Creating Your First Menu
Let's walk through creating a compliant lunch menu from start to finish.
Step-by-Step Guide
Start a New Menu
From your dashboard or the toolkit, click "Menu Builder" then "Create New Menu".
Configure Settings
Select your program (CACFP or SFSP), meal type (lunch), age groups served, and menu duration (1-4 weeks).
Add Menu Items
Click on any component slot (Grain, Meat/Alternate, Vegetable, Fruit, Milk) to search and add items. CrEATe automatically calculates oz equivalents.
Review Compliance
Watch for compliance indicators as you build. Green checkmarks mean you're good. Yellow warnings show what needs attention.
Save and Export
Click "Save to Dashboard" to store your menu, then export it as Excel or PDF for your records.
Adding Items to Your Menu
When you click a component slot, you can:
- Search Products: Type to find items in our database
- Browse Categories: Filter by food type
- Use Favorites: Quick access to items you use often
- Enter Custom Items: Add items not in the database
Use the star icon to mark frequently-used items as favorites for faster menu building.
Understanding Compliance Indicators
In the mockup above, you can see Monday is fully compliant (green checkmark), while Tuesday has a warning because the vegetable component is missing.
Click any warning to see suggestions for how to fix the issue. CrEATe will recommend items that meet the specific requirement.