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National School Breakfast Week 2024

Since day one, the Biden-Harris Administration has taken action toward ending hunger, improving affordable food access, and promoting nutrition to make America a stronger, healthier nation.

  • The Biden-Harris Administration is working to improve children’s health through the USDA's powerful school meals programs, which nourish more than 30 million children every day.
  • School meals are already healthy, and we owe it to our children to continue making improvements. Strengthening school meals is one of the best investments we can make to give our children a brighter future, so USDA has made many investments and will continue to help schools get there.
  • Let’s work together this week to uplift all the nutritious breakfasts schools are serving across the country, and the creative work schools are doing to provide students with nutritious and delicious food. Schools are doing great things to feature fruits and vegetables, locally sourced foods, and foods with less added sugars.
  • And beyond this week, we invite you to partner with us as we roll out enhanced school nutrition standards by helping spread the word that continuing to serve healthy meals that meet the latest nutrition standards is possible, and our kids are worth it.

Key Messages –School Breakfast

Schools serve breakfasts to nearly 15 million children every day and those meals are the main source of nutrition for more than half of these children.
  • Healthy school meals are an essential part of the school environment — like teachers, classrooms, books, computers – and set kids up for success and better health.
  • Good nutrition improves a child’s health, growth, development, and educational outcomes.
School breakfast can be the jump start to a great day – how you start the day sets the tone for the rest of the day, especially for children.
  • Children who eat breakfast have increased alertness and improved moods throughout the morning, making for a better learning experience in the classroom.
  • Partnering with local farmers to introduce fresh, homegrown products into breakfasts and inviting students to develop menu options can create breakfasts that students can’t wait to eat!
  • School breakfast programs are critical in building a healthier future for America’s children.
School meals are a helpful resource for all families!
  • Parents already have a lot to manage before the school day. The added stress of preparing breakfast for their kids can be taken off their plate when kids eat school meals.
  • The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to expanding children’s access to nutritious school breakfasts.
  • We encourage states to take all actions available to expand access to school meals, including offering them to all students at no cost statewide or in high-need schools and school districts, via the Community Eligibility Provision.

Key Messages –School Meals

The strides made in school nutrition over the past decade show that healthier school meals are possible when everyone who plays a part – school nutrition professionals, parents, students, school meal partners, and the food industry – works together.
  • The nutritional quality of school meals has improved over the past decade since school nutrition standards were revised in 2012.
  • The nutrition quality of school meals increased by over 40% following the 2012 update of the standards.
  • Kids who ate lunches from school were shown to be more likely to eat nutritious foods like fruits, vegetables, and dairy.
School meals can be nutritious and appetizing – we’ve seen it work!
  • After the 2012 nutrition standards were implemented, schools that served healthier meals had higher school meal participation (rates 10 percentage points higher) than schools that served less healthy meals.
  • While it’s not easy to alter eating habits of children, it is possible over time with patience and a plan. The future payoffs of even incremental changes are extraordinary!

FNS School Breakfast Content

MyPlate Guide to School Breakfast

Social Media Content

School Breakfast Photo Prop
Page updated: March 01, 2024