California Code of Regulations
Title 15 - Crime Prevention and Corrections
Division 1 - Board of State and Community Corrections
Chapter 1 - Board of State and Community Corrections
Subchapter 5 - Minimum Standards for Juvenile Facilities
Article 9 - Food
Section 1461 - Minimum Diet
Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 38, September 20, 2024
Facility meals are based on nutritional standards which may include the Federal Child Nutrition Meal Program. The minimum diet provided shall be based upon the nutritional and caloric requirements found in the 2011 Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI) of the Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine of the National Academies; the 2008 California Food Guide, and the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Facilities shall have a written process for how vegetarian or vegan diets may be requested and granted or denied. Religious diets, and when provided, vegetarian or vegan diets, must conform to these nutrition standards.
The nutritional requirements for the minimum diet are specified in the following subsections. Snacks may be included as part of the minimum diet. A wide variety of foods should be served.
(a) Protein Group. Includes: beef, veal, lamb, pork, poultry, fish, eggs, cooked dry beans, peas, lentils, nuts, peanut butter, and textured vegetable protein (TVP). One serving equals 14 grams or more of protein; the daily requirements shall equal two servings (a total of 196 grams per week). In addition, there shall be a requirement to serve a third serving from the legumes three days a week, and/or three servings from another protein group. One serving equals, but is not limited to, one of the following examples:
2 to 3 oz. (without bone) lean, cooked meat, poultry or fish
2 medium eggs
1 cup cooked dry beans, peas, or lentils
4 Tbsp. peanut butter
8 oz. tofu
2 1/4 oz. dry, or 1 cup rehydrated, canned, or frozen TVP
1/2 cup seeds
2/3 cup nuts
(b) Dairy Group. Includes milk (fluid, evaporated or dry; nonfat; 1% or 2% reduced fat, etc.); cheese (cottage, cheddar, etc.); yogurt; ice cream or ice milk, and pudding. A serving is equivalent to 8 oz. of fluid milk and provides at least 250 mg of calcium. All milk shall be pasteurized and fortified with vitamins A and D. For persons 9-18 years of age, including pregnant and lactating women, the daily requirement is four servings.
One serving equals, but is not limited to, one of the following examples:
8 oz. fluid milk (nonfat, 1% or 2% reduced fat)
1 1/2 oz. natural cheese
2 oz. processed cheese
1 1/2 cups of lowfat, or nonfat cottage cheese
1 1/2 cups of ice milk, or ice cream
1/3 cup nonfat dry milk
1/2 cup nonfat, or lowfat evaporated milk
1 cup nonfat, or lowfat plain yogurt
1 cup pudding
(c) Vegetable-Fruit Group. Includes: fresh, frozen, dried, and canned vegetables and fruits. One serving equals: 1/2 cup vegetable or fruit; 6 oz. of 100% juice; 1 medium apple, orange, banana, or potato; 1/2 grapefruit, or 1/4 cup dried fruit. The daily requirement shall be at least six servings; at least one serving per day, or seven (7) servings per week, shall be from each of the following three categories:
| Broccoli | Orange juice | |
| Brussels Sprouts | Potato (baked only) | |
| Cabbage | Strawberries | |
| Cantaloupe, or honeydew | Tangerine, large | |
| melon | Tomato paste | |
| Cauliflower | Tomato puree | |
| Green and red peppers | Tomato juice | |
| (not dehydrated) | Tomato sauce (6 oz.) | |
| Greens collards including | Vegetable juice cocktail | |
| kale, turnip, and mustard | ||
| greens | ||
| Grapefruit | ||
| Grapefruit juice | ||
