Breakfast matters! And starting the day on a nutritious note enables our children to learn better and acquire the energy needed for academic success.
To amplify that message, this week USDA celebrates School Breakfast Week to ensure our nation’s children have the best opportunity to prosper in school and in their futures.
Every year, USDA partners with the School Nutrition Association and other organizations to raise awareness of the School Breakfast Program (SBP). The effort showcases how critical nourishment is to the welfare of the 12 million children it serves each school day. The SBP offers children of all economic backgrounds meals that are consistent with the science-based Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
The Obama Administration has made significant investments to improve the health and well-being of America’s children. Just last December President Obama signed into law the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, which for the first time in over 30 years, gives us opportunity to significantly strengthen school meals programs. The Act makes great strides in advancing our goals for School Breakfast by improving meal quality, strengthening nutrition standards, reducing program barriers and increasing access to these healthy and important morning meals. Why is this so important? Ask a teacher or parent and they’ll tell you that children who start their day without proper nutrition have trouble focusing and don’t excel the way they need to. Research reveals that breakfast – at home or at school – boosts a child’s ability to learn, fosters better classroom behavior, and reduces visits to the school nurse. So let’s spread the word about the importance of serving our children a nutritious breakfast. It’s a great way to promote educational success and the best way to invest in everyone’s future!
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