Breakfast
asking for help to scale up our successful model,” says McConnell. “The new ATL research demonstrates the value of providing a nutritious breakfast at school at the start of every day to those children in greatest need.”
From a biological perspective, the body has been fasting while asleep and so has been using its reserves to function. Therefore, blood sugar levels are low in the morning and the fuel gauge is empty.
“For a child to try to face the day without any fuel is really selling them short,” says Olayinka Ewuola, director at Eagle Solutions Services. “Growing brains and growing bodies need food to grow effectively and so without that it’s negative in the short term and could be fundamentally detrimental in the long term.” For many children the only decent meal they get is at school, which means many have not eaten well the night before, so breakfast is really important. Not having breakfast can have an adverse impact on children’s attainment, behaviour and wellbeing, and a breakfast club can really be powerful in reducing such a defi cit.
Thankfully, many schools now offer breakfast, some of which is provided by the council or in conjunction with charities like Magic Breakfast.
“Many children arrive at school early due to bus services and parent schedules,” explains David Weller, managing director of education caterers Alliance in Partnership (AiP). “Offering a breakfast service is a great opportunity for us and for the children. Our catering staff start early so we have the resources to cope with any breakfast requirements.”
MENU CHOICES
“For a child to try to face the day
without any fuel is really selling them short”
There isn’t much time between preparing breakfast and getting ready for lunch, so keeping the breakfast provision quick and simple is the best way to ensure smooth service at both times of day. “It is not good for children to go for long periods without food, so breakfast is essential,” says Sian Porter, Weetabix’s consultant nutritionist and dietician. “A balanced breakfast contains elements from all the major food groups. A good example is a bowl of wholegrain, low or no added sugar cereal with milk and chopped fruit or 150ml glass of pure fruit juice. “This is convenient, quick and nutritious and provides children with the energy to help keep them going at school and play. Wholegrain varieties provide fi bre and in addition many breakfast cereals are fortifi ed with certain vitamins and minerals. As such, breakfast cereals make an important contribution to children’s daily intakes, for example providing 23-29% of iron intake on average for boys and girls aged four to 18 years – an important nutrient for healthy growth and development which some children lack.” With time and health as major concerns for school
kitchens, getting the breakfast balance right can be diffi cult. There will always be the classic favourites, but there are ways school caterers can encourage pupils to opt for even more nutritious alternatives. “We serve cereal, fresh fruit, yoghurt, toast with honey and marmalade,” explains Angela Churches, catering manager at Wells Cathedral Junior School. “Fruit and yoghurt are the most popular items.”
June 2013 51
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