Breakfast on Labor's menu

MORE students in Geelong will be able to learn on a full stomach, with a re-elected Labor Government to expand the school breakfast program, providing free school lunches to 1000 schools across the state.

Already across Greater Geelong, 133,000 breakfasts have been delivered as part of more than six million served across the state.

Geelong MP Christine Couzens said children couldn’t be expected to concentrate in class on an empty stomach.

“That’s why we set up free school breakfast clubs — and that is why we will expand the program to provide two square meals a day to kids who need it,” she said.

The Labor Party said one in seven kids arrived at school with an empty stomach, making it hard for them to pay attention in class.

Bellarine MP Lisa Neville said a Labor Government would see “every child reach their full potential” by expanding the program “to the families that need it most”.

The School Breakfast Club program provides 50,000 free breakfasts to 500 Victorian primary schools every week.

Labor hopes to expand the program to serve up a free, healthy breakfast and lunch to students in need at 1000 state primary and secondary schools every school day.

Labor also promised to provide school holiday backpacks with breakfast supplies to students in need and deliver a series of cooking master classes at 100 schools to share nutritional and meal preparation advice with families who are struggling.