Ronald Kleinman, MD

How do the benefits of improved learning, attendance and behavior offset the time commitment for either universal breakfast or breakfast in the classroom?
We have been involved with these types of breakfast programs. It turns out that the time commitment for a packaged, cold breakfast is pretty small. Actually, schools can come out ahead financially when they have a universal breakfast program. On top of that, there are very positive benefits when it comes to children's behavior, attitude about learning and attitude about coming to school. There's benefit from a financial, behavioral and learning standpoint and minimal, if any, impact on the time that it takes. It's important to convince the stakeholders - the principal, the teachers, the school foodservice personnel, the environmental services people - that you're not adding to the burden of work, particularly the teachers.

In your experience, how have teachers responded to breakfast in the classroom?
The studies show that teachers are very satisfied with breakfast in the classroom and that it adds little to their workload. Instead, it improves their workday. And if you survey the parents, the kids, the teachers and the principals, they have positive reviews. There are other ways to do it, too. For example, put the breakfast on a cart in the hallway. It raises participation also, but the most impact on raising participation comes from serving it in the classroom. You can get close to 100 percent participation, which is very, very impressive.

How can teachers take an active role in getting kids to eat breakfast?
They can advocate for breakfast to be served in the school. They can make nutrition and eating part of their curricula, and advocate for turning off school vending machines. Or advocate for vending machines that sell fresh fruits, vegetables and dairy products - the kind of foods that are healthy for children. When it comes to nutrition education, teach about eating, foods and meal patterns, and what that means from a nutritional perspective. This, together with a curriculum that emphasizes activity, is very important.

What do you think about breakfast in the classroom?
More and more schools are doing it. Studies show that it's probably the most effective way to increase breakfast eating. It's also a way to get the kids organized because they all eat in one place instead of going to the cafeteria then to the classroom. Teachers who administer it and the children's parents all like it. Most studies have found that it turns out to be a winner. The initial apprehensions about doing it disappear after doing it for a while.

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