| Orange | ||
| Apricot nectar (6 oz.) | Peas and carrots |
| Apricots | Pumpkin |
| Cantaloupe | Red peppers |
| Carrots | Sweet potatoes or yams |
| Greens, including kale, beets, chard, mustard, turnips, or spinach Mixed vegetables with carrots | Vegetable juice cocktail (6 oz.) Winter squash |
(d) Grain Group. Includes: bread, rolls, pancakes, sweet rolls, ready-to-eat, or cooked cereals, corn bread, pasta, rice, tortillas, etc., and any food item containing whole or enriched grains. At least four (4) servings from this group must be made with some whole grains. The daily requirement for youth shall be a minimum of six (6) servings, or 42 servings per week. One serving equals, but is not limited to, one of the following examples:
| Bread, white (including French and Italian), whole wheat, rye, pumpernickel, or raisin | 1 slice | |
| Bagel, small | 1/2 | |
| English muffin, small | 1/2 | |
| Plain roll, muffin or biscuit | 1 | |
| Frankfurter roll | 1/2 | |
| Hamburger bun | 1/2 | |
| Dry bread crumbs | 3 Tbsp. | |
| Crackers: | ||
| Arrowroot | 3 | |
| Graham, 2 1/2 " | 2 | |
| Matzo, 4" x 6" | 1/2 | |
| Oyster | 20 | |
| Pretzels, 3 1/8" long, 1/8" diameter | 25 | |
| Rye wafers, 2" x 3 1/2" | 3 | |
| Soda, 2 1/2" sq. | 6 | |
| Ready-to-eat unsweetened cereal | 3/4 cup | |
| Cereal, cooked | 1/2 cup | |
| Barley, couscous, grits, macaroni, noodles, pastas, rice, spaghetti, etc. | 1/2 cup | |
| Cornmeal, dry | 2 Tbsp. | |
| Flour (wheat, whole wheat, carob, soybean, cornmeal, etc.) | 2 1/2 Tbsp | |
| Wheat germ | 1/4 cup | |
| Pancakes, 5" | 1 | |
| Waffle, 5" | 1 | |
| Tortilla, 6" (corn/flour) | 1 | |
The following are examples of whole grains and whole grain products:
| Barley | Pumpernickel bread | ||
| Bran | Rolled oats | ||
| Brown rice | Rye | ||
| Corn meal | Whole grain | ||
| tortilla | bagels, muffins, and crackers, graham | ||
| baked taco/tostada shell | hot cereal | ||
| Cracked wheat (bulgur) | pancakes and waffles | ||
| Flour | ready-to-eat cereal | ||
| carob | Whole wheat | ||
| soybean | bread | ||
| whole wheat | rolls | ||
| Oatmeal | tortilla | ||
| Popcorn | |||
(e) Calories. Recommended daily caloric allowances for both females and males is a minimum of 2500 calories not to exceed 3000. Calorie increases with the exception of a medical diet may occur as collaboratively determined by the facility manager, dietitian, food service manager and physician.
1. New section filed 3-6-97; operative 4-5-97 (Register 97, No. 10).
2. Change without regulatory effect amending section filed 8-25-97 pursuant to section 100, title 1, California Code of Regulations (Register 97, No. 35).
3. Amendment filed 1-11-2001; operative 2-10-2001 (Register 2001, No. 2).
4. Amendment filed 6-23-2003; operative 7-23-2003 (Register 2003, No. 26).
5. Amendment of first paragraph and subsection (e) filed 6-18-2007; operative 7-18-2007 (Register 2007, No. 25).
6. Amendment of subsections (c)(3) and (e)(1) filed 5-23-2008 as an emergency; operative 5-23-2008 (Register 2008, No. 21). Pursuant to Penal Code section 5058.3, a Certificate of Compliance must be transmitted to OAL by 10-30-2008 or emergency language will be repealed by operation of law on the following day.
7. Certificate of Compliance as to 5-23-2008 order transmitted to OAL 9-10-2008 and filed 10-23-2008 (Register 2008, No. 43).
8. Amendment of section and NOTE filed 12-2-2013; operative 4-1-2014 (Register 2013, No. 49).
9. Amendment filed 11-14-2018; operative 1-1-2019 (Register 2018, No. 46).
Note: Authority cited: Sections 210 and 885, Welfare and Institutions Code. Reference: Section 209, Welfare and Institutions Code.
