Missing breakfast can impair a child's ability to perform academically in the classroom and also have adverse effects on overall behaviour further impacting in class performance. Conversely a well rounded breakfast helps deliver adequate nutrient intake which can be associated with a range of positive outcomes such as brain development, school attendance and behaviour.
An analysis of the 2002 Ministry of Healthy survey of children's nutrition undertaken by the New Zealand Herald (February 2007) found that 83,250 children sometimes or always miss breakfast before coming to school.
Fonterra and Sanitarium's school breakfast programme, KickStart Breakfast has been delivering Anchor milk and Weet-Bix since 2009 and now has over 500 schools on the programme.
The programme has been designed so that schools and communities manage the logistics of serving the children while Fonterra and Sanitarium provide the food.
Fonterra estimate that up to 1,700 volunteers are involved nationwide in providing children with breakfast each morning. One such volunteer is West Auckland school caretaker Gordon Irving.
The Lincoln Heights School caretaker is so passionate about ensuring children a healthy start to their day that he not only mans the KickStart Breakfast club, but every Thursday he also leads a walking school bus which finishes right at the dining room door.
"That way they are not only getting a nutritious breakfast, but they also get a bit of exercise as well" he says.
Taking on the role of breakfast club co-ordinator means Mr Irving's days at the decile three school can be long but he says he doesn't mind one bit.
"I love to be able to have that interaction with the children, they are great kids. So many schools now days have mainly female staff and having a positive male influence at school is something a lot of children miss out on. I am happy to be able to spend some time with them and be there if they need someone to talk to."
Mr Irving began serving breakfast at the school six years ago. Back then breakfasts were supplied solely from donations of food from parents and other members of the local community. With finances being tight for many families over the past few years donations began to dry up. That's when the school approached KickStart Breakfast and applied to become a member of the breakfast club.
"Without their support, we wouldn't be able to give these children such a good start," says Mr Irving. "It's not just about the food either. A lot of the children just like to be able to come in and sit down and chat with their friends in a cosy setting."
Up to 20 children attend breakfast club regularly and the staff have noticed an improvement in their learning abilities and attitude on the days they are able to have a healthy breakfast.
"They are able to concentrate and focus a lot more and they can settle down to work quickly," says school principal Debbie Waikato. "They also feel really happy when they walk into the classroom because they have been able to ease into the day."
"Their attitude is better too," agrees Mr Irving. "Sometimes if a child is playing up it can be because they haven't eaten so the teacher will send them up to the dining room and we'll make them a bowl of cereal. It works really well."
KickStart Breakfast aims to encourage good breakfast eating patterns that can be replicated at home which is why the programme runs just twice weekly at partner schools. The hope is that by learning through doing the children can pass on the message of just how important breakfast is to their families which will help to improve everyone's overall health.
KickStart Breakfast club
is a free breakfast-in-schools programme for decile one to four New Zealand schools. To be eligible to join schools need to meet all the requirements and fill in the application online. Only the principal, a teacher or administration staff at the school is eligible to apply for membership.
KickStart Breakfast club helps more children achieve their best by getting a kick-start to their day. Fuelled by milk and grains, KickStart kids experience the power of a nutritious breakfast, providing both strength and energy for maximum learning at school. KickStart Breakfast club is the only school breakfast programme of its kind in New Zealand. We work together with school communities to provide healthy breakfasts. Fonterra provides the Anchor milk, Sanitarium the Weet-Bix, and the school is responsible for delivering the programme.
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