Maintaining School Foodservice Operations During COVID-19: The Case of Ohio

COVID-19-related school closures hindered the provision of meals to school-age youth nationwide, risking deficits in nutrition, health, and development. Foodservice staff faced substantial difficulties in their efforts to maintain foodservice operations. The state of Ohio, in which the prevalence of child food insecurity exceeds the national average (18.9% versus 15.2%), offers an illustrative case for exploration of these adaptations. The objective of this study was to characterize COVID-19-related foodservice adaptations, including impacts on both summer and school year meal provision.