Participation in school breakfast programs have traditionally been very low. A study looked at breakfast programs and found that students needed more time to eat. When provided with 10 extra minutes in the morning in the school cafeteria, they ate a better breakfast and did not overeat. Participation increased by over 20%.
When school breakfast was served in the classroom participation came close to 100%. When breakfast is moved to the classroom, all students are served for free. This can be a problem in schools that do not have a large enough population of subsidized students and the in-class breakfast costs must be borne by the school district.
Eating breakfast is important. Students are more alert to learn, have better skills and are less tired than those that do not eat in the morning. Considering how best to provide breakfast in schools is an important step in academic success.
