Ethan Brooks
Breakfast in the classroom is an initiative that has been shown to improve academic performance, behaviour, and overall health in students. The program is designed to ensure students start their day with a nutritious meal, enhancing their focus and productivity. It also addresses the challenge of students skipping breakfast due to various reasons, such as long commutes or financial constraints. The program typically takes about 10 to 15 minutes, during which teachers can continue with morning activities like announcements or individual reading, ensuring minimal instructional time is lost. Schools can implement this program through models like Universal Classroom Breakfast, Grab-and-Go, or Breakfast to Go, tailoring them to their specific needs and circumstances.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Time taken | 10-15 minutes |
| Activities during breakfast | Announcements, turning in homework, individual reading time, attendance, organisation |
| Benefits | Increased productivity, improved focus, reduced tardiness, reduced absenteeism, fewer distractions, improved academic scores, better behaviour, improved classroom performance, higher test scores |
| Concerns | Takes away from instructional time, messy |
| Strategies for implementation | Grab-and-go, second chance, breakfast in the classroom, universal classroom breakfast, breakfast clubs, breakfast to go |
| Food | Portable, hand-held items such as breakfast sandwiches, burritos, French toast sticks |
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What You'll Learn
Breakfast improves academic performance, behaviour and health
Breakfast is an important meal of the day, and this is especially true for schoolchildren and adolescents. Eating breakfast has been shown to improve academic performance, behaviour, and health.
Firstly, eating breakfast is linked to improved academic performance. Several studies have demonstrated a positive association between habitual breakfast intake and academic performance. For example, Boschloo et al. (2012) and So (2013) found that children who eat breakfast exhibit more on-task behaviour in the classroom, leading to a more productive learning environment. Additionally, Rahmani et al. (2011) found that providing milk at breakfast significantly increased school grades, particularly in mathematics, for girls.
Secondly, breakfast improves behaviour by enhancing concentration, attention, and alertness. Hoyland et al. (2009) concluded that eating breakfast has beneficial cognitive outcomes, including improved attention and memory. This increase in on-task behaviour can lead to better academic performance and a more positive learning environment.
Thirdly, breakfast has positive impacts on health. People who eat breakfast are more likely to meet their recommended daily intakes of vitamins and minerals, such as iron, calcium, zinc, and vitamin B2. Eating breakfast can help control weight, as it prevents large fluctuations in blood glucose levels and helps control appetite. Those who eat breakfast tend to have a lower risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
Given the benefits of breakfast, it is important to encourage schoolchildren to eat this meal. Implementing a School Breakfast Program (SBP) can increase attendance and decrease tardiness. Universal Classroom Breakfast, where all children eat breakfast in the classroom, is one way to ensure that students start their day with a nutritious meal without detracting from instructional time. Adjusting school start times and providing breakfast before class, such as through Grab-and-Go or Breakfast to Go options, can also increase participation in school breakfast programs.
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Teachers can teach during breakfast
Breakfast is essential for school success. Students who eat breakfast perform better academically, exhibit better classroom behaviour, and enjoy healthier diets overall. However, 73% of teachers observe that students often arrive at class hungry, without having eaten breakfast.
There are several reasons why students skip breakfast. Many low-income families cannot afford enough food, and one in five children in the United States suffers from hunger. Some families have long commutes to school and may not have time to eat at home. Other students have difficulty eating very early in the morning, and some low-income students feel stigmatised for eating breakfast in the cafeteria.
To address this issue, schools can implement a School Breakfast Program (SBP) or Breakfast in the Classroom (BIC). BIC works well in elementary school but can be adapted for all grade levels, ensuring that students start their day nourished and ready to learn. Schools can also offer "Grab-and-Go" breakfasts, where students receive breakfast from mobile carts as they arrive at school, or "Breakfast to Go," where they pick up a bagged breakfast from the cafeteria and bring it to the classroom.
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Breakfast in the classroom takes about 15 minutes
Breakfast is an essential factor in the success of students at school. Eating breakfast improves academic performance, classroom behaviour, and encourages a healthier diet. However, many students arrive at school without having eaten breakfast, due to a variety of reasons, such as not being able to afford food, long school commutes, or simply not feeling hungry early in the morning.
To address this issue, schools can implement a "Breakfast in the Classroom" (BIC) program, which has been shown to increase attendance and decrease tardiness and trips to the school nurse. The BIC program ensures that students start their day nourished and ready to learn. While there are concerns that BIC will take away from instructional time, in reality, it generally takes about 15 minutes for students to eat breakfast, and this time can be used for morning activities such as announcements, turning in homework, or individual reading.
