Effective approach and valuable materials
The National School Breakfast is recognised by RIVM for its clearly described approach, sound substantiation and the use of supporting materials that are both informative and attractively designed. According to RIVM, the material is accessible and offers a good balance between learning and experience. The intervention thus represents an important step in encouraging healthier breakfast habits, can be easily implemented by schools and reaches a large number of primary school pupils.
About the National School Breakfast
With the dream ‘A healthy breakfast, every day and for every child’, the National School Breakfast focuses on primary school pupils (aged 4–12) and their teachers and parents/carers. Through digital teaching materials and the annual breakfast week, which this year takes place from 11 to 15 November, children are made aware of the importance of a healthy breakfast in a playful way. The table features various products that fit within the Wheel of Five, such as vegetables, fruit, wholegrain products and semi-skimmed dairy, enabling children to learn about healthy choices and discover new eating habits.
The importance of a healthy breakfast
The National School Breakfast emphasises the benefits of a nutritious breakfast, such as sufficient energy and nutrients and, as a result, improved concentration at school. This applies not only to the more than 72,000 children who do not eat breakfast every day, but also to children who could eat a healthier breakfast. Healthy breakfast routines are essential for children’s well-being and health and support them in making conscious choices later in life.
An initiative with broad support
The National School Breakfast is supported by social partners such as the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, the Dutch Digestive Foundation, the Dutch Coeliac Association, JOGG and Healthy School. In addition, product partners contribute their support free of charge, enabling the initiative to be realised each year and bringing the dream of a healthy breakfast, every day and for every child, closer to reality.
“We are pleased with this recognition, which underlines that the National School Breakfast is a good initiative for allowing children to experience and learn about the importance of a healthy breakfast. We will continue our efforts to ensure that as many children as possible eat breakfast every day and aim to keep improving our initiative,” says project manager Babs Bruil.
Visibility and the future
Using the intervention contributes to achieving the Healthy School certificate, a quality mark for schools working on a healthy lifestyle. The intervention is listed on Loketgezondleven.nl and Gezondeschool.nl, and will be reassessed in three years with the aim of progressing to a higher recognition level.
Opening photo credit: Twycer.