School Breakfast Programs, Research Paper Example

The age-long question as to whether schools should provide breakfast is influenced by both the technical and financial aspects of it, although institutions should consider the advantages of offering it and how it directly impacts motivation and performance. Schools should offer breakfast mainly because piecemeal could have a potential impact on reducing behavioral and psychological problems observed in absent students and those affected by the unavailability of basic needs. School breakfast is not only associated with improved behavioral discipline but also gives the students an excellent start to the day in terms of nutrition and energy (Ambrose). This paper supports the position that schools should offer breakfast based on the provisions of a healthy breakfast and its impact on learners, as well as existing test scores to illustrate the impact of breakfast and lunch programs in institutions. It supports the need for federal funding for these programs as a way to provide equal access for all students.

A healthy breakfast would consist of various balanced meals depending on the nutrition requirements of different age groups and these values across elementary, high school, or Middle School. For example, are simple healthy breakfast menu for high schools can include orange juice, sliced peaches and turkey ham, and English muffins which provide a balanced diet and, at the same time, a variety of options for the students (Stallings et al. 340). There is a wide range of guided breakfast menus provided by the National Academy of sciences, each with an adequate amount that can provide total nutritional value for different age groups they are for making this part of the process easy as schools can plan for breakfast provision from a nutritional point of view.

The benefits of having breakfast are not only linked to nutrition but also the energy to go through the day for the learners. According to Norwood, in addition to higher test scores, the advantages of the universal complimentary breakfast program include reduced incidents of truancy, substance abuse, and fights, indicating that the programs are suitable for the well-being of the students (1). Due to the prevalent problem of lack of nutritious breakfast, especially for low-income families, breakfast is emerging as a critical point of equal provision of opportunities to Excel in school. For this reason, schools that provide breakfast for the students not only ensure that those who cannot access it at home have it at school but also that everyone is treated equally. The benefits of breakfast our extensive, from cognitive to behavioral impacts, as observed when evaluating its impact on test scores.

One can compare test scores as a statistical representation of the impact of breakfast and lunch on performance. The primary linkages between school-provided breakfast programs and improved test scores are associated with the inspiration and motivation to attend school. A 3.5 percentage reduction in the number of low attendance in elementary schools and subsequently higher test scores, although the observed impact is specific to children subgroups and the nature of the breakfast programs ( Bartfield et al. 339). Complimentary breakfasts are shown to have a higher impact on School attendance and performance, which also translates to the applicability of free lunch programs available in approximately 92% of schools. The essence of free meal programs in schools is meant to reduce the worry and concern for children and allow them to focus on school work.

Schools can offer breakfast by requiring that students report early to school and instead have their breakfast before commencing their classes. According to Roberts, about half a million students still go to lessons hungry because of the limited or non-existent breakfast programs, but those that run a free breakfast Club from 8 a.m. have improved significantly (1). The timing is essential when incorporating breakfast to make the program effective because it should both sustain the existing school program without interrupting the timetable while at the same time ensuring that the students get adequate sleep before reporting to school. However, many schools failed to implement these programs due to funding restrictions rather than the timing concern.

Finally, funding is also essential and can be sourced from either Independent School District budgets or federal nutrition programs. Currently, some programs that exist and can contribute to this initiative include the school breakfast program, which is a foresight of federal nutrition programs meant to fill the void that low-income children experience due to tight budgets and busy morning schedules which do not provide them with adequate nourishment. According to Butler, the government only funds around 2,000 schools for free breakfasts, and this is not adequate enough to cover the demand for free school breakfasts, and there is a visible need for extra funding for these programs (1). The essence of funding by schools from the federal budget is to reduce the pressure on school institutions and districts to meet the threshold on their own.

Currently, the idea of school-provided breakfasts is theoretical and needs resources, primarily financial, which is why there need to be federally funded programs that ensure equal access to nutritious breakfasts. As per the arguments above, free school breakfasts have extensive benefits both for the learners and for the school environment, and the only limitation is funding. There have been great strides with federal funding supporting low-income families in schools, but the funding is not adequate and does not promote equality among all students. By investing in these school nutrition programs, the government would be contributing to motivated students and a better future from present-day outcomes.

Works Cited

Ambrose, Mike. “Benefits of School Breakfast.” Food Research & Action Center, frac.org/programs/school-breakfast-program/benefits-school-breakfast#:~:text=Students%20who%20participate%20in%20school. Accessed 28 July 2022.

Bartfeld, Judith S., et al. “Access to the school breakfast program is associated with higher attendance and test scores among elementary school students.” The Journal of Nutrition 149.2 (2019): 336-343.

Butler, Patrick. “Marcus Rashford Backs MPs’ Push for Free School Breakfasts.” The Guardian, 12 Oct. 2020, www.theguardian.com/education/2020/oct/12/marcus-rashford-backs-MPs-push-for-free-school-breakfasts.

Norwood, B. (2020). Breakfast of Champions: Universal Free Breakfast and Student Conflict and Test Scores in Texas Schools. Available at SSRN 3576085.

Roberts, Yvonne. “Breakfast Does Feed Young Minds: Evidence Grows of Link between Meals and Learning.” The Guardian, 14 May 2016, www.theguardian.com/education/2016/may/14/breakfast-feeds-young-minds-link-school-meals-learning.

Stallings, Virginia A., Carol West Suitor, and Christine L. Taylor, eds. “School meals: building blocks for healthy children.” (2010).