To implement the BIC program successfully, schools should involve all members of the school community, including food service professionals, teachers, administrative staff, and students. Food service staff can prepare breakfast as usual, but instead of serving it in a cafeteria line, meals are packed into bags and delivered to the classroom. Teachers can use this time to complete administrative tasks or teach, and they can also incorporate nutrition education into the breakfast period.
To promote the BIC program, schools can engage parent groups, provide sample meals and promotional materials at school events, and feature information about the program on their websites and social media outlets. Schools can also apply for grants to purchase equipment and materials needed for the program. By implementing the BIC program, schools can ensure that their students are well-nourished and ready to learn, without sacrificing instructional time.
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Breakfast menus are simple and planned to reduce mess
Breakfast in the classroom is a great way to ensure students are well-nourished and ready to learn. It has been shown to improve academic performance, behaviour, and overall health. Implementing a classroom breakfast program can increase attendance and reduce tardiness. However, a common concern among teachers and administrators is that it might take away valuable instructional time.
In reality, classroom breakfasts are simple and planned to be quick and mess-free. The first 10-15 minutes of class can be spent on activities that accommodate eating, such as announcements, taking attendance, or individual reading time. This means minimal instructional time is lost. Schools that have implemented such programs report that messes were easily handled and not a significant issue. Students can be responsible for keeping their areas clean and tend to be careful while eating.
Menus for classroom breakfasts are designed to be simple and reduce mess. Items are hand-held and easy to eat, such as breakfast sandwiches, burritos, or French toast sticks. These can be prepared on-site or provided by a food service company and kept warm in insulated bags or with warmers. Schools can also offer a "Grab-and-Go" option, where students receive breakfast upon arrival and eat before class.
To ensure a smooth classroom breakfast program, it is essential to involve all members of the school community, including food service professionals, teachers, administrators, and students. Teachers can use breakfast time for administrative tasks or teaching, and they can also incorporate nutrition education into this time. Parent groups should also be engaged early in the planning process and continuously throughout the year.
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Strategies to implement breakfast in the classroom
Breakfast in the classroom is an effective way to improve academic performance and classroom behaviour. It also ensures that students have access to nutritious food, which can be especially beneficial for students from low-income families. Implementing breakfast in the classroom requires coordination and collaboration between various stakeholders, including school staff, administrators, and parents. Here are some strategies to successfully implement breakfast in the classroom:
Involve All Stakeholders
This includes school administrators, principals, teachers, food service staff, custodial staff, and parents. It is essential to have the support of key personnel, such as the principal, who can advocate for the program and highlight its benefits to other staff members and parents. Parental involvement is crucial, as they can help promote the program and encourage their children's participation.
Address Concerns and Misconceptions
Some teachers and administrators may worry that breakfast in the classroom will disrupt instructional time. However, in practice, students can eat breakfast while the teacher takes attendance, makes announcements, or assigns individual reading. Teachers can also use this time for administrative tasks or teaching, with lessons that incorporate nutrition and health topics. Emphasize that providing breakfast in the classroom does not create messiness or management issues, and that it can actually reduce distractions and behaviour problems stemming from hunger.
Plan the Logistics
Work with your food service staff to determine how breakfast will be prepared and delivered to the classroom. This may involve packing meals into bags and using insulated bags or warmers to keep food at the right temperature. Simple, portable, and handheld menu items like sandwiches, burritos, or French toast sticks are ideal.
Encourage Student Participation
Enlist teachers to encourage students to eat breakfast and consider incorporating jobs for students into the breakfast service. Provide training for teachers to ensure they understand the program's benefits and can help students receive a full reimbursable meal. Include information about the breakfast program in materials sent to parents at the beginning of the year, and invite them to join their children for breakfast on special days.
Seek Support and Resources
Apply for grants or participate in programs like the School Breakfast Program (SBP) to obtain funding and support for your breakfast in the classroom initiative. The Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) also offers resources and strategies through their Breakfast Blueprint project, which can provide guidance on planning and implementing breakfast programs.
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Frequently asked questions
About 10-15 minutes.
Students who eat breakfast perform better academically, exhibit better classroom behaviour, and enjoy healthier diets overall.
There are several ways to implement classroom breakfast, such as "Universal Classroom Breakfast", where all students eat breakfast in the classroom, "Grab-and-Go", where students receive breakfast from mobile carts as they arrive at school, and "Breakfast to Go", where students pick up a bagged breakfast to bring to the classroom.
