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The National School Breakfast Week (NSBW) initiative was launched in 1989 to raise awareness about the availability of the School Breakfast Program (SBP). Breakfast is crucial to our students’ success in school. Not only does it fuel a student’s body, it also fuels their mind so they can achieve more and be academically successful. Through the healthy options available, they can also learn healthy eating habits tha
t will last them a lifetime. According to the California Food Policy Advocates, eating school breakfast on a regular basis improved attendance for three in five low-income students and there were three million fewer absences over the course of the school year, which averages to an extra 1.5 days of attendance per student per school year! This year’s NSBW theme, I Heart School Breakfast, encourages parents, students, and school officials to get social over school breakfast.
Let’s count down the stats!
3 in 5 (or more than 3 million) California public school students are eligible for free or reduced-price meals
2 million low-income, public school students in California miss out on the health, attendance, and academic benefits of school breakfast
1 school breakfast a day can help improve a student’s attendance and improve cognitive function, academic achievement, diet and physical health and emotional health. It can also decrease the risk for obesity and diabetes, aggressive behavior, delinquency, suspensions and tardiness.
How can you help support your students through school breakfast?
Research and implement alternative breakfast options like Second Chance Breakfast, Breakfast in the Classroom or Grab and Go! Providing breakfast after the bell increases the amount of students who will have access to breakfast and eliminates factors like late buses, school meal stigma and having show up to school early. DId you know School Food and Wellness Group can help you with your school breakfast needs?
Promote your breakfast program to all families and encourage families to review the breakfast menu together! Some families aren’t aware that if they qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, that they can also receive a free or reduced-price breakfast!
Review your menu offerings and get student feedback so you can maximize participation in your breakfast program. Work with your food vendor as well to see what options are available! Students can get bored of the same breakfast options and others may not even know what you have to offer. Make sure your breakfast menu is easy to find online, is posted on campus where students will see it and make sure to advertise the healthy options you serve to your parent community as well. Many people are unaware that school breakfast options are whole grain, lower in fat and sodium and fruit options and low fat and non-fat milk are offered daily!
Support this year’s theme by celebrating National School Breakfast Week March 5-9, 2018. Visit the School Nutrition Association NSBW Web page at https://schoolnutrition.org/Meetings/Events/NSBW/2018/ to access a toolkit designed to assist SBP sponsors in planning successful events.
At School Food and Wellness Group, We Heart School Breakfast! Contact us today if you would like to become a School Breakfast sponsor or if you would like assistance in expanding your existing breakfast program.