We asked, they answered: Students find school breakfast programs build sense of community, research says

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08/07/2023 - 10:12 AM

Study commissioned by Kellogg Company Fund also offers schools, organizations
recommendations for creating effective and impactful programs

BATTLE CREEK, Mich., Aug. 7, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- School breakfast programs are vital to building a sense of community and safety among children—according to the students who benefit from them. That's the result of the latest research on school breakfast programs commissioned by Kellogg Company Fund, building on previous studies that measured the impact of these programs.

This study aimed to understand the perspective of the kids themselves. Kellogg Company Fund, one of the company's charitable arms, commissioned the research, which was conducted with students in school breakfast programs in a mix of public and private schools in the United Kingdom, United States, Brazil, India and South Africa. In the U.K., U.S. and South Africa, children were observed and questioned by an ethnographer while participating in their school breakfast programs.

The result: school breakfast programs have a positive impact on children and their local communities – regardless of country and culture. And, despite challenges, schools that operate school breakfast programs have built a community that has found ways to promote physical, emotional and social health among their students.

According to the research, students who partake in school breakfast programs experience a variety of positive outcomes, such as:

Sense of community. Offering a steady meal to all students, regardless of economic status, connects children with each other, their teachers and school staff. It can also improve attendance rates.
Fostering friendships. School breakfast programs provide an atmosphere where children form deeper bonds with one another and become more social and caring. The programs are seen as an ice breaker for many children, prompting conversations that lead to the formation of friendships.
Behavioral benefits: School breakfast programs create a strong social atmosphere that boosts children's confidence and provides a social outlet for children before lessons commence and is, thus, beneficial for classroom behavior.

In addition, the study identifies and outlines best practices for creating and maintaining a vibrant school breakfast program, based on the findings. They include:

Relaxed teachers: Allowing children to be more playful with each another and their teachers is beneficial as some children can feel repressed during the school day, especially as curricula become increasingly difficult as they advance through schooling.
Safe spaces: Creating a safe environment where children feel supported opens up the floor for their individual needs to be addressed and monitored in a non-intrusive manner. In particular, the monitoring of eating disorders has been experienced as less triggering from the perspective of children, who tend to feel more comfortable opening up to teachers on matters they might otherwise withhold.
Consistency: School breakfast programs are a vital source of stability for children who may be experiencing turbulent family backgrounds. It is recommended to incorporate a steady routine. For example, a consistent weekly food menu positively impacts children, and the sense of familiarity and structure has a calming effect on many. The desire to go in for breakfast also improves school attendance.

Breakfast programs are one of the key ways Kellogg is achieving its Kellogg's Better Days® Promise commitment to feed 375 million people in need by the end of 2030. Overall, Kellogg supported breakfast clubs in 27 countries in 2022. Since 2015, we've reached more than 5 million children through feeding programs, including breakfast clubs.

Click here to read and download the full report.

About Kellogg Company

At Kellogg Company (NYSE: K), our vision is a good and just world where people are not just fed but fulfilled. We are creating better days and a place at the table for everyone through our trusted food brands. Our beloved brands include Pringles®, Cheez-It®, Special K®, Kellogg's Frosted Flakes®, Pop-Tarts®, Kellogg's Corn Flakes®, Rice Krispies®, Eggo®, Mini-Wheats®, Kashi®, RXBAR®, MorningStar Farms® and more. Net sales in 2022 were over $15.3 billion, comprised principally of snacks as well as convenience foods like cereal, frozen foods, and noodles. As part of our Kellogg's Better Days® Promise ESG strategy, we're addressing the interconnected issues of wellbeing, climate and food security, creating Better Days for 3 billion people by the end of 2030 (from a 2015 baseline). Visit www.KelloggCompany.com.