Written collaboratively by Paige Pappadackis and Kaila Weihe under the direction of Jennifer Folliard and Francesca Benson.
Schools continue to provide food to children in a “grab-and-go” style due to COVID-19. Many schools are packing more than one meal for families to pick up. SDSU Extension has put together a chart of typical bulk purchased food items and how many servings can be expected in each serving. All canned items are recorded in 10-5-12 oz. (#1 Picnic Can), 20 oz. (#2 Can), 14-16 oz. (#300 Can), and 6.5-7.5 lbs. (#10 Can).1
Milk
- Milk (1% unflavored or Fat Free Flavored or Unflavored):
- Helpful Conversions
- 16 cups in 1 Gallon
- 8 cups in ½ Gallon
- 4 cups in 1 quart
- Helpful Conversions
| # of Kids |
# of cups Needed/Week
|
Amount of Milk Needed/Week |
Total # of Cups
|
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
5 cups
|
½ gallon |
8 cups
|
| 2 |
10 cups
|
½ gallon + 1 quart |
12 cups
|
| 3 |
15 cups
|
1 gallon |
16 cups
|
| 4 |
20 cups
|
1 gallon + 1 quart |
20 cups
|
*Numbers based on schools providing 1 meal a day.
Fruits
- Fruits (½ cup):
- ½ cup fruit/day x 5 days = 2.5 cups/week/child
| Fruit | Amount |
Total # of Servings
Per Unit (½ cup) |
# of Children/5 servings/week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applesauce | #1 Can (Picnic) |
2.62
|
0.52 children. You will need ~2 cans to feed 1 child all week. |
| Applesauce | #2 Can |
4.28
|
0.86 children. You will need ~1-1 ¼ cans to feed 1 child all week. |
| Applesauce | #10 Can |
23.8
|
4.76 (~4.5-5 children). |
| Applesauce | #300 Can |
3.49
|
0.70 children. You will need ~1 ½ cans to feed 1 child all week. |
| Peaches, Halves, (w/juice) |
#1 Can (Picnic) |
2.60
|
0.52 children. You will need ~2 cans to feed 1 child all week. |
| Peaches, Halves, (w/juice) |
#2 Can |
4.25
|
0.85 children. You will need ~1-1 ½ cans to feed 1 child all week. |
| Peaches, Halves, (w/juice) |
#10 Can |
23.6
|
4.72 (~4.5-5 children). |
| Peaches, Halves, (w/juice) |
#300 Can |
3.46
|
0.69 children. You will need ~1 ½ cans to feed 1 child all week. |
| Peaches, Slices | #1 Can (Picnic) |
2.75
|
0.55 children. You will need ~2 cans to feed 1 child all week. |
| Peaches, Slices | #2 Can |
4.5
|
0.9 children. You will need ~1-1 ¼ cans to feed 1 child all week. |
| Peaches, Slices | #10 Can |
25.0
|
5 children. |
| Peaches, Slices | #300 |
3.67
|
0.73 children. You will need ~1 ½ cans to feed 1 child all week. |
| Peaches, Diced | #1 Can (Picnic) |
2.67
|
0.53 children. You will need ~2 cans to feed 1 child all week. |
| Peaches, Diced | #2 Can |
4.37
|
0.87 children. You will need ~1 ¼ cans to feed 1 child all week. |
| Peaches, Diced | #10 Can |
24.3
|
4.86 (~4.5-5 children). |
| Peaches, Diced | #300 Can |
3.56
|
0.71 children. You will need ~1 ½ cans to feed 1 child all week. |
| Pears, Diced (w/juice) |
#1 Can (Picnic) |
2.62
|
0.52 children. You will need ~2 cans to feed 1 child all week. |
| Pears, Diced (w/juice) |
#2 Can |
4.28
|
0.86 children. You will need ~1 ¼ cans to feed 1 child all week. |
| Pears, Diced (w/juice) |
#10 Can |
23.8
|
4.76 (~4.5-5 children). |
| Pears, Diced (w/juice) |
#300 Can |
3.49
|
0.70 children. You will need ~1 ½ cans to feed 1 child all week. |
| Pears, Halves (w/juice) |
#1 Can (Picnic) |
2.86
|
0.57 children. You will need ~2 cans to feed 1 child all week. |
| Pears, Halves (w/juice) |
#2 Can |
4.68
