Food and Nutrition Service

Child Nutrition Program Meal Service

During Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Best Practices for Parent Pick-Up of Meals and Snacks

It is a Federal requirement that Child Nutrition Program operators provide meals and snacks directly to 

eligible children. However, given the current health crisis, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), 

Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) issued a nationwide waiver that allows local Program operators to 

distribute meals and snacks to parents and guardians to give to their eligible child. USDA does not have 

the legal authority to reimburse Program operators for meals provided to ineligible adults. Learn more: 

https://www.fns.usda.gov/cn/covid-19/parents-and-guardians-waiver

State agencies are working with local Program operators to ensure that meals and snacks are 

distributed to parents or guardians of children eligible to participate in the National School Lunch 

and Breakfast Programs, Summer Food Service Program, and Child and Adult Care Food Program. The 

nationwide waiver allowing parents to pick-up meals for children at non-congregate sites does not 

apply to the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP). However, States may submit individual waivers 

to FNS requesting permission to allow parent pick-up under the FFVP.

Learn

More

https://www.fns.usda.gov/resource/covid-19-nationwidewaiver-allow-parents-and-guardians-pick-meals-children

Questions To Consider

■ Would an alternative method of meal distribution meet 

needs while ensuring program integrity (e.g., mail delivery 

or bus delivery along regular bus routes)?

■ What is the plan for ensuring meals go to 

eligible children? 

■ What is the strategy for preventing the 

distribution of duplicate meals (e.g., a 

person claiming the same meals from 

multiple sites)?

Meals picked up by 

mom and dad for kids 

to eat and enjoy!
Tips and Helpful 

Suggestions

Below are ideas that may work for 

your site. Be sure to follow your 

State and local requirements.

For open sites:

■ Ask parents or guardians how many 

children (under the age of 18) in the 

household need meals.

■ Indicate who is eligible to pick-up and 

receive meals on advertisements and 

promotions of the meal distribution site.

■ Post signage at meal distribution sites 

indicating who is eligible to pick-up and 

receive meals and snacks.

For closed, enrolled sites:

■ Ask parents and guardians to provide student 

school meal personal identification number 

(PIN) when picking up meals. Have a backup 

method of verifying student eligibility in the 

event parents and guardians do not know their 

child’s school meal PIN.

■ Send a unique Quick Response (QR) code 

out to the parents and guardians of eligible 

participants. The code could then be scanned at 

each meal pick-up.

■ Ask parents to present a copy of their student’s 

report card, student identification card, or 

school correspondence when picking up meals.

■ Provide parents and guardians with rear view 

mirror hangers or placards showing the number 

of meals to be picked up.

■ Post signage at meal sites indicating who is 

eligible to pick-up and receive meals and snacks.

Safety

Reminders

Use meal distribution strategies that maintain social distancing and avoid the 

formation of groups or tight lines. Consider “drive-through” style meal pick-up or 

staggered pick-up times.

Provide parents and guardians with food safety information related to the safe 

transportation, storage, and re-heating of foods provided.

Follow Federal, State, and local food safety requirements and guidelines. Visit 

the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at https://www.cdc.gov/

coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/index.html for more information on how to: 

■ Encourage staff to clean their hands often.

■ Clean and disinfect surfaces. 

■ Remind staff not to work if they are sick. 

■ Remind parents and guardians not to come to meal distribution sites if they 

are sick.

FNS-865 April 2020

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