The importance of Breakfast Clubs
According to findings gleaned in Kellogg's A Lost Education Report (2013), breakfast is crucial for a healthy body and an alert mind, so of course one of the most important back-to-school habits for kids is tucking into a nutritious morning meal.
However, for many children all over Ireland, this crucial meal is skipped, says the Irish Health Behaviour in School Aged Children Study (2006), negatively impacting on their school day.
While sitting down to a bowl of cereal and a piece of fruit in the morning is something many of us take for granted, for 1 in 7 Irish children it’s sadly not the case, asserts the study.
Endeavouring to counter this is Kellogg’s, who has been providing support for school and community Breakfast Clubs all over Ireland since 2011, with the aim to ensure no child goes to school without breakfast.
These clubs provide a nurturing, sociable early morning environment for children to sit down with their peers and tuck into breakfast.
Healthy Food for All
One of the ways Kellogg’s followed through with their commitment to provide kids with breakfast was to work with Irish charity Healthy Food for All to set up Breakfast Clubs in the Dublin area.
The organisation managed the Pilot Programme of Breakfast Clubs in January 2013, which was funded through the Kellogg’s Corporate Citizenship Fund to support four schools in North Dublin to set up and run a Breakfast Club.
The aim of the programme was to promote a positive breakfast culture in these communities, to address food poverty and to learn more about the impacts and challenges experienced in each of the schools.
Making a difference
The St Catherine's Infant NS in Dublin 7 provides cereals, fruit, toast and fruit juice to the 15 or so children that attend each morning. The food is laid out buffet-style so children can serve themselves, fostering the importance of sitting down to a breakfast before school.
And the Holy Trinity NS set up Trinity AM, with the aim to provide food for children before class starts, assisting them in their school performance. On average, 30 children come to the club each morning to avail of a selection of cereals, toast, fruit and fruit juice, as well as a hot food option including eggs and baked beans.
And these clubs are making a huge difference to these communities, providing children with a safe and structured environment to eat a healthy breakfast.
For more information on the work of Kellogg’s Breakfast Clubs click here.