|
0.94 children. You will need ~1-1 ¼ cans to feed 1 child all week. |
| Pears, Halves (w/juice) |
#10 Can |
26.0
|
5.2 (~5 children). |
| Pears, Halves (w/juice) |
#300 Can |
3.81
|
0.76 children. You will need ~1 ½ cans to feed 1 child all week. |
| Pineapple, Chunks (w/juice) | #1 Can (Picnic) |
2.75
|
0.55 children. You will need ~2 cans to feed 1 child all week. |
| Pineapple, Chunks (w/juice) | #2 Can |
4.5
|
0.9 children. You will need ~1-1 ¼ cans to feed 1 child all week. |
| Pineapple, Chunks (w/juice) | #10 Can |
25.0
|
5 children. |
| Pineapple, Chunks (w/juice) | #300 Can |
3.67
|
0.73 children. You will need ~1 ½ cans to feed 1 child all week. |
| Pineapple, Crushed (w/juice) | #1 Can (Picnic) |
2.73
|
0.55 children. You will need ~2 cans to feed 1 child all week. |
| Pineapple, Crushed (w/juice) | #2 Can |
4.46
|
0.89 children. You will need ~1-1 ½ cans to feed 1 child all week. |
| Pineapple, Crushed (w/juice) | #10 Can |
24.8
|
4.96 (~5 children). |
| Pineapple, Crushed (w/juice) | #300 Can |
3.64
|
0.73 children. You will need ~1 ½ cans to feed 1 child all week. |
| Pineapple Slices (w/juice) | #1 Can (Picnic) |
2.61
|
0.52 children. You will need ~2 cans to feed 1 child all week. |
| Pineapple Slices (w/juice) | #2 Can |
4.28
|
0.85 children. You will need ~1 ½ cans to feed 1 child all week. |
| Pineapple Slices (w/juice) | #10 Can |
23.8
|
4.76 (~4.5-5 children). |
| Pineapple Slices (w/juice) | #300 Can |
3.49
|
0.70 children. You will need ~1 ½ cans to feed 1 child all week. |
| Fruit Cocktail (w/juice) |
#1 Can (Picnic) |
2.58
|
0.51 children. You will need ~2 cans to feed 1 child all week. |
| Fruit Cocktail (w/juice) |
#2 Can |
4.28
|
0.85 children. You will need ~1 ½ cans to feed 1 child all week. |
| Fruit Cocktail (w/juice) |
#10 Can |
23.5
|
4.7 (~4.5-5 children). |
| Fruit Cocktail (w/juice) |
#300 Can |
3.45
|
0.69 children. You will need ~1 ½ cans to feed 1 child all week. |
| Fruit | Amount |
Total # of Servings
Per Unit (½ cup) |
# of Children/5 servings/week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oranges, Fresh. 125 ct. 1 orange = 5/8 cup |
Pound |
3.5
|
0.7 children. You would need ~1 ½ lbs. to feed 1 child all week. |
| Orange, Fresh, Sections | Pound |
1.8
|
0.36 children. You would need ~3 lbs. to feed 1 child all week. |
| Banana, Fresh, Reg 100-120 ct. 1 reg banana = ½ cup |
Pound |
3.5
|
0.7 children. You would need ~1 ½ lbs. to feed 1 child all week. |
| Grapes, Fresh, Seedless | Pound |
5.3
|
1.06 (~1 child). |
| Grapes, Fresh, With Seeds | Pound |
5.1
|
1.02 (~1 child). |
| Honeydew Melon, Fresh, Cubed |
Pound |
2.5
|
0.5 children. You would need 2 lbs. to feed 1 child all week. |
| Peach, Fresh Small, 84 ct. 1 peach = ½ cup |
Pound |
4.1
|
0.82 children. You would need ~1 ¼ lbs. to feed 1 child all week. |
| Peach, Fresh Medium, 60 ct. 1 peach = ¾ cup |
Pound |
2.7
|
0.54 children. You would need ~2 lbs. to feed 1 child all week. |
| Pear, Fresh Small, 150 ct. 1 pear = ½ cup |
Pound |
5.5
|
1.1 children. |
| Pear, Fresh Medium, 120 ct. 1 pear = ¾ cup |
Pound |
3.3
|
0.66 children. You would need ~1 ½ lbs. to feed 1 child all week. |
| Strawberries, Fresh, Whole | Pound |
5.3
|
1.06 (~1 child). |
| Watermelon,Fresh, Cubed, w/o rind |
Pound |
3.1
|
0.62 children. You would need ~1 ½ lbs. to feed 1 child all week. |
Vegetables
- Vegetables (¾ cup):
- 1 cup = 4 – ¼ cups
