Food Banking during COVID-19 Pandemic: Food Sourcing and Food Quality across 3 Food Banks in Minnesota

Abstract

ABSTRACT Food banks served a record of 60 million people in 2020, but little is known regarding sources and quality of foods distributed, especially with the COVID-19 pandemic’s widespread disruptions. This mixed-methods study examined changes in food bank sourcing in 2020 relative to prior years. Findings highlight food bank-led purchases and federal commodities were used to meet increased food needs. While the inventory of fresh produce decreased proportionally in 2020 versus 2019, it increased in overall poundage by over a million pounds (p < 0.01). These findings have implications for nutritional food ranking across and within food banks.