SCHOOL BREAKFAST SUPPORTS NEBRASKA FAMILIES
ALL KIDS SHOULD HAVE THE FOOD THEY NEED TO BE HEALTHY
School nutrition plays a vital role in promoting equity in education. When schools have equitable nutrition programs, not only will kids be healthier and more ready to learn, but schools will in turn see better academic performance and a decrease in behavioral issues. Find information, resources, and tools to help school districts make their nutrition programs more equitable at Nebraska Appleseed’s School Nutrition Equity Resource Page.
All across Nebraska, we know there are families struggling to make ends meet. But when kids go to school they shouldn’t have to worry about their next meal. The school breakfast and lunch programs are great tools that school districts across Nebraska can use to make sure kids get the food they need. Our role is to make sure districts and schools know about these choices (see below) and are encouraged to use them.
HOW DO SCHOOLS FEED KIDS?
The National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs are tools that districts across Nebraska can use to make sure kids get the food they need. District and School leadership should be making choices for these programs that remove barriers and encourage participation.
PROVEN WAYS TO INCREASE SCHOOL BREAKFAST PARTICIPATION
- Implement Alternative Breakfast Models
- Grab and Go: students pick up food from kiosks or service lines around the school and eat in their classrooms or common areas.
- Second Chance Breakfast: Students are given a second chance to pick up a meal following their first-period class or homeroom.
- Breakfast in the Classroom: Students are served breakfast in their classroom at the beginning of the school day.
- Allow Students to Eat After the Bell: Breakfast in their classroom, 10-15 minutes after the first period bell breaks down barriers that come with a traditional breakfast model and gets more kids eating.
- Implement Breakfast for All (Universal Free Meal) options
- Community Eligibility Provision (CEP): This federal program that allows high poverty schools with populations of 40% or more directly certified students to serve free breakfast and lunch to all students regardless of family income.
- Provision 2: Provision of the National School Lunch Act that allows schools to serve free breakfast and lunch to all students and eliminate FRPL applications.
- Eliminate the Reduced-Price Copay: Schools use local nutrition program funds to pay the small copays difference ($.30 for breakfast and $.40 for lunch) for reduced-price category students, essentially expanding the “free” category.
- Free meals “non-pricing”: Free breakfast for all students with the school covering the difference between cost and federal reimbursement funds.
TOOLS FOR SCHOOLS
Appleseed facilitates the Nebraska Student Nutrition Action Committee (SNAC), a group of advocates, administrators, school nutrition professionals, and state agency leaders who have joined forces to help Nebraska improve child nutrition programs. Go Big Breakfast focuses on school breakfast as part of Nebraska SNAC and provides stories of Nebraska success, a map of school-by-school breakfast performance, and resources to support positive change.
NEBRASKA SCHOOL BREAKFAST CHALLENGE 2025 SUCCESS!
SNAC hosted a Nebraska School Breakfast Challenge for the second year this past spring. 17 schools competed to earn points by completing activities that increased access to school meals. Following the competition, schools across the state committed to continuing some of the most impactful activities they tested including running an alternative breakfast model, taste testing with students, and seeking community input.
