School Breakfast: A Smart Start to the School Day
Starting the day with breakfast is smart for both the body and the mind. Research shows that children who eat breakfast score better on standardized tests and have fewer disciplinary problems.
Children who eat breakfast at school are less likely to be absent, tardy or sitting in the nurse’s office with a headache or stomachache. In addition, research shows that children (and adults) who skip breakfast rarely make up for missed nutrients later in the day. Try our smart start breakfast tips to encourage your students to “smart start” each day with breakfast at school.
Also, we want to know how you have increased participation in your school breakfast program. If you have implemented an alternative service program such as Breakfast in the Classroom, Grab ’n Go, or Breakfast After 1st Period, send us the details of what you did and how it has impacted your breakfast program. Please e-mail your success stories to dairyspot@milk4u.org so that we may feature them on dairyspot.com.
Try These ‘Smart Start’ Breakfast Tips
Starting the school day ready to learn includes eating a nutritious breakfast. Yet despite its reported benefits, breakfast is a neglected meal, both at home and at school. Encourage your students to participate in your school’s breakfast program.
If you are a teacher:
- Post the breakfast menu in your classroom.
- Read and discuss the breakfast menu with your students.
- Exhibit a positive attitude about school breakfast.
- Eat breakfast in the school cafeteria with your students.
- Start a breakfast club.
- Invite the foodservice director or manager to speak to your class about your school breakfast program. As a class, plan and promote breakfast menus for a week.
- Include breakfast and its benefits as a nutrition education topic.
- Plan a breakfast menu around geography or social studies lessons.
- Allow your students to eat breakfast in the classroom.
- Decorate the classroom with breakfast themes.
If you are a principal:
- Work with your foodservice director to set goals for breakfast participation.
- Support efforts to offer alternate service options such as breakfast in the classroom or a grab ’n go breakfast.
- Visit with students in the cafeteria during breakfast.
- Eat breakfast with your students regularly.
- Let your foodservice staff and teachers know that you support and recognize the benefits of school breakfast.
- Encourage your superintendent to ensure that class and bus schedules allow all students to participate in breakfast at school.
- Work with teachers and staff to eliminate the perceived social stigma associated with participation in the breakfast program. Breakfast at school is for all students.
School Breakfast: Improving Students’ Minds and Bodies
Breakfast is indeed the most important meal of the day. In addition to fueling the body, research shows that eating breakfast improves cognition and academic performance. Learn more about the benefits of breakfast, the School Breakfast Program, and making breakfast part of the school day.