As a teacher, you see every day what effect a nutritious breakfast has on your pupils’ ability to concentrate and their energy levels. Fortunately, there are various initiatives in the Netherlands that emphasize the importance of healthy nutrition, whether it concerns breakfast, lunch or snacks. Each initiative aims to improve the health and well-being of children in the Netherlands, each with its own focus. What suits your school? We understand that choosing can be stressful.
From event to structural support
The School Meals Programme (the 100 million) is a government initiative through which children from low-income families can eat at school on a structural basis or receive grocery money for home. This ensures that every child has a full stomach and equal opportunities. The Dutch Youth Breakfast is another wonderful initiative; in certain municipalities, children receive a free breakfast bag delivered to their homes every week (anonymously!), if their parents indicate that they cannot afford it.
There are also various other initiatives, such as the King’s Breakfast and the Reading-Aloud Breakfast. These are enjoyable events linked to King’s Day and the National Reading-Aloud Days, with the focus respectively on exercise and the pleasure of reading. There are also various initiatives for lunch, at local or regional level, such as LunchMaatjes. TommyTomato, Groenteboxjes and Spoony’s Gezonde Smikkelweken (for daycare centres) specifically focus on eating vegetables as part of a healthy diet.
A great deal of attention
At the National School Breakfast, we are pleased that so many parties recognize the importance of healthy nutrition for our children—the future of the Netherlands. It is fantastic that they are taking action to ensure that every child arrives at school with a full stomach and/or that healthy breakfast habits are encouraged. This is also beneficial in the long term: what is learned young is practiced old! The knowledge children acquire to make healthy choices also has positive effects in the long term.
A healthy breakfast, every day and for every child
The National School Breakfast is all about the importance of a healthy breakfast: why is it so important and what does a healthy breakfast look like? We link learning and experience together. The free teaching materials are available to every school throughout the year and can be used in a way that suits your school. You can link the lessons to an existing theme week or add them to lessons about nutrition, sustainability or social engagement. In addition, once a year we offer a physical breakfast: a moment when children sit down at the table together with their classmates, to learn from one another and experience what a healthy breakfast does for them. We deliberately do this only once a year, because we would like to see children have breakfast at home before they go to school. By combining learning and experience, we give children a foundation for the rest of their lives.
In this way, the National School Breakfast is there for every child, and learning about healthy breakfasts contributes to equal opportunities for all children. By making use of all aspects of the National School Breakfast, your school contributes to the physical and mental health of pupils and creates awareness and social cohesion.
Which initiative suits your school?
A school meal, whether breakfast or lunch, is more than just a meal. It is an investment in children’s well-being. It contributes to better academic performance, emotional stability, social interaction and equal opportunities. Initiatives such as the National School Breakfast help to reinforce these positive effects. What will you get started with?