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The School Breakfast Program (SBP) is a federally funded meal program that provides free and reduced-cost breakfasts to children in public and private schools and childcare facilities in the United States. The program is administered by the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) and funded by annual agricultural appropriations. Schools receive cash reimbursements for each breakfast served, with rates varying based on family income. The SBP has been shown to positively impact academic achievement and attendance, and it plays a crucial role in ensuring children from low-income households have access to nutritious meals.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Funding | The School Breakfast Program is federally funded. |
| Cost to students | Children from families with incomes below 130% of the federal poverty level receive free meals. Children with family incomes between 130% and 185% of the poverty level pay a reduced price. Children from families over 185% of the poverty level pay full price. |
| Cost to schools | Schools receive reimbursements from the USDA for each breakfast served. The reimbursement rates are $1.55 for each free breakfast, $1.25 for each reduced-price breakfast, and $0.27 for each paid breakfast. Schools serving free or reduced-price meals to more than 40% of students may receive higher reimbursement rates. |
| Number of schools | The program operates in about 78,000-90,000 schools, including public and private schools, and child care facilities. |
| Number of students | In FY 2018, the program provided 2.4 billion breakfasts to 14.8 million children. In the 2023–2024 school year, 15.4 million children participated, with 12.2 million receiving free or reduced-price breakfasts. |
| Nutritional requirements | Breakfasts must meet the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and include fruits or vegetables, whole grain-rich foods and/or meats/alternates, and milk. They are limited in sodium, calories, saturated fats, and trans fats. |
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What You'll Learn
- Funding: Federal funding is provided as reimbursements to schools for each breakfast served
- Eligibility: All children can purchase meals, with free/reduced prices for those below the poverty line
- Nutritional requirements: Breakfasts must meet federal nutrition standards and guidelines
- Benefits: Breakfast programs have been linked to improved academic performance and health
- Participation: Strategies to increase participation include serving breakfast after the bell
Funding: Federal funding is provided as reimbursements to schools for each breakfast served
The School Breakfast Program (SBP) is a federally funded meal program that provides free and reduced-cost breakfasts to children in public and private schools, as well as childcare facilities in the United States. The program is administered at the federal level by the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). At the state level, the program is typically managed by state education agencies or departments of agriculture.
Federal funding for the SBP comes in the form of cash reimbursements to schools for each breakfast served. The reimbursement rates vary based on family income, with higher reimbursement rates for schools serving a larger proportion of free or reduced-price meals. As of 2010, the reimbursement rates were $1.55 for each free breakfast, $1.25 for each reduced-price breakfast, and $0.27 for each paid breakfast. Schools in Hawaii and Alaska receive higher reimbursement rates than those in the contiguous United States.
The SBP began as a pilot project in 1966 and was made permanent in 1975. It is one of the largest targeted food aid programs, feeding about 16 million children as of 2010. By 2018, the program provided more than 2.4 billion school breakfasts, allowing 14.8 million children to receive free or reduced-price meals. The latest data from 2024 shows that the program provided over 2.5 billion breakfasts at a total cost of $5.7 billion.
The SBP has had a positive impact on students' academic achievement, attendance, and health. Research has shown that participation in the program is associated with higher test scores, improved nutrition, and better diet quality. Additionally, community eligibility provisions allow high-poverty schools and districts to offer meals at no charge to all students, increasing access to nutritious meals and reducing administrative costs.
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Eligibility: All children can purchase meals, with free/reduced prices for those below the poverty line
The School Breakfast Program (SBP) is a federally funded meal program that provides free and reduced-cost breakfasts to children. It is administered at the federal level by the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and, at the state level, typically by state education agencies.
All children in participating schools and residential institutions are eligible for a federally subsidized meal, regardless of family income. However, eligibility for free or reduced-cost meals is based on family income. Children from families with incomes at or below 130% of the federal poverty level are eligible for free meals. This is because the USDA created a rule that requires free meals to be offered to children from families with incomes below 130% of the federal poverty level. Schools are reimbursed $1.55 for each free breakfast served. Families with incomes between 130% and 185% of the poverty level are eligible for reduced-price meals, for which schools receive a reimbursement of $1.25. Those with incomes above 185% of the poverty level must pay full price, although their meals are still subsidized to some extent, with schools receiving a reimbursement of $0.27. Schools in Hawaii and Alaska receive higher reimbursement rates than schools in the contiguous United States.
The SBP began as a 2-year pilot project in 1966, designed to provide grants to assist schools serving "nutritionally needy" students, and became permanent in 1975. As of 2010, it was the second-largest targeted food aid program administered by the FNS, feeding 16 million children. By FY 2018, the program provided more than 2.4 billion school breakfasts, allowing 14.8 million children to receive free or reduced-price breakfasts. In FY 2024, the program provided more than 2.5 billion breakfasts at a total cost of $5.7 billion.
Research has shown that school breakfast programs have positive effects on students' academic achievement, test scores, and attendance, as well as their psychosocial behaviour. They also contribute positively to students' diet quality and are associated with lower body mass indexes (BMIs).
