Keeping your school lunch program safe should be a top priority. School lunch programs are essential to continue providing students with nutritious meals to fuel their minds during the school day as many studies show that children consume over half their daily calories at school. As COVID-19 continues to spread, foodservice providers are tasked with maintaining a safe, contact-free, school lunch program. At HotLunch.com, we offer a school lunch ordering and management software that helps to eliminate contact and keep your students safe.
The children nutrition experts at HotLunch.com recommend following 10 best practices for keeping students safe while maintaining your hot lunch program:
- Install contactless payment methods, such as HotLunch.com, to minimize contact associated with cash
- Offer food that is prepackaged instead of cafeteria-style
- Use disposable food service items such as utensils and trays
- Avoid offering any self-service food or drink options
- When possible, have children eat meals outdoors or in classrooms while maintaining a safe distance
- If students congregate in a dining hall, ensure that they are 6-feet apart and sanitize all surfaces in between uses
- Remind teachers and students to wash their hands with soap and water for 20 seconds or use a hand sanitizer that includes at least 60% alcohol before and after eating
- Ensure that students do not share food or utensils—this not only helps prevent the spread of COVID-19, but also ensures safety for children with allergies
- Provide tissues and no-touch or foot pedal trash cans, when possible, for employees, volunteers, and students to use
- Always maintain social distancing and maintain regular cleaning schedules
In addition to following these CDC guidelines, our experts also recommend adhering to any protocols set forth by your state.
Resource: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/schools.html
