School Breakfast Programs Fill the Nutrition Gap as Cost-of-Living Pressures Peak Across Australia
More Australian households are relying on school breakfast clubs to provide daily nutrition to support overall student health, wellbeing and energy levels at school, as food insecurity and cost-of-living pressures continue to impact families across the nation.
Staggering statistics reveal that one in three Aussie households (nearly 3.5 million) faced food insecurity last year, with households with children 1.5 times more likely to experience food insecurity. 61% of households report being severely impacted by food insecurity, compromising on nutrition, skipping meals or going entire days without eating to save on food costs.
The academic impact of missing breakfast is real with research revealing that students who skip breakfast are 1.6 times more likely to struggle with reading. Educators also report that breakfast programs help decrease negative classroom behaviour at school.
For students living in regional communities a nutrition 'travel gap' exists, where students may catch transport as early as 7am to get to school, and then experience a second hunger peak when they arrive, regardless of whether breakfast was eaten at home.
For the students at Mooroopna Park Primary School, in Shepparton Victoria an award-winning School Breakfast Club has run from 8am to 8.50am each school day for the past 13 years and welcomes all students to encourage inclusivity and access to good nutrition to begin the school day. For its focus on student wellbeing, the school has won several awards including Australian Education Awards for Best Student Wellbeing Program, Victorian Early Years Award and Victorian Education Award.
Hayden Beaton is the Principal at Mooroopna Park Primary School says the School Breakfast Program is nourishing some 170 young minds and bodies every day.
"We began our Breakfast Club because we realised that around 50% of students weren't having breakfast before school, and around 80% were bringing unhealthy food options to school.
"Over the years, our Breakfast Program has been very popular and has evolved into a broader Healthy Food and Wellbeing Program, where we offer breakfast, lunch, morning and afternoon tea for all our students. We have a fulltime chef, volunteers, teachers and students that support the program, and it's all made possible thanks to the support of Shepparton Foodshare that receive donations from local businesses such as Noumi."
School Breakfast Clubs exist to close that gap and have shifted from charity to an essential service. In Victoria's Goulburn Valley, a community partnership between Noumi, Australia's leading long-life milk manufacturer and Shepparton Foodshare helps support local School Breakfast Programs to ensure every child starts the day with the nutrition they need to remain focused, active and healthy at school.
Michael Perich, Noumi CEO, says the Company has been part of the Shepparton community for over 10 years and is proud to be supporting School Breakfast Programs locally.
"With a vision of Imagining a Healthier Tomorrow, it's important to Noumi that our partnerships provide meaningful change to those who need it most.
"That's why we're proud to be partnering with Shepparton Foodshare to ease cost-of-living pressures for families and support good, daily nutrition for young minds and bodies through milk donation to Breakfast Club Programs like the one at Mooroopna Park Primary School.
"Through Noumi's work with Shepparton Foodshare, our NEW 10g Protein Australia's Own Kids Chocolate Milk and No Sugar Added Chocolate Milk give kids access to a good dose of calcium and protein - with no added sugar - to get the best start to the day," Michael Perich added.
To learn more about Shepparton Foodshare visit www.sheppartonfoodshare.org.au
To learn more about Noumi and Australia's Own Kids Milk range, visit www.noumi.com.au and www.australiasownfoods.com.au/flavoured-kids-milk/
Staggering statistics reveal that one in three Aussie households (nearly 3.5 million) faced food insecurity last year, with households with children 1.5 times more likely to experience food insecurity. 61% of households report being severely impacted by food insecurity, compromising on nutrition, skipping meals or going entire days without eating to save on food costs.
The academic impact of missing breakfast is real with research revealing that students who skip breakfast are 1.6 times more likely to struggle with reading. Educators also report that breakfast programs help decrease negative classroom behaviour at school.
For students living in regional communities a nutrition 'travel gap' exists, where students may catch transport as early as 7am to get to school, and then experience a second hunger peak when they arrive, regardless of whether breakfast was eaten at home.
For the students at Mooroopna Park Primary School, in Shepparton Victoria an award-winning School Breakfast Club has run from 8am to 8.50am each school day for the past 13 years and welcomes all students to encourage inclusivity and access to good nutrition to begin the school day. For its focus on student wellbeing, the school has won several awards including Australian Education Awards for Best Student Wellbeing Program, Victorian Early Years Award and Victorian Education Award.
Hayden Beaton is the Principal at Mooroopna Park Primary School says the School Breakfast Program is nourishing some 170 young minds and bodies every day.
"We began our Breakfast Club because we realised that around 50% of students weren't having breakfast before school, and around 80% were bringing unhealthy food options to school.
"Over the years, our Breakfast Program has been very popular and has evolved into a broader Healthy Food and Wellbeing Program, where we offer breakfast, lunch, morning and afternoon tea for all our students. We have a fulltime chef, volunteers, teachers and students that support the program, and it's all made possible thanks to the support of Shepparton Foodshare that receive donations from local businesses such as Noumi."
School Breakfast Clubs exist to close that gap and have shifted from charity to an essential service. In Victoria's Goulburn Valley, a community partnership between Noumi, Australia's leading long-life milk manufacturer and Shepparton Foodshare helps support local School Breakfast Programs to ensure every child starts the day with the nutrition they need to remain focused, active and healthy at school.
Michael Perich, Noumi CEO, says the Company has been part of the Shepparton community for over 10 years and is proud to be supporting School Breakfast Programs locally.
"With a vision of Imagining a Healthier Tomorrow, it's important to Noumi that our partnerships provide meaningful change to those who need it most.
"That's why we're proud to be partnering with Shepparton Foodshare to ease cost-of-living pressures for families and support good, daily nutrition for young minds and bodies through milk donation to Breakfast Club Programs like the one at Mooroopna Park Primary School.
"Through Noumi's work with Shepparton Foodshare, our NEW 10g Protein Australia's Own Kids Chocolate Milk and No Sugar Added Chocolate Milk give kids access to a good dose of calcium and protein - with no added sugar - to get the best start to the day," Michael Perich added.
To learn more about Shepparton Foodshare visit www.sheppartonfoodshare.org.au
To learn more about Noumi and Australia's Own Kids Milk range, visit www.noumi.com.au and www.australiasownfoods.com.au/flavoured-kids-milk/
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