Breakfast After the Bell

We all know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and research confirms that eating a nutritious morning meal impacts student performance and behavior. At schools that serve breakfast, however, administrators often don’t realize that the time and place where breakfast is served can have a dramatic impact on whether students will actually eat it and gain those benefits. 

The traditional school breakfast is served before school starts, which requires students to arrive 15-20 minutes early in order to eat. Families on tight morning schedules and students who ride a bus often cannot manage to get to school early. Requiring kids to do so can also create a stigma for low-income students who don’t have the resources to eat breakfast at home. As a result, almost half of the students miss out on school breakfast when it’s served before classes begin. 

A better alternative is Breakfast After the Bell, meaning breakfast is served after the regular school day has begun. In a survey of principals from schools across the country that implemented Breakfast After the Bell, 82% reported that more students ate breakfast, 21% reported fewer student absences and 9% reported improved math and reading scores. 

While  studies show that all students who eat a well-rounded breakfast are more attentive and demonstrate improved memory recall, the timing also matters. In fact, students who eat a nutritious breakfast closer to test-taking time perform better on standardized tests compared to their kids who skip breakfast or eat it at home a couple of hours earlier. Location also makes a difference. Serving breakfast before school in a cafeteria that’s out of the way makes it less convenient, increases stigma and decreases student participation. 

Three models of Breakfast After the Bell are more effective: Grab-And-Go meals, Second Chance Breakfast and Breakfast in the Classroom. Grab and Go meals are served on a cart in a high-traffic hallway or close to the entrance where students arrive. While hot breakfast menu items can’t easily be served on the go, a breakfast cart with muffins, yogurt and fruit is convenient for older students with busy schedules. An average of 59 percent of students grab breakfast with this model. 

With Second Chance Breakfast, schools add a mid-morning break (often between first and second periods) to give all students another chance to eat breakfast. This could be in the cafeteria or a grab-and-go cart. Middle and high school students, who often get hungry later in the morning, tend to appreciate this model and enjoy the extra opportunity to socialize with friends. On average, 58 percent of students eat when a Second Chance Breakfast is offered. (It’s important to note that schools offering a Second Chance Breakfast are still required to offer an option before school starts.)

The most successful breakfast model is to serve Breakfast in the Classroom. Eating in the classroom does not disrupt a student’s schedule and takes away any stigma surrounding school meals. Breakfast in the Classroom is where schools get the most student participation (88 percent). If students see all of their peers having a meal together, they will likely follow. 

With Breakfast in the Classroom, it’s important for schools to get buy-in from parents and teachers who may be worried about extra clean-up time or distracted students. Breakfast in the Classroom provides an opportunity for kids to learn to clean up after themselves. (Be sure to provide enough trash cans!) It may also help to share the research on how breakfast gives kids fuel to focus on learning and reduces discipline issues. 

A morning meal can have a huge positive effect on students’ mood and behavior. Younger kids sometimes don't even realize that they're hungry. They simply act out because they don't feel well. A recent study found that schools serving Breakfast After the Bell experienced fewer student behavioral disturbances, and the greatest impacts were on kids from economically or socially disadvantaged families. 

While our top priority is making sure students are fed, it is also crucial for their long-term nutrition that they eat a well-rounded diet that includes all the food groups. We always aim to teach kids to not only eat the muffin but also to enjoy the full cup of fruit and eight ounces of milk. When we develop our menus at Revolution Foods, we go above and beyond nutrition guidelines and constantly evolve to develop breakfasts and lunches that optimize student learning.

Our ultimate goal is to provide a healthy and delicious breakfast to as many students as possible, and a big part of that is ensuring schools understand the importance of timing the morning meal. We are excited to work alongside all of our school partners to make sure students enjoy two nutritious meals at school every day so they have the tools to learn and thrive.

To get started implementing your own Breakfast After the Bell program, watch this quick 15 minute video shared from No Kid Hungry. It walks you through all of the equipment and supply needs for each program! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3U4MO5pmTEk&t=538s 

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