This year, “Take Off with School Breakfast” and celebrate National School Breakfast Week March 7-11, 2022. However, schools are welcome to celebrate during a different week if there are other important events happening during the official week. This yearly celebration reiterates the importance of daily nutrition and the benefits of the National School Breakfast Program, supporting more than 14 million students across the country.
WHY IS BREAKFAST SO IMPORTANT?
- Provides Energy– Breakfast foods, like oatmeal and yogurt or whole grain breads and a glass of milk, can give your students lots of energy throughout the day!
- Improved Concentration– Eating a nutritious breakfast can improve memory and help students concentrate in the classroom.
- Better Grades– Nutritious breakfasts can improve “brain power” and help students perform better in the classroom
- Increased Vitamin and Mineral Intake– Vitamins and minerals are important for growth and development in children, and they can be found in fruit, whole grain breads, eggs, and dairy
- More Breakfast Benefits
- Benefits of School Breakfast
WHY DAIRY SHOULD BE INCLUDED AS PART OF A HEALTHY BREAKFAST:
- There are many different variations of dairy products, such as milk, yogurt, butter, cheese, and whey products, so there are plenty of options to choose from!
- Dairy is affordable, easy to incorporate into meals, and meets several daily nutrition requirements. For example, a standard 8-oz. serving of milk provides excellent sources of thirteen essential nutrients and 10% or more of the recommended daily intake for calcium, Vitamin D (if fortified), protein, Vitamin B5, Vitamin A, Vitamin B12, riboflavin and phosphorus. More detailed information about milk can be found at All About Milk | American Dairy Association Indiana (ADAI).
- Intake of dairy products that contain calcium and vitamin D help to:
- Improve bone health especially in children and adolescents.
- Promote bone health and prevent the onset of osteoporosis in adults.
HOW CAN TEACHERS AND FOODSERVICE STAFF HELP CELEBRATE?
There are lots of fun ways to help your students celebrate this week. Games, costumes, and adding “superfoods” to your school breakfast are all fun ways to get involved with this celebration.
School Breakfast Challenge – Action for Healthy Kids
- In the cafeteria:
- Decorate serving area
- Staff accessories (such as capes)
- Play music
- Let students vote on favorite menu items/ try new items
- Beyond the cafeteria:
- Classroom handouts and other resources
- PA announcements (fun facts/ why breakfast is important)
BREAKFAST RECIPES:
HANDOUTS/FOR TEACHERS:
- School Nutrition Association Toolkit and Handouts
- Fuel Up To Play 60! Overview
- Breakfast Lesson Plans (Grades K-12)
- Fuel Up to Play 60! Activity Sheet
- School Resources | American Dairy Association Indiana (ADAI)
Handouts for School Food Directors
VIDEOS:
- Join Blue to follow your school milk from Cow to CALF-eteria
- Take a Virtual Farm Tour with Rodrigo Blankenship!
- Blue’s Virtual School Show
- Blue’s Visit to Kuehnert Dairy Farm (Fort Wayne, IN)
- Meet Your Indiana Fuel Up to Play 60 Team!
SOURCES:
https://www.eatright.org/food/nutrition/healthy-eating/5-reasons-your-teen-needs-breakfast
- https://www.healthyeating.org/blog/detail/is-milk-healthy-for-breakfast#:~:text=Studies%20show%20that%20those%20who,don’t%20consume%20these%20foods.&text=Intake%20of%20dairy%20products%20is,lower%20blood%20pressure%20in%20adults.
- https://www.myplate.gov/eat-healthy/dairy
- https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/animal-products/dairy/
