Healthy Breakfast for Everyone

Children Need Breakfast

Our nation's children are the largest group of people living in poverty. According to the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC), one out of every eight children goes hungry, and 6.5 million are at risk of hunger. Millions of children are arriving at school hungry, and unprepared to learn.

For children living in poverty, breakfast at school addresses a critical need. However, poor breakfast habits are not confined to any particular geographic area or economic group. In today's typical household, breakfast preparation is often lost in the rush. Children often are not hungry first thing in the morning but could benefit from a nutritional boost by the time they arrive at school. Also, students who participate in activities before school begins have probably not eaten and could use breakfast. Thus, a substantial number of students arrive at class not ready to achieve their fullest learning potential.

The nutritional intake of students greatly influences the educational process. Hunger leads to nervousness, irritability, lack of interest in learning, and inability to concentrate. The School Breakfast Program has proven effective in helping children maximize their academic opportunities by improving their nutritional intake and dietary practices. School breakfast also contributes to lifelong health as it helps students develop nutritious eating practices that contribute to physical and mental development.

The nutritional intake of students greatly influences the educational process. Hunger leads to nervousness, irritability, lack of interest in learning, and inability to concentrate. The School Breakfast Program has proven effective in helping children maximize their academic opportunities by improving their nutritional intake and dietary practices. School breakfast also contributes to lifelong health as it helps students develop nutritious eating practices that contribute to physical and mental development.

Studies link school breakfast with improved learning. Researchers, such as Dr. Ernesto Pollitt at the University of California at Davis, have shown that four key areas-aptitude, time on task, attendance, and perseverance at the task-suffer as a result of missing breakfast. Children yawn, lose concentration, take longer to complete assignments, perform poorly, disrupt classes, or simply do not show up.

Dr. Alan Myers and colleagues conducted a study in Lawrence, Massachusetts, which confirmed that participation in the School Breakfast Program is associated with significant improvements in academic functioning and decreased tardiness and absenteeism among elementary school children from low-income families. Research also has shown that skipping breakfast negatively affects the overall nutritional status of students.

The School Breakfast Program Delivers Benefits with Ease

The School Breakfast Program can be easy to implement. All students in public and private non-profit schools can participate in the School Breakfast Program. With few modifications, schools that are part of the National School Lunch Program may initiate the Breakfast Program without hiring additional help, making extensive equipment purchases, or providing extra supervision.

The School Breakfast Program can be worked into existing schedules or implemented with minimal change. Most schools have found that they need only 10 to 15 minutes to serve breakfast. This time is often available without adjusting bus schedules.

Breakfast for a Healthy Start

Several menu planning system options have been established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for the school meals programs. One option is a food based menu plan. Four required food items and minimum servings are specified for this option. The menu plan includes:

• one serving of fluid milk, and;
• one serving of full-strength juice, fruit, or vegetable, and;
• two servings of either grains/breads, or meat/meat alternate, or one serving of grains/breads and one of meat/meat alternate.

Nutrition Standard Menu Planning and Assisted Nutrition Standard Menu Planning are other menu planning system options. These options permit schools to use any foods in any quantities to meet the nutrition standards established by USDA.

Under Offer versus Serve, each school may allow students to refuse one food item and still claim full federal reimbursement. A variety of hot and cold foods can meet the menu planning system requirements, giving schools the flexibility to serve anything from cereal to breakfast sandwiches.

For questions about this information, contact Julie A. Cox (608) 267-9206

Last updated on 2/25/2008 11:52:34 AM