Breakfast in the Classroom

About the Program

Download the Sample Menu flyer

Breakfast in the classroom provides nutritious meals to students who do not have time or inclination to eat breakfast before school. Children can look forward to a good breakfast in the familiar surroundings of their classroom. Breakfast in the Classroom can be offered three ways:

• Students can stop by the cafeteria and pick up their breakfast in grab ‘n go containers, along with milk and juice and then go to class.
• Breakfast can be delivered to the students in the classrooms on carts.
• A student representative can go to the cafeteria, pick up the breakfasts, and take them back to the class in a cart or wagon.

Four food items must be offered daily. Students  must select 3 food items with at least one being a 1/2 cup fruit or vegetable.

BIC reduces the stigma attached to eating breakfast at school. It makes breakfast available to those students who may not want to participate in the program for fear of being labeled “poor.”

BIC tends to have improved attendance, less tardiness, and increased test scores.

Other alternative forms of Breakfast Service  models include Universal  Free Breakfast, Grab n’ Go Breakfast, Breakfast on the Bus, and Second Chance Breakfast.

Best Practices

Food Prep

Packaging/Presentation

• Hot Foods Hot/Cold Foods Cold
• Easy to Open Packaging
• Offer Variety of Fruits

Student Preferences

Participation is the best indicator of student preference:

• Which food items are being offered
• What they select

Non-Program Staff

Non-program staff should be trained annually and monitored for compliance.

Food Components	Grade K-5	Grade 6-8	Grade 9-12
Milk	5 cups/week (1 cup daily)	5 cups/week (1 cup daily>	5 cups/week (1 cup daily>
Meat or Meat Alternates None required but may substitute 1 oz equivalent of meat /meat alternate for 1 oz equivalent grains after minimum daily grain is met
Vegetables May be substituted for fruits, but the first 2 cups/week must be from a subgroup other than starchy (dark green, red/orange, legumes, other)
Fruit	5 cups/week* (1 cup daily minimum)	5 cups/week* (1 cup daily minimum)	5 cups/week* (1 cup daily mnimum)
Grains / Breads minimum At least half whole grain beginning School Year 2013-14 All whole grain beginning School Year 2014-2015	7 oz equivalent/week (1 oz daily minimum)	8 oz equivalent/week (1 oz daily minimum)	9 oz equivalent/week (1 oz daily minimum)
Minimum - Maximum Calories (kcal) Weekly average	350-500	400-550	450-600
Saturated Fat (% of total calories) Weekly average	<10%	<10%	<10%
Sodium** Weekly average	≤485 mg*	≤535 mg*	≤570 mg*
Trans Fat	0 grams/serving	0 grams/serving	0 grams/serving