The School Breakfast Program supplies federal funds to schools and residential child care institutions who provide breakfasts to children. This status report compares the performances of states to each other and to the nation as a whole in school breakfast participation. States are grouped in categories of the 10 top- and bottom-ranked…

The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) contacted public school districts around the United States to determine if they offered low-fat, healthful meals. The PCRM ranked the schools according to whether they served low-fat and vegetarian meals daily, whether these meals varied through the week, and whether children needed to…

These guidelines offer recommended topic areas and content for training local-level food service personnel. The recommended topic areas for training school food service directors/supervisors and food service managers are nutrition requirements, menu planning for school meals, procurement, financial management, marketing, food production, program…

Guidelines to help ensure that meals served under the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs meet program requirements are provided in this booklet. Based on the latest federal regulations and meal pattern requirements, average yield information is presented on over 600 food items. Information is provided for calculating accurate quantities…

The School Breakfast Program supplies federal funds to schools and residential child care institutions that provide breakfasts to children. This status report compares the performance of each state to the performance of other states and of the nation as a whole in school breakfast participation. The first section examines overall outcomes, taking…

This hearing on the status of the national School Lunch Program opens with statements from Senator Patrick Leahy, the committee chairman, and three other senators. Testimony or prepared statements were received from the chef of the Barre Town (Vermont) Elementary School, representatives of the American School Food Service Association; the head of…

Guidelines for implementing and operating a school breakfast program in New York are provided in this document. Following an introduction that explains the need for school breakfast programs, sections describe program history, meal pattern requirements, eligible participants, and available state and local financial assistance. Program requirements…

Research consistently shows links between eating breakfast and learning. Many resources, including the National School Breakfast Program, are available to help parents who cannot provide breakfast at home. The article offers suggestions to help parents make creative, child-pleasing breakfasts and become active in planning school breakfasts. (SM)

"New Jersey Kids Count 2011" again documents both advances and setbacks in key areas that affect child well-being--poverty, health, child protection, education, including early learning, and adolescent well-being. To better gauge New Jersey's progress in essential areas, a "New Jersey Kids Count Report Card" that identifies…

In this testimony Celia Hagert, senior policy analyst for the Center for Public Policy Priorities, testifies in support of CSHB 454, which relates to the provision of free lunch and breakfast to all enrolled students in certain school districts and campuses. Houston Independent School District (HISD) started serving free breakfast to all students…

Provides an overview of the Child and Adolescent Trial for Cardiovascular Health (CATCH) Eat Smart School Nutrition Program, an elementary school health promotion program. The article examines components of the CATCH kitchen visits and intervention materials, including the School Meal Program Guide, Fat and Sodium Criteria, Recipe File Box, Vendor…

New findings about child nutrition and cognitive development indicate that undernourished children are typically fatigued and uninterested in their social environments. Such children are less likely to establish relationships or to explore and learn from their surroundings. Undernourished children are also more susceptible to illness and, thus,…

Noting that there is a relationship between hunger and the ability to learn, this study examines teacher opinions of the impact of a school breakfast program on student success. A survey, focusing on grades 1 through 3, was completed by 188 elementary teachers in 100 Connecticut schools in which breakfast programs had been implemented. Respondents…

This Food and Nutrition Information Center (FNIC) Resource List is a quick guide designed to help professionals find information related to nutrition, learning and behavior in children. Each resource has been placed into one of five categories, in alphabetical order, by title.

"Healthy School Meals: Promotion Ideas That Work" is a Minnesota program based on the USDA's Team Nutrition program. The program's goal is to improve the health of children through school meals and nutrition education. This is accomplished by empowering schools to serve meals meeting the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and motivating…