Registration for the 22nd edition of the National School Breakfast is in full swing. During this festive breakfast week, together with our partners and all the teachers, we want to highlight the importance of eating a healthy breakfast, with the dream of a healthy breakfast every day and for every child. The healthy breakfast package and engaging educational materials make breakfast even more fun and educational.

Breakfast Week runs from 11 to 15 November. Your school can choose a morning during that week when the children sit down for a healthy breakfast and a fun lesson about the best start to the day. We ask for a fee of 99 cents per breakfast. This year too, we are counting on around 2,500 participating schools and more than half a million children. It would be wonderful if you joined us as well!

Five reasons why eating a healthy breakfast is so important

Starting the day with a healthy breakfast: why is it actually so important? Starting with breakfast gives you five benefits. These are the five simple rules of thumb to remember them.

Breakfast gives you energy

A car does not run without petrol, and a phone does not work with an empty battery. Your body works the same way. By eating breakfast, your body starts the new day full of energy again. Especially because your body has had to go without food during the night. Your breakfast immediately gives you the energy you need in the morning to learn, work, exercise and play!

Breakfast provides nutrients

A healthy breakfast also gives you important nutrients that you need every day. For example, breakfast provides the fibre, vitamins and minerals your body needs. If you do not start the day with these, it can be difficult to make up for the shortfall later. So do your body a favour with a tasty and healthy breakfast!

Breakfast helps your bowel movements

Breakfast is the first meal after a long night of sleep, during which you naturally eat and drink nothing. Your breakfast gets your intestines working in the morning and helps maintain regular bowel movements. This means you can go to the toilet more easily and are less likely to suffer from stomach ache. A breakfast rich in fibre is particularly good for the functioning of your intestines. You can get fibre from wholemeal bread, muesli, vegetables and fruit, for example.

Breakfast keeps you healthy

If you do not start the day with breakfast, you may feel like having snacks earlier in the morning. These are usually less healthy snacks containing a lot of sugar, salt or unhealthy fat. That is not good for your body. With a healthy breakfast, you often feel full for longer and are less inclined to eat those unhealthy snacks. So it is a good idea to start the day with a healthy breakfast, preferably in accordance with the Wheel of Five.

Breakfast is tasty and sociable

It is now clear that breakfast is healthy. But we would almost forget the most important thing: breakfast is incredibly tasty and very sociable! What could be a better start to the day than enjoying bread, toppings, yoghurt, vegetables, fruit, tea… together at the table? Having a delicious feast with your parents, brothers or sisters while discussing wonderful plans together for another new day. So start the day right with a healthy breakfast!

What does science say about breakfast?

Breakfast is often called the most important meal of the day: it provides energy and helps get digestion going. In this way, breakfast gives you a good start to the day. In addition, breakfast helps you get enough nutrients. Research shows that people who eat breakfast consume more fibre, calcium, zinc and iron, as well as vitamins A, B2 and C. People who eat breakfast therefore reach the recommended daily amounts more easily than people who skip breakfast. By increasing nutrient intake, eating breakfast improves the quality of your diet. And that is beneficial for your health.

Registration and information

  • Schools can register here for the 22nd edition of the National School Breakfast.
  • Bakers can register here to contribute to National School Breakfast Week.
  • Parents whose child is taking part in the National School Breakfast can find information here about Breakfast Week.

About the National School Breakfast

Every year, the National School Breakfast can count on broad support from various collaborative partners. Product partners help make the National School Breakfast possible by contributing their products free of charge. In addition, the National School Breakfast is supported by social partners such as the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, the Maag Lever Darm Stichting, the Dutch Coeliac Association, JOGG and the Healthy School.

Photo caption: During the 2022 National School Breakfast, children from Zyp primary school symbolically presented the first breakfast package to Member of Parliament Laurens Dassen. The children then fed the animals, marking the start of breakfast at Burgers’ Zoo.