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Nutritional requirements: Breakfasts must meet federal nutrition standards and guidelines
The School Breakfast Program (SBP) is a federally funded meal program that provides free and reduced-cost breakfasts to children in public and private schools, and child care facilities in the United States. The program is administered at the federal level by the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
The nutritional requirements aim to ensure that students receive a healthy and balanced breakfast, contributing positively to their diet quality. Research has shown that children who eat a healthy breakfast experience improvements in memory, concentration, energy, endurance, and mood. Additionally, breakfast consumption has been linked to enhanced cognitive abilities, including creativity, reasoning, vocabulary, and problem-solving skills.
The USDA has made efforts to improve the nutritional quality of school meals by reducing salt content based on recommendations from various organizations, including the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 updated the federal nutrition standards to better align with the Federal Dietary Guidelines for Americans, ensuring that schools provide appealing and nutritious breakfasts within their cost constraints.
By meeting these nutritional requirements, the School Breakfast Program plays a vital role in supporting the health and educational success of students across the United States.
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Benefits: Breakfast programs have been linked to improved academic performance and health
The School Breakfast Program (SBP) is a federally funded meal program that provides free and reduced-cost breakfasts to children in public and private schools and childcare facilities in the United States. The program is administered by the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Breakfast programs have been linked to improved academic performance and health. Firstly, in terms of academic performance, there is evidence that students who participate in school breakfast programs achieve higher standardized test scores and have lower levels of absenteeism. Recent research has found a positive correlation between school breakfast program participation and academic grades, specifically in mathematics. A study on sixth-grade students in a Midwest urban school district found that those who ate breakfast had significantly higher math scores than their peers with low nutrient intakes.
Furthermore, breakfast consumption is associated with improved cognitive abilities such as creativity, reasoning, vocabulary, and problem-solving. For instance, Tufts University and the Bogalusa (LA) Heart Study have found that children and adults who eat a healthy breakfast are more likely to improve their memory, concentration, energy, endurance, and mood. They are also more likely to attend school regularly.
In addition to the academic benefits, school breakfast programs have been linked to improved health outcomes. Breakfast programs ensure that children receive the key nutrients they need every day, and updated nutrition requirements established under the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 have amplified these benefits. Meals served through the SBP must meet federal nutrition standards, limiting sodium and saturated fats and eliminating trans fats. Children who participate in school breakfast are more likely to consume diets that are adequate in important vitamins and minerals. Additionally, children who eat breakfast are significantly less likely to be overweight, while skipping breakfast is associated with a higher risk of obesity.
School breakfast programs also help to build lifelong healthy eating habits and address food insecurity. They ensure that children from low-income families or busy morning schedules do not go hungry and arrive at school ready to learn. By providing reimbursement to states to operate nonprofit breakfast programs, the SBP plays a critical role in filling this void for millions of children every school day.
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Participation: Strategies to increase participation include serving breakfast after the bell
The School Breakfast Program has been shown to positively impact students' academic achievement, with higher standardised test scores and lower levels of absenteeism. However, the uptake of such programs has been a concern. Strategies to increase participation include serving breakfast after the bell, which has been shown to be one of the most effective ways to boost school breakfast participation. This strategy shifts the time breakfast is served so that it's a part of the school day and moves breakfast from the cafeteria to where students are, such as classrooms and common areas. This overcomes barriers such as late bus arrivals, hectic morning schedules, and the stigma associated with eating breakfast in the cafeteria before school starts.
Another strategy to increase participation is to engage students in the planning process and solicit their feedback. This can include offering a variety of menu options and implementing an "offer versus serve" policy, which allows students to decline certain required food components to increase student choice. Branding menu items with clever, descriptive labels and including items that reflect students' cultural backgrounds can also increase participation. For example, naming strawberry smoothies "berry blast smoothies" or offering foods that students typically eat at home.
Marketing and visual reminders, such as posters displayed around the school, can also help increase participation in the breakfast program. It is important to spend adequate time promoting the program to ensure that students and stakeholders are aware of its availability and benefits. Additionally, combining breakfast with other education-related tasks can help minimise instructional time lost through breakfast after the bell schedules.
Finally, addressing student and family needs, making data-informed decisions, and providing hot meals and fruit based on student tastes can positively impact participation. This includes considering the timing of meal service, transportation issues, and the financial burden of co-payments for families. Schools may also consider offering "grab-and-go" breakfast options or second-chance breakfast programs to further increase participation.
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Frequently asked questions
The School Breakfast Program (SBP) is a federally funded meal program that provides free and reduced-cost breakfasts to children at public and private schools and childcare facilities in the United States.
The cost of the School Breakfast Program for students varies depending on family income. Children from families with incomes at or below 130% of the federal poverty level are eligible for free meals. Those with incomes between 130% and 185% of the poverty level pay a reduced price, and those above 185% pay full price.
The government provides cash reimbursements to schools for each breakfast served. The reimbursement rates vary based on family income, with $1.55 for each free breakfast, $1.25 for reduced-price meals, and $0.27 for paid meals. In the fiscal year 2024, the program provided 2.5 billion breakfasts at a total cost of $5.7 billion.
The School Breakfast Program provides nutritious meals to millions of children, ensuring they have the energy and focus needed for their school day. Research has shown that participation in the program is positively correlated with academic grades, particularly in mathematics, and has led to decreased absences and lateness.
Any public school, nonprofit private school, or residential childcare institution can participate in the School Breakfast Program. Schools that choose to take part receive cash subsidies from the USDA for each meal they serve, and in return, they must offer free or reduced-price breakfasts to eligible children.
