School Breakfast Week

Published March 6, 2008

Governor Phil Bredesen has proclaimed March 3 through 7 School Breakfast Week in Tennessee.  Nine Williamson County schools participate in the National School Breakfast Program.  They provide more than 104,000 meals each year.  Many of the elementary schools that participate in the program are promoting National School Breakfast Week in their cafeterias to emphasize the importance of starting the day off with breakfast.

“Students who eat breakfast perform better in math and reading, and have better attendance, attention and behavior in school,” Governor Bredesen said. “The School Breakfast Program gives students a nutritious start to the school day and allows them to concentrate on the critical task of learning.”

Research has linked eating a nutritious breakfast to improved memory, problem-solving skills, verbal fluency and creative abilities.  National School Breakfast Week began in 1989 to raise awareness about the availability of breakfast for all students at school and to draw attention to the link between eating a good breakfast and cognitive growth. Permanently established in 1975, the National School Breakfast Program is funded through the United States Department of Agriculture.