What is The School Breakfast Program?

The School Breakfast Program is a federally funded program that provides reimbursement to public or non-profit, private schools that serve breakfast. The program is funded by the United States Department of Agriculture and administered by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. In some cases, state funds may be available for school districts as well. Participating schools must comply with federal nutrition standards and make breakfast available to all children.

The School Breakfast Program functions in the same way as the School Lunch Program. Depending on family income, a child may be eligible for a free or reduced priced meal. Those who do not qualify for either of these options may pay for a morning meal. All students are welcome to eat breakfast at school. No advance sign-up is necessary.

What's the latest in School Breakfast?

• Download the May/June Breakfast Brainstorm newsletter. This issue has information about available grants, new breakfast resources, summer meal promotion, and more!

• Now is the time to make sure that students are returning their School Meals Applications. Click here to access this application in 26 different languages.
• Check out our School Breakfast Materials.
• Read about the Better Breakfast Initiative - a project that aims to improve the nutritional content of school breakfast.

Why serve breakfast at school?

Many kids in grades K-12 skip breakfast. Often children find that they and their parents are too rushed in the morning to prepare something to eat. Others are not hungry until they have been awake for several hours. Some students simply do not have enough food at home for a morning meal. No matter what the reason, students who do not eat breakfast are often hungry by the time their first class begins.

For those who do not have the time, appetite, or household income necessary to eat before arriving at school, the School Breakfast Program provides an excellent opportunity for students to start the day with a healthy morning meal. A good breakfast gives children the energy they need to succeed in school. More than 15 studies show that children who eat a good breakfast every day learn better, behave better, and perform better than children who do not eat breakfast.In fact, students who increase their breakfast participation have been found to have higher math grades, less frequent school absences and tardiness, and fewer emotional and behavioral problems.

If your school does not have a breakfast program, click here for more information on how to get started.