- Each child needs ¾ cup/day x 5 days = 3 ¾ cups each week
- 3 ¾ cups = 15 – ¼ cups
| Vegetable | Amount |
Total # of Servings
Per Unit (¼ cup) |
# of Children/5 servings/week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Green Beans, Cut, Drained | #1 Can (Picnic) |
4.98
|
0.33 children. You will need ~3 cans to feed 1 child all week. |
| Green Beans, Cut, Drained | #2 Can |
8.15
|
0.54 children. You will need ~2 cans to feed 1 child all week. |
| Green Beans, Cut, Drained | #10 Can |
45.3
|
3.02 children. |
| Green Beans, Cut, Drained | #300 Can |
6.65
|
0.44 children. You will need ~2 ½ cans to feed 1 child all week. |
| Tomato, Spaghetti Sauce, Meatless |
#1 Can (Picnic) |
5.26
|
0.35 children. You will need ~3 cans to feed 1 child all week. |
| Tomato, Spaghetti Sauce, Meatless |
#2 Can |
8.62
|
0.57 children. You will need ~2 cans to feed 1 child all week. |
| Tomato, Spaghetti Sauce, Meatless |
#10 Can |
47.9
|
3.19 children. |
| Tomato, Spaghetti Sauce, Meatless |
#300 Can |
7.03
|
0.47 children. You will need ~2-2 ½ cans to feed 1 child all week. |
| Carrots, Sliced | #1 Can (Picnic) |
4.09
|
0.27 children. You will need ~4 cans to feed 1 child all week. |
| Carrots, Sliced | #2 Can |
6.69
|
0.44 children. You will need ~3 cans to feed 1 child all week. |
| Carrots, Sliced | #10 Can |
37.2
|
2.48 children. |
| Carrots, Sliced | #300 Can |
5.46
|
0.36 children. You will need ~2 ½ cans to feed 1 child all week. |
| Salsa | #1 Can (Picnic) |
5.42
|
0.36 children. You will need ~3 cans to feed 1 child all week. |
| Salsa | #2 Can |
8.87
|
0.59 children. You will need ~2 cans to feed 1 child all week. |
| Salsa | #10 Can |
49.3
|
3.29 children. |
| Salsa | #300 Can |
7.23
|
0.48 children. You will need ~2-2 ½ cans to feed 1 child all week. |
* These numbers reflect the number of children fed if given the same vegetable all week. It does not take into consideration the NSLP vegetable subgroups.
| Vegetable | Amount |
Total # of Servings
Per Unit (¼ cup) |
# of Children/5 servings/week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broccoli, Florets, Fresh, trim RTU |
Pound |
28.8
|
1.92 children. |
| Carrots, Sticks RTU, ½ x 4 in. |
Pound |
15.4
|
1.03 children. |
| Carrots, Baby, RTU, raw |
Pound |
12.9
|
0.86 children. |
| Carrots, Shredded (fresh) | Pound |
19.9
|
1.33 children. |
| Cauliflower, Raw, Florets 1 med. = 6 c. |
Pound |
12.3
|
0.82 children. |
| Celery, Raw, Sticks RTU, ½ x 4 |
Pound |
14.0
|
0.93 children. |
| Cucumbers, Raw, Sliced | Pound |
12.4
|
0.83 children. |
| Cucumbers, Raw, Diced | Pound |
11.1
|
0.74 children. |
| Lettuce, Iceberg Head RTU | Pound |
29.2
|
1.95 children. |
| Lettuce, Iceberg Shredded | Pound |
22.2
|
1.48 children. |
| Lettuce, Salad Mix | Pound |
26.4
|
1.76 children. |
| Peppers, Green/Red, Raw, Diced | Pound |
9.7
|
0.65 children. |
| Pickles, Sliced, Chips, Drained |
Gallon: |
Gallon: 60.3 |
Gallon: 4.02 children. |
| Pickles, Spears | Gallon |
42.2
|
2.81 children. |
| Tomatoes, Fresh, Cherry, 3 = ¼ cup |
Pound |
12.1
|
0.81 children. |
* These numbers reflect the number of children fed if given the same vegetable all week. It does not take into consideration the NSLP vegetable subgroups.
Reference
- Henneman, A. University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension. How to Interpret Can Size Numbers. Accessed on April 3, 2020.
