As coronavirus continues to spread across the globe, we’re working to answer the questions on many parents’ minds. This is a fast-moving situation, so some information may be outdated. For the latest updates, read The New York Times’s live coronavirus coverage here.

As we slog through another week of self-isolation, quarantine or even total lockdown, parents stuck at home with young children are grappling with how to keep everyone well-fed … meal after meal, snack after snack, day after day. I’ve rounded up some common questions and sought answers from two dietitians, a pediatrician and an anti-hunger advocate.

Is it OK for my kids to eat nothing but mac and cheese right now?

Emphatically, yes. “There is something very reassuring about any shred of normalcy in a crisis, and that includes mac and cheese,” said Evelyn Tribole, M.S., R.D.N., a registered dietitian and co-author of “Intuitive Eating.” “We all need comfort food right now.” You may find yourself wanting to cook and bake more as a way to stay grounded. “Smelling delicious food keeps us in the present moment,” Tribole said. “It’s also a great way to build some fond food memories that your children will have of this time.”

It’s possible you’ll feel too stressed out to cook much and find yourself depending on easy pantry staples like your kids’ favorite crackers, cookies and boxed mac and cheese. This is also valid. Especially in these first few weeks of settling into isolation, give yourself permission to take some shortcuts and make dinner the thing you don’t have to stress about as much. “Parenting and self-care need to look different right now and we have to be OK with lowering some of the bars,” said Anna Sweeney, M.S., R.D., a registered dietitian who specializes in the treatment of eating disorders, in private practice in Concord, Mass.

It is important to reinforce normalcy, so sitting down together at the table to share meals, if you typically do that, will be helpful. If you can, put some fresh fruit or sliced cucumbers on the table, or stir a bag of frozen peas into the mac and cheese, so you’re continuing to expose kids to other food groups. But don’t stress if they don’t touch the produce. Remember that they are still deriving the main benefit of family meals — connection with loved ones — whether they’re eating a homemade salad or store-bought cookies for dinner.