Breakfast Clubs are becoming increasingly popular in schools across the country, and have proven to be very beneficial for children, parents and schools. The Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton has launched ‘A Good Practice Guide for Breakfast Clubs’ which has been put together by Healthy Food for All and funded by the Kellogg Corporate Citizenship Fund and the Kellogg Company of Ireland.
There are over 500 breakfast clubs operating within Irish schools. Here are the benefits of breakfast clubs:
- They provide children with nutritious breakfast and a positive social environment which prepares them for the school day.
- They can lead to improvements in pupil participation. Students will have more energy for the day of school work if they have a good breakfast. They can participate more, which better for the student, the teacher and the class environment.
- They have a positive impact on attendance rates and punctuality at school.
- They are a valuable support for families to build relationships between the school and local community.
- They are a fantastic help to parents who are struggling financially. Breakfast will no longer be an expense for low-income parents.
- They help foster healthy eating habits in children at a young age.
Speaking at the launch of ‘A Good Practice Guide for Breakfast Clubs’, Sinéad Keenan, Project Coordinator, Healthy Food for All said: “While we know there are children going to school hungry, we also know that 1 in 4 nine year olds in Ireland are overweight or obese (Growing Up in Ireland 2011). We need to help schools to create healthy and supportive environments which foster the development of healthy eating behaviours from a young age. This Guide will act as a practical resource for those who may be considering starting up their own club by helping them access the supports which are currently available.”
Kellogg’s announced that the company is working with Healthy Food for All to fund a pilot programme which will support the establishment of four new breakfast clubs in North Dublin. The programme will be open to primary schools in the area, applicant schools will be assessed by Healthy Food for All in October 2012, with funding in place for schools to start serving breakfasts in January 2013. Healthy Food for All will monitor and evaluate the success of these clubs over a two year period.
