To encourage more families to take advantage of the healthy choices available for school breakfast, many schools will celebrate National School Breakfast Week during March 4-8, 2019.

Busy weekday mornings make it a challenge for many families to find time for a healthy breakfast. However, US Department of Agriculture data show that more and more students are starting their day with a nutritious breakfast in their school cafeterias. The USDA School Breakfast Program currently serves 14 million students every day. Studies show that students who eat school breakfast are more likely to:

• Reach higher levels of achievement in reading and math
• Score higher on standardized tests
• Have better concentration and memory
• Be more alert
• Maintain a healthy weight

The National School Breakfast Week (NSBW) campaign theme, “Start Your Engines,” reminds the entire school community that school breakfast provides a healthy and energizing start to the day for students. Students will be encouraged to show their enthusiasm for “Start Your Engines” from March 4-8 with special menus, cafeteria events, and more.

A healthy breakfast at the start of the day is one way to ensure students are getting the best education they can. National School Breakfast Week helps us educate parents and students about all the healthy, great tasting, and appealing choices we offer. Districts serve breakfast meals daily through the federally funded School Breakfast Program. School nutrition professionals prepare breakfast and lunches every day that meet federal nutrition standards – limiting fat, calories and sodium – while encouraging students to choose from the fruits, vegetables and whole grains offered with school meals.

Programs are increasing participation via different service models like Breakfast in the Classroom, Breakfast After the Bell, Second Chance Breakfast or Grab and Go Breakfast.

The “Start Your Engines” campaign is made possible by the School Nutrition Association and Kellogg’s®.

Parents and students can follow the fun on Facebook.com/TrayTalk using the hashtag #NSBW19

For more information about school meals, visit www.schoolnutrition.org/SchoolMeals.   

About National School Breakfast Week

National School Breakfast Week was launched in 1989 to raise awareness of the availability of the School Breakfast Program, a federally assisted meal program operating in public and non-profit private schools and residential child care institutions since 1975.