School Breakfast Is Key to Students Learning

(MS) - The positive effects that eating breakfast has on students’ performance in school continues to grow as more schools are serving breakfast. The School Breakfast Program has been in place for about 40 years, and today more than nine million children eat school breakfast everyday.

Students who ate breakfast at school had general increases in math grades and reading scores, better attention levels, improved classroom behavior and performance as well as reduced school nurse visits, according to a recent study by the University of Minnesota and Minnesota Dept. of Children, Families & Learning.

School breakfasts are required to meet federal dietary guidelines and provide students with 25 percent of their daily allowance for protein, calcium, iron, vitamins A and C, and calories. Meals are served in age-appropriate portion sizes and schools have many different serving techniques - from ‘grab and go’ bags and hallway kiosks to breakfast in the classroom and traditional cafeteria service. Many schools are offering breakfast at no cost students because of the proven value of eating breakfast.

Students can learn more about why breakfast is important, take interactive quizzes and vote for their favorite breakfast food as part of the “School Breakfast - Fuel Your Imagination” campaign online at www.schoolbreakfast.org now through National School Breakfast Week, March 3-7, 2008. HM081373

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