Breakfast is a Welcome Addition to School Routines

School breakfast offers quick and easy solutions for families to make sure students start their rushed mornings with a balanced meal. This year, an increasing number of students have access to free breakfast as more states are providing meals at no cost for all students. Schools in Pennsylvania and Connecticut are seeing great benefits from students and their teachers.

According to Kristina Roberge, Food Service Coordinator for Groton Public Schools (CT), parents say their children want to get to school with plenty of time to head to the cafeteria for breakfast.

The nutrition team in Groton has seen a positive response with schools in the district serving between two and four times the number of students than when the district charged for breakfast.

“Teachers are telling us they see a difference in the students because they have time to eat and socialize before classes start, they are more focused on their learning,” said Kristina Roberge, Food Service Coordinator for Groton Public Schools.

Egg sandwiches are among the most popular items served for breakfast, Roberge says. She has heard from many school nutrition colleagues across Connecticut report an uptick in students starting their day with a school breakfast.

There has been a movement among states recognizing the importance of offering free meals to all students every day. Eight states; California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico and Vermont have passed legislation for lunch and breakfast for free. Connecticut and Pennsylvania joined an effort this school year to provide all children access to free breakfasts.

Nicole Melia, Supervisor of Food Service for Great Valley School District in Malvern, PA, says her district is seeing a huge increase in breakfast participation. Statewide, 1.6 million more breakfasts were served in September of 2023 compared to September 2022.

“Students are starting to stop in the cafeteria for breakfast as part of their morning routine,” said Nicole Melia, Supervisor of Food Service, at Great Valley School District. “We are seeing all students grab a breakfast not just those who were previously eligible for free meals. The universal free breakfast removes the stigma connected to free or reduced meals.”

Melia says overnight oats with locally grown roasted apples is a new breakfast item that the nutrition team is testing to utilize local produce. An additional benefit to providing free breakfasts is the increase in fruit consumption among the student body.

“With the free breakfasts for all, statewide teachers are reporting that the students are more attentive and nurses say fewer children are coming to see them,” said Melia.

Those observations echo studies that have shown that children who eat breakfast are most likely to have better concentration and memory, better school attendance rates and fewer behavioral problems.

In February of 2024, the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) made permanent that meals through the School Breakfast Program (SBP) would be free for all students. It removed the cost of lunch for reduced-price eligible student lunches.

Connecticut lawmakers are reviewing data provided by school districts to determine if free breakfast service will be provided for the upcoming school year.

National School Breakfast Week (NSBW) serves as a great time to remind students of all the reasons to stop into their school’s cafeteria for a bite to eat. This year’s theme is “Surfs Up With School Breakfast.”

The School Breakfast Program was permanently established in 1975 by an act of Congress. NSBW 2024 is partly made possible by the School Nutrition Association (SNA) and Kellanova Away From Home.