Quotable

"Schools with a high percentage of low-income students find that they can afford to offer universal breakfast most effectively and easily when they increase participation through breakfast in the classroom."

Food Research and Action Center (FRAC)
School Breakfast in America's Big Cities, January 2011

 ". . . total breakfast labor costs in a school may be viewed as relatively fixed (up to some point) because of the small size of the breakfast program. Thus, as the number of breakfasts served increases, the reported labor costs per breakfast decreases."

-USDA School Lunch and Breakfast Cost Study
April 2008

How To Make Breakfast A Winner

Use the new ideas and tools in this section, or view the brochure pdf, to help you:

  • Use your breakfast program to generate thousands of dollars in food service revenue
  • Maintain current staffing levels
  • Feed more students
  • Convert skeptics into supporters of your expanded breakfast program

Cafeteria Breakfast vs. Classroom Breakfast: The Choice is Clear

According to findings of the 2009 School District Census Report, a national survey by Foodservice Director magazine:

Wages and benefits take up the majority of the money school districts spend on food service. The pie chart below provides a breakdown of annual food service expenses, by category.

Increase Breakfast Participation,
Increase Federal Funding

  • Make your food service programs profitable
  • Reduce or eliminate the need for the school district to use general funds for the food service program
  • Generate revenue that the district can use to cover overhead and support services costs

Case Studies

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Jefferson Parish, Louisiana

By switching to classroom breakfast, the Jefferson Parish Public School System went from 100 cafeteria breakfasts to 400 classroom breakfasts, generating over $75,000 in additional federal funding at each participating site.

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Milwaukee Public School District, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Primarily by increasing breakfast participation, the Milwaukee Public School District went from $1.77M in the red to $3.5M in the black.

Alternate-Site Breakfast a Win-Win for All

  • Children start the day well-nourished and prepared to learn
  • Food service programs receive significant funding through federal breakfast reimbursements
  • Teachers spend less time disciplining students and more time teaching; eating breakfast an a classroom also strengthens student-teacher relationships
  • Principals notice improved grades and test scores
  • Superintendents supplement their overall budget with revenue generated by the breakfast program
  • Parents are grateful to administration and staff for providing their children with nutritious breakfasts

Breakfast BREAKS is the most cost-effective, practical solution to feeding more children breakfast every day.