639 Operating Schools During COVID-19: CDC Guidelines

Food Service

Schools are essential to meeting the nutritional needs of its students. More than 30 million children participate in the National School Lunch Program, and nearly 15 million participate in the School Breakfast Program.

The EOP should establish mitigation strategies that schools may implement while providing this critical service to their students:

• Avoid offering any self-serve food or drink options, such as hot and cold food bars, salad or condiment bars, and drink stations.
• Serve individually plated or pre-packaged meals while ensuring the safety of children with food allergies.
• As feasible, have children eat meals outdoors or in classrooms while maintaining social distance (at least 6 feet apart) as much as possible, instead of in a communal dining hall or cafeteria.
• Have teachers and children wash their hands with soap and water for 20 seconds or use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol before and after eating.
• If communal dining halls or cafeterias are used, ensure that children remain at least 6 feet apart in food service lines and tables while eating. Clean and disinfect tables and chairs between each use.
• Ensure children do not share food or utensils. This helps prevent the spread of COVID-19 for all students and helps ensure the safety of children with food allergies:
• Use disposable food service items (e.g., utensils, trays).
• If disposable items are not feasible or desirable, ensure all non-disposable food service items and equipment are handled with gloves and washed with dish soap and hot water or in a dishwasher.
• Individuals should wash their hands after removing their gloves or after directly handling used food service items.

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