Vermont's Best in Breakfast
Why Breakfast?
When children eat a nutritious breakfast before they begin their studies, they have less difficulty concentrating, problem solving, and performing on tests. School breakfast has repeatedly been shown to improve diet quality, student behavior, academic performance, and health. There is growing evidence that regular, balanced meals may be a factor in preventing obesity. Food service directors in the surveyed schools agreed that running a successful breakfast program plays an important role in the educational environment of Vermont schools.
The Vermont Campaign to End Childhood Hunger recently surveyed Vermont schools with high breakfast participation. The most successful breakfast programs in Vermont have high student participation because they:
- Schedule meals so that all students can participate
- Offer a variety of nutritious and appealing food choices
Creative scheduling of breakfast programs
Students find it easier to make time for breakfast if it accommodates their hectic schedules. Many schools offer breakfast:
- In the classroom
- As a mid-morning snack
- As a pre-made bagged breakfast
Breakfast programs that appeal to students include:
- Serving a well-rounded choice of food items
- Using promotional activities
- Getting input on menu preferences from students
- Providing a welcoming social environment for students
Here’s what several Food Service Directors had to say about school breakfast:
“One thing that we’ve done recently is to have a taste test. We usually serve cold cereal, but during winter months we have something different. So, I got some samples from my suppliers and had a taste test [of prepared hot sandwiches]. I think it’s important to let the kids have a say. Now they’ve been coming up to me and asking when I’m going to have what they tried.”
“Sometimes one kid will come in and have breakfast and others will follow; children follow each other.”
High School Breakfast Program Tips
Serving breakfast in a high school is particularly challenging. In order to increase participation rates, food service directors who have met with success in their high school breakfast programs suggest:
- Keeping the cafeteria open later in the morning so students can stop in for breakfast between classes
- Providing high school students with a relaxing, social time for breakfast
- Offering convenient breakfast foods that students can eat on the go, such as yogurt parfaits or scrambled egg wraps
One Food Service Director said, “Breakfast first thing in the morning for these high school students would not be well-received because students are often rushing into school late or visiting with friends. But, at 9:30am, the high school students have a break and are more settled and don’t mind walking over to eat breakfast. It’s a social thing.”
[Click to view Universal Free Breakfast brochure] | 
