Quotable

"Classroom breakfast works. All the top performing school districts in the report have extensive classroom breakfast programs and we can see that it leads to highest participation. It also boosts test scores and learning, reduces school nurse visits, and positively affects every aspect of school."

Jim Weill
President, Food Research and Action Center FRAC
In news release about FRAC's School Breakfast Scorecard

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The School Breakfast Program

Why is the School Breakfast Program so important to children, to their health and scholastic performance?

  • In 2008, nearly one in four American children lived in food insecure households
  • The School Breakfast Program is critical to low income children, yet each day 13 million low income children do not receive a breakfast at school
  • The benefits of Classroom Breakfast are astounding:
    • Improvements in attendance
    • A reduction in tardiness
    • Fewer stomachaches and visits to the school nurse
    • Increased test scores
    • Fewer disciplinary problems
    • Improved diets
    • Reduction in obesity rates

Why is increasing participation important for your school or district?

  • An additional $2.3 billion in federal nutrition funding is available if all low income children who eat school lunch were to receive breakfast at school
  • Classroom Breakfast successfully reaches children, and consistently receives enthusiastic support from principals, teachers, and custodial staff
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See current School Breakfast Program statistics

  • The School Breakfast Program is a federal (and state) funded program available to all schools that participate in the National School Lunch Program
  • Today, about 85,000 schools serve breakfast to 10-11 million children, while over 98,000 schools provide school lunch to 30-32 million children.
  • Every school, public or private non-profit, or residential child-care institution, is eligible to receive federal funds for a breakfast program.
  • Breakfast served as part of the School Breakfast Program provide one-fourth or more of the daily recommended levels for key nutrients that children need each day. School breakfast menus must be planned so that no more than 30% of the calories come from fat and less than 10% come from saturated fat.

School Breakfast

School Lunch
Number of schools serving: 85,000 98,900
Number of children served: 10.5 million 31.2 million

Breakfast BREAKS

Breakfast BREAKS evolved from the simple concept that to feed more children, bring the food to them rather than expect them to come to the food. This grab 'n go is now in eco-friendly pouch packaging that reduces waste by 63%!

  • Breakfast BREAKS are a cornerstone to successful Classroom Breakfast programs because they are:
    • Portable
    • Convenient
    • Nutritious
    • Affordable
    • Eco-friendly
    • Kid-friendly

Breakfast BREAKS is the most innovative new product available to school foodservice directors since the inauguration of the USDA's School Breakfast Program in 1975.

Until now, due to logistical issues, staffing and facility limitations, serving large numbers of breakfasts has been a challenge. Breakfast BREAKS helps overcome obstacles to serving breakfast by providing school foodservice personnel with an easy, convenient option to offer a nutritious breakfast and an opportunity to boost breakfast participation.

Learn more . . .