Some 750 primary schools across England have been selected to pilot the free breakfast club programme starting in the summer term and running until April 2026.
Today, the Department for Education (DfE) announced the amount schools will receive to support set-up and operational costs together with the detailed guidelines they need to follow. You can read more here.
We were pleased to see that during this test and learn phase, DfE is emphasising the importance of breakfast meeting the school food standards, spelling out acceptable options such as wholegrain and unsweetened cereals, higher-fibre bread varieties, fresh or preserved fruits, and hot breakfast items such as mushrooms, tomatoes, or baked beans.
The guidance also spells out items that are not permitted under the school food standards such as packaged cereal bars, processed fruit bars, pre-packaged croissants, and chocolate-coated products.
Schools are also expected to make their breakfast clubs inclusive and accessible to all children, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and vulnerable children.
To support primary schools in establishing and running successful breakfast clubs that serve tasty, nutritious food, we are hosting a free webinar. The webinar will take place on Tuesday 21 January from 12-1pm, and you can sign up here.
