Transitioning from Emergency Meals to Nutrition Provision
When the COVID crisis hit, community groups and schools rallied to provide emergency food to families in need; however, as the pandemic stretches on for months, these emergency meals are not nutritious enough for long-term sustenance.
One uniting theme across the families we’ve been speaking with is that the food provided by schools, churches, food pantries, and community groups has been deeply appreciated. As paychecks dried up and family finances were stretched thin, these meals and groceries have meant the difference between skipping meals and putting food on the table. Schools in particular have been providing much-needed meals for kids, who prior to the pandemic were eating at least two meals a day at school.
However, while some schools have been providing fully-cooked, diverse meals that our families describe as “real food,” other schools have not moved past providing packaged shelf-stable, highly processed foods that our respondents describe as “snacks”. We’ve been asking families to send us pictures of the school meals they’re receiving, and the variety of offerings are stark.
While respondents are understanding that schools are doing the best they can in the circumstances, like all parents they want the best for their kids. Our respondents tell us that receiving a meal that feels like “real food” makes a big difference (and can be a health necessity). In contrast, while the shelf stable food is a good bridge, it’s not a sustainable way to feed kids long term.
Here are a few examples:
Fully-cooked meal with fruit & vegetables from a Boston charter school.
Shelf-stable processed food delivered from Boston Public Schools .
A week’s worth of prepared food delivered by the YMCA to a family under quarantine.
*Names and some details changed to protect privacy.