Getting students to begin with breakfast

To encourage more families to take advantage of the healthy choices available for school breakfast, Polk School District schools will celebrate National School Breakfast Week during March 5-9, 2018.

Busy weekday mornings make it a challenge for many families to find time for a healthy breakfast. However, US Department of Agriculture data show that more and more students are starting their day with a nutritious breakfast in their school cafeterias. The School Breakfast Program currently serves more than 14 million students every day.

Studies show that students who eat school breakfast are more likely to:

Reach higher levels of achievement in math

Score higher on standardized tests

Have better concent ration, memory and alertness

Have improved attendance, behavior, and academic performance

Maintain a healthy weight

The National School Breakfast Week (NSBW) campaign theme, “I Heart School Breakfast,” reminds the entire school community that school breakfast provides a healthy and energizing start to the day for students. Students will be encouraged to show their enthusiasm for “I Heart School Breakfast” from March 5 through March 9 with special menus, cafeteria events, and more.

Polk School District will be offering students door prizes for those eating breakfast, and the school nutrition staff are getting aprons and tshirts with the logo for the event as well.

“A healthy breakfast at the start of the day is one way to ensure students are getting the best education possible,” said Dr. Linda Holland. “National School Breakfast Week helps us educate parents and students about all the healthy, great tasting, and appealing choices we offer.”

Holland said students will also get a chance to enjoy new menu items for the week, and will be decorating the cafeterias to celebrate.

School Nutrition employees serve over 3,500 breakfast meals daily districtwide through the federally funded School Breakfast Program. School nutrition profes- sionals in Polk School District prepare breakfast and lunches every day that meet federal nutrition standards — limiting fat, calories and sodium — while encouraging students to choose from the fruits, vegetables and whole grains offered with school meals.

The “I Heart School Breakfast” campaign is made possible by the School Nutrition Association and Kellogg’s®.

Parents and students can follow the fun on https:// www. facebook. com/PSDNutrition/ and the Polk School Nutrit on web page: http:// www. schoolnutritionandfitness. com/ index. php?sid=1469828596485

See what is going on nationally at Facebook. com/TrayTalk using the hashtag #NSBW18

For more information, visit or www.schoolnutrition.org/SchoolMeals.