At the same time, the study shows that as children get older, they are less likely to have breakfast with their parents, and healthy foods such as vegetables and fruit are not always on the table. That is reason enough to focus on a healthy start to the day this week at 1,250 primary schools in the Netherlands.
Screens on during breakfast
The Breakfast Monitor shows that screens play a major role during breakfast. Of children aged 4 to 8, 94% sometimes watch television or use a smartphone or tablet during breakfast. Among children aged 9 to 12, the figure is 93%. At the same time, 46% of parents say that people talk during breakfast.
Eating breakfast together changes with age
For many families, breakfast is still a time to be together. For example, 65% of children usually have breakfast with a parent or caregiver. Eating breakfast together is especially common in families with primary school children. Only 2% of children aged 4 to 12 have breakfast alone. Among teenagers aged 13 to 18, this rises to 17%. The study also shows that children who eat breakfast every day are more likely to sit at the table with a parent or caregiver (72%). The research therefore points to a link between eating breakfast regularly and eating breakfast together.
Vegetables and fruit are often missing from the breakfast table
It is not only the way children eat breakfast that deserves attention, but also what is on the table. Although many children eat breakfast regularly, it is not always very varied. For example, 44% of children eat fruit with breakfast (almost) every day, and 43% eat whole-grain bread. Vegetables are even less common: only 23% eat them with breakfast (almost) every day, while 35% never eat vegetables at breakfast.
Differences between age groups are also apparent here. Younger children are more likely to eat fruit and vegetables at breakfast. This becomes less common as children get older.
1,250 primary schools are having breakfast together this week
With these findings, the National School Breakfast highlights the importance of focusing on a healthy start to the day. From 9 to 13 November, more than 275,000 children at 1,250 primary schools in the Netherlands will have breakfast together in their classrooms. During this 24th edition, themed ‘First breakfast together, then shine’, children will discover what a healthy breakfast looks like and how enjoyable it is to eat breakfast together.
With a breakfast package containing products from the Wheel of Five and specially developed teaching materials, children learn about healthy breakfast habits through play. By eating together, trying new foods and paying attention to one another, they experience what a good start to the day can look like. Linda van Zonsbeek, nutritionist at the National School Breakfast, says: “Fortunately, many children eat breakfast regularly, but the Breakfast Monitor shows that there is still room for improvement in how and what children eat for breakfast. Sitting together at the table, paying attention to one another and choosing healthy foods: these are habits we would like children to learn from an early age. With the National School Breakfast, we want to show that a healthy breakfast is not only important, but can also be an enjoyable time to start the day together.”
About the National School Breakfast
The National School Breakfast is committed to making its dream a reality: a healthy breakfast, every day, for every child. The initiative is made possible in part by product partners who contribute free of charge, and is supported by social partners such as the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, the MDL Fonds, the Dutch Coeliac Association, JOGG and Gezonde School. More information: www.schoolontbijt.nl and www.ontbijtaandebasis.nl.