz eq

equals

3⁄4 oz eq

equals

1 oz eq

equals

2 oz eq

equals

Egg Roll Wrappers 7 g 14 g 21 g 28 g 56 g

English Muffins 7 g 14 g 21 g 28 g 56 g

French Toast 18 g 35 g 52 g 69 g 138 g

Muffins (all, except corn) 14 g 28 g 42 g 55 g 110 g

Pancakes 9 g 17 g 26 g 34 g 68 g

Pasta (whole grain-rich or enriched; all types)* 7 g 14 g 21 g 28 g 56 g

Pie Crust (for savory pies) 9 g 17 g 26 g 34 g 68 g

Pita Bread 7 g 14 g 21 g 28 g 56 g

Pizza Crust 7 g 14 g 21 g 28 g 56 g

Pretzels, Hard 6 g 11 g 17 g 22 g 44 g 

Pretzels, Soft 7 g 14 g 21 g 28 g 56 g

Rice* 7 g 14 g 21 g 28 g 56 g

Rolls 7 g 14 g 21 g 28 g 56 g

Stuffing (weights apply to bread in stuffing)* 6 g 11 g 17 g 22 g 44 g 

Taco Shells 7 g 14 g 21 g 28 g 56 g

Tortilla Chips 7 g 14 g 21 g 28 g 56 g

Tortillas 7 g 14 g 21 g 28 g 56 g

Waffles 9 g 17 g 26 g 34 g 68 g

oz eq = ounce equivalent(s)

g = grams

*Weights listed refer to the dry/uncooked version of the item. 

For example, 28 grams of uncooked barley, breakfast cereal, 

rice, etc. equals 1 ounce equivalent of grains. 

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Try It Out!

Follow the steps on pages 2-3 to answer the questions below.

You want to serve Brand P hard pretzels at snack at your afterschool center to children ages 

7 to 10 years old. How many pretzels do you need to serve to meet the minimum amount of 

grains required for this age group? 

A

Nutrition Facts

6 servings per container

Serving size, 2 tortillas (56g)

You want to serve brown rice and Brand T soft flour tortillas at supper to your adult 

participants. You will serve 1 ounce equivalent of brown rice. How many tortillas do you need to 

serve to meet the remaining 1 ounce equivalent of grains required?

Serving Size 2 Tortillas (56g)

10 Servings Per Container

B

Answers

Step

You need to serve at least 

15 Brand P hard pretzels 

to meet minimum serving 

amounts for grains at snack 

for this age group. 

1 Brand T You need to serve 

 to meet the soft flour tortilla

remaining 1 ounce equivalent of 

grains required at supper for this 

age group.

1 oz eq 1 oz eq Minimum Amount of Grains Required 1

28 g 22 g Weight of Required Oz Eq 2

56 g 30 g Weight of One Serving of Grain Item 3

2 tortillas 20 pretzels Number of Items in One Serving 4

5 Weight of One Item

(Weight of One Serving ÷ Number of Items)

1.5 grams

(30 grams ÷ 20 pretzels)

28 grams

(56 grams ÷ 2 tortillas)

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Number of Items to Serve

(Weight of Required Oz Eq ÷ Weight of One 

Item)

14.6 pretzels

(22 grams ÷ 1.5 grams)

1 tortilla

(28 grams ÷ 28 grams) 

15 pretzels Round Up Items [As Needed] 7 1 is a whole number; no 

rounding needed 

B A

Serving Size 20 Pretzels (30g)

11 Servings Per Container

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